Set on the left bank of the Indian River, Titusville is a sprawling city to the east of Orlando that was originally known as Sand Point. It is now named after Henry T. Titus, a settler who arrived in 1867 with the intention of building a town. Legend says that Titus challenged Captain Clark Rice to a game of dominoes, with the winner getting to rename the town in their honour.
Things to do in Titusville
Aviation enthusiasts shouldn’t miss a visit to the Valiant Air Command, Inc. Warbird Museum, where you’ll find an impressive range of vintage aircraft and artefacts. A highlight of the collection is a Douglas C-47 Skytrain that’s known as the “TICO Belle” and served with Allied nations during World War II. Stop by the hangar to see the current restoration projects or coincide your visit with one of the museum’s airshows.
Titusville is also home to the American Space Museum, which exhibits flight suits, equipment and photographs related to the country’s history of space exploration. In the plaza outside the museum is the US Space Walk of Fame, which honours the astronauts and NASA personnel who have left their mark on the industry. It features a central pool surrounded by several monuments dedicated to the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle programs.
You can stretch your legs on the walking trails of the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, which encompasses oak scrub, wet prairie and pine flatwood forest. It’s also a popular destination for nature photography as home to gopher tortoises, white-tailed deer and bobcats, as well as Florida scrub lizards and Eastern indigo snakes.
Getting around Titusville
Titusville is around 45 minutes’ drive from Orlando and Orlando International Airport, which has flights to destinations around the globe. Buses connect from Orlando to Titusville and travel throughout the city.