I think one of the underrated attractions in Central Florida is the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Located close to Port Canaveral and about an hour from Orlando, the Kennedy Space Center sits on northern Merritt Island. The visitor complex has a wide assortment of activities, displays, shows, and even a few rides! In this guide, I'll break down the different areas of the visitor complex to help you plan your next trip.
Some of the many attractions included with admission are the rocket garden, U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, Kennedy Space Center bus tour, Race to the Moon exhibits with the Saturn V Rocket, Astronaut training simulators, Space Shuttle Atlantis and exhibits, the Shuttle Launch experience, Planet Play, and the IMAX Theater. Not included with admission are Chat with an Astronaut, Behind the Gates tours, Astronaut Training Experience, Mars Base 1, and ATX Training Stages. There is so much to see and do that you might want to spend a couple days here. If this all sounds overwhelming, don't worry! You can download the Kennedy Space Center Official Guide App to plan your day. This free app includes maps, launch alerts, attraction details, and translation capabilities. The visitor complex also has free Wi-Fi! Click here for a map of the visitor complex.
When you first enter the visitor complex, straight ahead you will see the rocket garden where rockets from different generations are displayed. To the left is the Heroes & Legends Building. This building houses the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, a Peanuts immersive launch experience for kids, Astronaut Encounter, and a science and technology show called "It's a Matter of Fact."
Past the Rocket Garden is Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex. There you will find exhibits that showcase the future of space travel. Also in this area is Spaceport, which has four motion theater attractions taking you throughout the universe. The rides have different intensity levels. You can ride them all or stick to the less intense ones if you get sick easily on simulator rides. Inside, a row of moving seats face a large screen. The seats themselves are more similar to Soarin' in EPCOT at Walt Disney World while the screen and ride vehicle setup is more similar to Flight of Passage in Animal Kingdom in WDW. It's immersive without the oddly shaped seats of Flight of Passage or the height of Soarin'.
Right next door is the IMAX theater and Planet Play, an indoor multi-story play area for kids ages 2-12. The IMAX theater is currently showing two documentary movies: Deep Sky, showing images from the Webb telescope, and Space: The New Frontier, looking forward to the future of spaceflight. Both movies are about 45 minutes long, so prepare to get comfy and grab some popcorn! Across from the IMAX theater is the Journey to Mars exhibit with interactive games and simulators.
If you're getting hungry, around Planet Play and Journey to Mars are the restaurants! Space Bowl Bistro has healthier options like acai bowls and noodle dishes. Orbit Cafe has food like pizza, burgers, and salads. Red Rock Grill has classics like hot dogs and fries. They also have a Starbucks. And don't forget to visit The Space Shop for souvenirs!
Once you get past all the food, you will find the bus tour entrance. The bus tour shows you the restricted areas of KSC, taking you past the Vehicle Assembly Building and launch pads on your way to the Race to the Moon: Apollo/Saturn V Center. Inside you'll fin the larger than life Saturn V rocket, experience Apollo 8 and the Firing Room with mission control, watch the moon landing in the Lunar Theater, and explore the various exhibits dedicated to the moon missions. For me, everything in the Saturn V Center is a must-see. My advice would be to head here first, enjoy everything, then take the bus back and take your time in the main visitor center.
In the back of the visitor center is the Space Shuttle Atlantis building, marked by a giant orange shuttle at the entrance. Inside you can get up close to the real space shuttle Atlantis, visit the Hubble Space Telescope Theater, explore the International Space Station, try your hand at the astronaut training simulators, and visit the memorial honoring the fallen astronauts from the Challenger and Columbia missions. This is also where you will find the Shuttle Launch Experience! This simulator ride lets you experience the eight-and-a-half minute launch into orbit, experiencing the g-forces. This ride can is more intense than the other simulators. The feeling is similar to Mission Space in EPCOT at Walt Disney World, but instead of being in an individual seat with a small screen in front of you, you are in a large shuttle with multiple rows of people looking out the front window. If you simply cannot ride Mission Space due to claustrophobia, the shuttle launch experience at KSC might be a great alternative.
NASA and SpaceX both launch rockets from Kennedy Space Center, often multiple times per week. You can check out this link, this link, or this link for dates, times, and details on what rockets are being launched and why. Launches get cancelled or pushed often for weather or other circumstances, but if you time your trip right you just might be able to see one or two launches! You can see them from all along the coast in Merritt Island, Satellite Beach, Melbourne, etc. There are plenty of great spots to view launches from beachfront and riverfront restaurants, along the causeways, and right on the beach. If you are staying in the area, you might be able to watch it right from your hotel! I watched many launches from my backyard in Melbourne when I was a kid.
Kennedy Space Center offers one-day admission tickets for $75 per adult and $65 per child, two-day admission tickets for $89 per adult and $79 per child, annual passes for $149 per adult and $120 per child, and a family annual pass for two adults and up to four accompanying children up to age 11 for $432.10. They also have senior and military discount tickets. Click here to buy tickets.
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