Top tips for planning your visit to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Top tips for planning your visit to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex!

If you are planning a trip to Orlando, I highly recommend adding the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to your list of must do’s. It is a fantastic day out for anyone of any age and what I absolutely love is that it is an actual active NASA launch facility and the center for the agency’s space activities, not just a regular theme park or museum, and I found it hugely inspiring!

Pro tip: Get your discounted Kennedy Space Center tickets here  from AttractionTickets.com along with tickets for other Orlando attractions.

The Kennedy Space Center

So where is the Kennedy Space Center located?

The Kennedy Space Center is located on Merritt Island just off the east coast of Florida, approximately 50 mins away by car from Orlando. The address is: Space Commerce Way, Merritt Island, FL 32953.

How do you get to the Kennedy Space Center?

If you have hired a car it is relatively easy to drive to Kennedy Space Center and there is ample parking on site. There is a parking fee of $10 per car.

There are shuttle services via Gray line coach available too if you haven’t hired a car with multiple pick up points and this is a cheaper option than a taxi at around $70 return per person.

How much time do you need at the Kennedy Space Center?

I would recommend spending a whole day there  in order to see everything, and maybe even 2 days if you wanted to truly immerse yourself in each exhibit and experience.

The center opens at 9am but the gates open at 8:30am so try and get there as early as possible and join the queue.

Once there I would recommend you download the Kennedy Space Center app to help plot out your day.

Do this first at the Kennedy Space Center!

Bus tour & Apollo/Saturn V Center

The bus tour is included in your regular admission ticket and I highly recommend you join the queue to do it as soon as you get to Kennedy Space Center. No need to pre-book, just join the line.

In my opinion it is the best way to start your day there as you will get a sense of the whole site and some of the history of the Apollo program, which was the space program responsible for the first moon landing and subsequent missions to the moon. It truly sets the scene.

Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour

Highlights of the bus tour include driving by the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB where the largest components of NASA’s space program are assembled. It can house a full size rocket end-to-end standing up!  You will also drive past NASA’s real launch pads and official facilities. You’ll learn so much on your bus tour from the guide, along with lots of other NASA facts.

The bus will then drop you at the Apollo/Saturn V Center where your first experience will be watching an informative video followed by going into a second room to watch the Apollo 8 launch.

I found this so interesting, emotional and inspiring to see and I loved the simulation and effects, which I won’t spoil for you!

Saturn V Rocket

The final part of this experience is heading into a large room where you will see the actual Saturn V rocket which was instrumental to the success of the Apollo program. You can walk under it which really helps to give a sense of its sheer magnitude!

I loved walking through the Treasure Gallery where you can find artefacts of the Apollo program, you can also dress in an astronaut suit and take photos if you want!

Lunar samples

The last exhibit at the Apollo/Saturn V Center is Ad Astra Per Aspera, a memorial to the astronauts who lost their lives on a test rehearsal of the first expected moon launch on Apollo 1. Three crew members lost their lives that day: Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee.

You re-board the bus outside the gift shop and then you continue back to the main site to see all the other exhibits.

What to see next at the Kennedy Space Center!

Space Shuttle Atlantis

Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit

The bus will drop you back to the main visitor center complex and you will be right near the entrance of the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit. You cannot miss the giant orange rocket outside!

I don’t want to ruin it for anyone but the presentation of the Space Shuttle Atlantis is truly amazing and at the end a few tears were shed.

Shuttle launch experience

We also absolutely loved the Shuttle Launch Experience, a simulation of the shuttle’s ascent into orbit. This is also included with your admission and I would highly recommend doing it.

Atlantis Exhibition

There are a few cool interactive exhibits dotted around too which make for great photo opportunities!

Journey to Mars: Explorers Wanted

Journey to Mars

Explore attractions like NASA’s plans for Mars and how to get yourself into the next round of NASA hires in this building dedicated to deep space exploration.

Don’t miss the Mars Rover Vehicle Navigator outside the building.

Mars Rover

Gateway: Deep Space Launch Complex

Gateway

This is one of the newest exhibits at Kennedy Space Center and it aims to highlight potential future innovations in space travel and exploration and includes recent commercial ventures. There are plenty of interactive stations downstairs and four simulator “rides” upstairs offering different journeys into deep space – the lines can be long for these since they’re really popular and keep in mind the 39″ minimum height.

Space Mirror Memorial

This memorial from the Astronauts Memorial Foundation is worth a quick visit to pay your respects to NASA’s fallen heroes. It’s beautifully done on polished black granite.

Rocket Garden

Rocket Garden

I loved walking through the Rocket Garden where several rockets are exhibited. Tours are available throughout the day as part of your general admission, but you can also just do a self-guided tour and take your time to read the information available next to each exhibit.

It is also a lovely spot to just sit down for ten mins if you are tired!

Heroes & Legends

Heroes and Legends

The Heroes & Legends is dedicated to big names in space travel and what it takes to make a hero. Your entrance is timed to this one and once inside you will watch two short videos. On the way in though is a walkway which is also a good spot to get some photos of the Rockets in the Rocket Garden.

Photo spot in Kennedy Space Center

You’ll then walk into the main exhibit space that details the heroic qualities required of astronauts and more clips from former astronauts on their personal NASA experiences, as well as a control room.

The last exhibit is the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.

Hall of fame

I would recommend ending your experience with either Heroes & Legends or the Gateway exhibit.

Shopping at The Kennedy Space Center

Space shop

You will find gift shops at almost every major exhibit as well as the world’s largest Space Shop selling NASA Merchandise in the heart of the Visitor Center.

You can buy a whole range of items from T-shirts, space souvenirs, freeze-dried ice cream, toys, books, and mission patches here.

Can I view a rocket launch at Kennedy Space Center?

If you are like me you will get to the end of the day and have the desire to either apply for a career at Kennedy Space Center or have a new bucket list wish of seeing a rocket launch!

Bear in mind that rocket launches are not always guaranteed as a lot of factors such as weather or technical issues can lead to a postponement or cancellation.

However if you have planned your visit to coincide with a launch, there is available seating at the bleachers at the Banana Creek viewing point – on a first-come, first-serve basis. Others may require an additional purchased ticket because they can only be viewed from more restricted areas or they happen outside of the park’s regular operating hours. Launch viewing tickets are available for some — but not all — launches, depending on the date and time of the launch.

Contact Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex at (855) 433-4210 for information on purchasing tickets.

Food & Drink at The Kennedy Space Center

Orbit Cafe

There are lots of dining options at The Kennedy Space Center which includes The Orbit Cafe where you can get burgers, fries etc, The Red Rock Grill where you can get hot dogs and fries.

Milky Way Ice Cream Shop

Ice cream

For sweet treats there is the Milky Way Ice Cream Shop as well as Space Dots next to the Atlantis Exhibit where you can taste the ice cream of the future!

There is a healthier option available at Space Bowl Bistro as well as the Moon Rock Cafe near the Apollo/Saturn V Exhibit.

ADD-ON EXPERIENCES

There is quite a bit included in your ticket, but here are some extra experiences you can opt to add on for an additional price.

Chat with an Astronaut allows you a chance to speak with an astronaut about their experience over light food and refreshments. It’s offered twice daily.

Kennedy Space Center Explore Tour is an in depth behind the scenes tour that allows you to get out of the bus to take photos and gives you access to a space expert for a guide.

Fly with an Astronaut is an even more exclusive behind the scenes tour with an astronaut. You’ll eat lunch with them, try out the Shuttle Launch Experience, and take a guided tour. It’s not offered every day, so check the calendar and ticket checkout for your options.

Astronaut Training Experience – Participate in immersive simulation training to live and work on Mars.

Tickets for Kennedy Space Center

For the best priced tickets for the Kennedy Space Center be sure to purchase them from attractiontickets.com who also sell a variety of tickets for other popular Orlando experiences as well as tickets for attractions in the UK and Europe. They are the UK’s No. 1 Attraction Ticket Provider

My experience at The Kennedy Space Center was complimentary but all views are my own.