Westworld Alberta

14 W E S T W O R L D A L B E R T A | S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 ussrc Reach for the Stars at Space Camp, Huntsville, Alabama While the words "northern Alabama" may not evoke images of cutting-edge technol- ogy and otherworldly exploration, the city of Huntsville is, in fact, the birthplace of America's space program and home to NASA's largest facility, the Marshall Space Flight Center. Welcoming roughly 16 million visitors since it opened in 1970, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC) is a wonder- land that both space geeks and casual fans of the galaxy can enjoy. And it has something for every age. Including, of course, Space Camp. e traditional program invites kids aged nine to 18 for a five-night experience exploring real rockets and flying virtual missions. But the USSRC also offers a three-day family camp that includes meals and accommodation. Everyone from kids over seven to grand- parents can enjoy building rock- ets and even sitting in a simulated one-sixth-gravity chair. The Rocket Center's museum also boasts some remarkable exhib- its, including a rocket park with 27 missiles and rockets, a shuttle park, the Saturn V moon rocket, a capsule from Apollo 16 and a 3D digital theatre. Huntsville offers terrestrial pleasures, too. Tour historic mansions, stroll botanical gardens and visit the EarlyWorks Children's History Museum, the larg- est hands-on museum in the South, which includes a talking tree and a 46-foot keelboat. Don't Miss: e Space Shot simulator at the Rocket Center, which whips you up 43 metres and gives four Gs of force, plus three seconds of freefall. Insider Tip: Although best known for its other- worldly attractions, Hunstville is also a major art centre. Kids will adore the Huntsville Museum of Art for its 3D and hands-on exhibits. Nearby Lowe Mill, a cluster of 100-plus studios in a former textile mill, is the largest private art centre in the U.S. The Best Part: If you don't mind a bit of a drive, combine your Huntsville visit with a beach holiday on the Gulf Coast. Beach hotels in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama, are routinely less expensive than those on the neig hbour ing Florida Panhandle, so you can enjoy those beautiful, sandy beaches a couple days longer for the same price. Save up to 20% at the Best Western Plus Rocket City Inn & Suites, near the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. AMARewards.ca/ BestWestern Save up to 20% on Hertz car rentals. AMARewards.ca/Hertz (below) Space campers get a glimpse of the retired Apollo 16 command module on display at Alabama's U.S. Space & Rocket Center; (right) the centre's Rocket Garden contains 27 missiles and rockets. SPRING BREAK 3

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