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Step 1
Plan a trip to Central Florida. You can spend days at KSC but if you live far away, include a few other activities and make it a complete vacation. The Space Center is less than an hour from Orlando and all its attractions, and even closer to Central Florida’s beaches and the cruise hub of Port Canaveral.
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Step 2
Buy Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex tickets online. You’ll save time when you arrive. Also, seating is limited for the special guided tours and programs and they do sell out.
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Step 3
Arrive early. The Visitor Complex is open every day of the year, except Christmas and shuttle launch days, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Earlier is generally better. The crowds get worse toward lunchtime and, in the summer, so does the heat.
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Step 4
Take the Bus Tour. The price is included in your admission ticket. This 2-hour tour takes you to the International Space Station Center, LC 39 Observation Gantry and Apollo/Saturn V Center for behind-the-scenes views. The Astronaut Hall of Fame, also on this tour, includes interactive space flight simulators.
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Step 5
Take an expert-guided tour for a closer look. The “NASA Up Close” tour covers Space Shuttle launch and landing facilities and the Vehicle Assembly Building--one of the world’s most massive buildings. “Cape Canaveral: Then and Now” visits early launch sites, the Air Force Space and Missile Museum and modern unmanned rocket program sites.
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Step 6
Talk to a real astronaut by catching the daily “Astronaut Encounter” or signing up for “Lunch With an Astronaut.” The KSC website has the list of astronauts scheduled to appear at these events (see Resources below).
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Step 7
Go back for a second day. Your ticket covers another visit within seven days, and once you’ve taken the tours, you’ll know what to revisit. Ride the new Shuttle Launch Experience, gaze at the impressive Astronaut Memorial, watch IMAX space movies and buy Astronaut Ice Cream at the space store. There are many things here worth experiencing.
