"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."
  -Leonardo DaVinci, 1509

I was practically breathless when I first peered out an airplane window. Having always had my head in the clouds, I marveled at being above them. How is this possible? When did it all begin? Who even thought of this, and why? Then a budding writer at 15 years old, all I could utter was, "Wow!"

Decades later I'm still captivated by the wonder of flight. And that all-encompassing "wow" still applies, especially at Florida's exhilarating air and space attractions. Featuring everything from ancient airships to cutting edge space exploration, they unveil the mysteries of how, when, who and why.


Flying in the Past

 While the Wright Brothers pioneered engine-powered flight in 1903, it was the Montgolfier brothers who first breathed life into DaVinci's dream. Ascending toward the heavens in their hot air balloon, they trail-blazed the sky in 1783. 18th Century Aviation in Brandon is dedicated to this most ancient form of manned flight, providing for me, a magical expedition and rare "life highlight."

The ground moved away as we traveled at the same speed and direction as the wind, causing a surreal sensation of motionless. Red tail hawk, deer, wild turkey and bald eagles were nonplussed by our presence; the serene voyage yielded breathtaking views of forest canopy and lush marsh grasses in and around the Tampa Bay area. We skirted treetops, skimmed lakes and soared thousands of feet for a magnificent bird's eye view.


Space Exploration

 A lot can happen in a few hundred years. In a giant leap for mankind, we not only left the ground, but entered space. At the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Titusville, you can relive the challenges, dreams and accomplishments of those courageous souls who braved worlds unknown.

The Astronaut Hall of Fame houses a rare collection of astronaut artifacts, from Wally Schirra's Sigma 7 Mercury spacecraft and the Apollo 14 Command Module to stunning glass etchings that line the Hall of Heroes.

Expect a flood of emotions at the moving Astronaut Memorial. The names of the fallen astronauts from Columbia STS-107, Challenger STS-51L and Apollo 1, as well as those from training and commercial airplane accidents are emblazoned on the towering black granite monument.
Exhibits, tours and lectures span 100 years of aviation history.

In Cocoa, the Astronaut Memorial Planetarium and Observatory includes a museum, hands-on demonstrations and large-format movie theater. Among the many planetarium shows is "One Small Step," a thrilling journey that follows mankind's yearnings for the stars from tales around tribal campfires to Neil Armstrong's footsteps on the moon.


Military Action

The saying "the best things in life are free" surely applies to the National Museum of Naval Aviation, one of the largest and handsomely designed air and space museums in the world. The massive steel and glass structure features a life-size replica of the flight deck and island superstructure of the World War II carrier USS Cabot, with aircraft on deck and suspended overhead.

The Blue Angel Atrium encloses four suspended gleaming McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk jets once used by the Navy's flight demonstration squadron. More than 140 specialized planes represent Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aviation history.


Aviation History

 From a 1913 baby biplane built by aviation pioneer Matty Laird when he was just 16 to ultralights, gyrocopters and World War II military planes, The Florida Air Museum tells a fascinating story. Exhibits, tours and lectures span 100 years of aviation history. Imaginative displays include a memorial to National Airlines, Howard Hughes' 1938 flight around the world and his fabled "Spruce Goose" megaplane.

Home to the Florida Aviation Hall of Fame, the museum is at Sun 'n Fun, the state's official aviation and education center and host of the famous Fly-In held each April.

Fantasy of Flight in Polk City is a museum and attraction with vintage aircraft and heart-pounding rides. Take a simulated flight or a real one; soar through the sky in a bi-plane or return to how it all began - in a beautiful balloon.