Port Canaveral is a cruise, cargo and naval port in Brevard County, Florida, and for anyone who has ever taken a Caribbean Cruise, this is the port of departure to head out to sea.
As one of the busiest cruise ports in the world with close to 4 million cruise passengers passing through annually, here are some lesser known facts for your reading pleasure!
As one of the busiest cruise ports in the world with close to 4 million cruise passengers passing through annually, here are some lesser known facts for your reading pleasure!
Port Canaveral, Florida (portcanaveral.com)
1. The Canaveral Port Authority was established in 1953 and the Port Canaveral District is located just north of the City of Cape Canaveral.
(credit: traveldestinationswithcharacter.com)
2. Port Canaveral is located near the center of Florida's Atlantic Coast, east of Merrit Island, separated from it by the Banana River and the closest port to Orlando and Central Florida theme parks and attractions.
Ponce de León (credit: biography.com)
3. The name Cape Canaveral is from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, which was discovered by the Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León in 1513. "Canaveral" means "reed bed" or "sugarcane plantation" and is the third oldest surviving European place name in the United States. The first application of the name, according to the Smithsonian Institution, was from the 1521–1525 explorations of Spanish explorer Francisco Gordillo.
(photo credit: runthecape.com)
4. The Cape Canaveral Lighthouse is the oldest standing structure on the Cape. Designated a Florida Heritage Site, it was built at the request of Florida Territorial delegate Charles Downing on May 21, 1838.
(credit: Cruise Critic Message Board Forums)
5. Carnival, Disney, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean International are some of the cruise lines which dock at one of the five cruise terminals.
Port Canaveral (photo credit: portcanaveral.com)
6. Port Canaveral handles nearly 4 million tons of cargo each year. Exports include fresh citrus; cement and building materials. Good received at the port include lumber, salt for water softening, automobiles, and steel sheet and plate.
(photo credit: Florida's Space Coast)
7. Nearby Attractions include Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science, Canaveral National Seashore, Brevard Museum of Art and Science, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, American Police Hall of Fame and Museum, and William Beardall Tosohatchee State Preserve.
(credit: visitportcanaveral.com)
8. Exploration Tower is a captivating architectural landmark in nearby Cape Canaveral that provides visitors with seven floors of exhibits and interactive activities. The Tower has indoor and outdoor observation decks, a recreation theater, a café, a gift shop and much more. There is also a simulator where visitors are able to navigate through Canaveral Harbor!
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