Among the countless iconic attractions in Florida, Kennedy Space Center is the most famous among aerospace and military technology lovers. After all, it is NASA's most important base and Florida's Gateway to Space!
Kennedy Space Center opened in 1962, a couple of years after NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) was established. Pre-COVID, the center garnered around 1.7 million visitors per year.
Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex is open to space enthusiasts of all ages! Credits: @jrose80 on Instagram
Within Kennedy Space Center are 700 buildings used for multi-use spaceports, vehicle assembly, and housing for astronauts—yes, real astronauts! But the one that’s accessible to tourists from all over the world is the famous Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex, where you’ll find rides, exhibits, and many other neat things dedicated to all things space. It’s perfect for families who want an educational bonding experience when in the Sunshine State.
Want to get ready for your epic space exploration right in Florida? Here’s everything you and the fam need to know about Kennedy Space Center:
- What’s inside
- Where to get tickets
- How to get there
1. What's inside
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is open to the space-loving public. Credits: @beingmeak05 on Unsplash
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is the hub for tourists within the NASA base, where several installations, rides, and galleries will pique your interest.
Here you’ll find the Kennedy Space Center Rocket Garden, which is in fact, a garden with gigantic rockets used during actual rocket science projects. Watch out for the Delta and Juno rockets, Gemini, Mercury-Redstone, Saturn 1B, and more!
Find out what it’s like to blast off into space on the Shuttle Launch Experience
Little ones will especially enjoy the rides in Kennedy Space Center, such as the Shuttle Launch Experience, which simulates all of the sensations of blasting off into space!
You can take commemorative photos with the Space Shuttle Atlantis
Guests will also be pleased to find the Space Shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center displayed to simulate how astronauts would see the mighty full-scale shuttle in space. Speaking of rockets and shuttles, the NASA base also hosts public viewings of rocket launches as close as possible to the Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad—it’s so close that you can feel the spacecraft lift off from the Earth!
Pro-tip: check out the schedule of rocket launches if you want to experience it for yourself.
Be in awe of what lies beyond Earth with the space center’s interactive galleries
Kennedy Space Center also boasts an IMAX Theater where you can watch educational films about space and numerous exhibitions. One of the best ones in the center is Journey to Mars: Explorers Wanted, an immersive multimedia exhibit that delves into Mars and the Moon.
Learn more NASA’s historic space expeditions and the heroic astronauts behind them at the Heroes and Legends exhibit. Credits: @beingmeak05 on Unsplash
Aspiring astronauts will be filled with inspiration at the Heroes and Legends exhibit, featuring the US Astronaut Hall of Fame. Marvel at the history of America’s first space expeditions and the astronauts that were inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Aside from these exciting attractions, there’s more to discover and uncover at Kennedy Space Center that are worth seeing with your own eyes!
2. Where to get tickets
Check out the Saturn V Rocket displaced in Kennedy Space Center. Credits: @rossy_96garcia on Instagram
You can conveniently book your Kennedy Space Center tickets on Klook. Upon booking, you will receive instant confirmation on your email along with the E-voucher that you can present to get entry. Tickets are open-dated, so you can visit when you are most available.
Take note that the opening hours for Kennedy Space Center are 10 AM to 4 PM on weekdays and 10 AM to 5 PM on weekends.
3. How to get there
Kennedy Space Center is in Merritt Island, Florida, an hour away from Orlando and Daytona Beach. As of the moment, there is no direct public transportation to the center, making driving the best option to get there. There are also bus stations near it, namely Cargo Road And Cargo Slip Road and Oia Transfer Center, which are a 16-minute walk away at most.
