I’ve been fascinated by space exploration ever since I first saw the Apollo 13 movie back in the 90s so visiting Kennedy Space Center had always been on my bucket list. We finally visited and so I’m sharing with you my 10 Tips for Visiting Kennedy Space Center.
Kennedy Space Center is a quick 1-hour drive from Orlando.
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disclosure: this is a hosted trip. All opinions, suggestions are our own. Post may contain affiliate links.
10 Tips for Visiting Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex:
1. Kennedy Space Center Tips: Get your Tickets Online
Save time by getting your tickets online to avoid lining up at the ticket booths when you arrive. Your time at the ticket booths can be spent taking pictures of the Kennedy Space Center Rocket Garden instead.
How much does it cost to go to the Kennedy Space Center?
Regular-priced Kennedy Space Center tickets cost $65 for kids and $75 for adults. Discounted Kennedy Space Center Tickets are only $53.99 for kids ages 3 to 11 and $61.99 for adults ages 12+.
You can check our post – Kennedy Space Center Discount Tickets for over 10 ticket deals to save money on your visit to the visitor complex.
2. Save on Kennedy Space Center Discount Tickets by getting a Multi-Attractions Pass
If you are planning to visit multiple attractions in Florida, I would suggest either getting the Go Miami Card or Go Orlando Card which enables you to visit Kennedy Space Center and 27 other attractions in Florida for one discounted price.
You can purchase a 2 day, 3-day, or 5-day pass and visit any of the 28 attractions included within a 2-week time span from when you first use your tickets.
As an example, the Orlando Card includes Legoland Florida, Daytona Speedway All Access Track Tour, and a lot of other Orlando and Miami attractions.
3. Tips for Visiting Kennedy Space Center: Arrive Early & Stay All Day
Kennedy Space Center opens at 9 AM every day and closing time varies by date (between 5 – 8 PM). Can you do Kennedy Space center in half a day? You will be missing out on a lot if you only spend half a day. There is so much to do that spending a full day or even 2 days to see it all would be ideal. The parking lot opens 30 minutes before operating hours.
4. Must See at Kennedy Space Center: Space Shuttle Atlantis
What is there to do at the Kennedy Space Center?
I’d say this is the best part of the whole Kennedy Space Center – learning about the Space Shuttle Atlantis and watching it unfold. There’s also tons of interactive exhibit within the building like astronaut training simulators. The kids really enjoyed their time here.
5. Kennedy Space Center Ride: Shuttle Launch Experience
There is only 1 Kennedy Space Center ride and it is included in your admission tickets. You will get to ride here after seeing Space Shuttle Atlantis. Strap in for a simulation of the space shuttle’s eight-and-a-half-minute ascent into orbit! Must be 44″ tall to ride. All personal items must be stowed in the complimentary lockers.
6. Kennedy Space Center Bus Tours: Ride in the Morning or catch it before it gets Dark
The bus tour is quite long but for true blue rocketship fans, you get to see launch sites and the bus tour ends at Apollo/Saturn V Center where you get to see the 363-foot Saturn V rocket, touch a moon rock, experience the thrill of the space race with the launch of Apollo 8, and many more.
The Kennedy Space Center crowd levels after lunch were high. The line to enter the Atlantis Exhibit, as well as the bus tour, was quite long when we arrive in that area so we rode the bus tour just before it ended at 530PM and the sun has set by mid-tour so they cut it short and went straight to Apollo/Saturn V Center which actually worked for us. The length of the bus tour was too long for our young kids, I would suggest doing this last but do see it before it gets dark so you still see a glimpse of the launch sites.
7. Don’t eat at the first restaurant you see and do pack some snacks
Don’t rush to line up at the first restaurant or first snack stand you see when you enter Kennedy Space Center – the line will be long. Look for another restaurant with lesser lines. We ended up at Orbit Cafe and found a table and the line to get food was not as bad compared to Rocket Garden Cafe.
You also need snacks along the way especially when traveling with kids. Don’t forget to pack some snacks especially for the bus tour.
8. Kennedy Space Center Astronaut Encounter: Take a Picture with an Astronaut or Meet one in Person
Seeing an astronaut in full gear was amazing. Make sure to take pictures with them as a souvenir or meet a veteran astronaut during a live presentation at Astronaut Encounter. Check the daily schedule upon arrival for show times and autograph opportunities.
9. Tips for Visiting Kennedy Space Center: Schedule Visit during a Rocket Launch
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers launch viewing opportunities for rocket launches from Kennedy Space Center and adjacent Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It is included on your admission pass if you watch it the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex next to the Atlantis exhibit but it’s for an additional fee on certain viewing areas. Learn more about it HERE.
10. Tips for Visiting Kennedy Space Center: Watch two movies in IMAX 3d
Two 3D space movies are available daily at IMAX Theater and are included with admission. See daily schedule once you arrive at the Kennedy Space Center for show times. You can even get theater snacks and drinks in the lobby before the movie begins.
Hope we brought a piece of Kennedy Space Center to you through our 10 Tips for Visiting Kennedy Space Center.
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Thanks for the tips. With so much to do, I can see how it could be overwhelming. You could end up missing out on something spectacular if you don’t plan.
This is so helpful! I have always wanted to visit this place and you bet that when I get to that part of the world, I will refer to your article here. Thanks!
I keep telling my husband, one of these years we have to get to this place – and while the kids are still relatively young. My son is so into anything space right now!!
I haven’t been to the Space Center in YEARS! I always loved visiting space-related museums. They’ve always interested me! I hope when I’m traveling this year, I’ll visit a few of them!
I love that they allow you to bring snacks, as well as the fact they don’t add in fees and charges wherever possible. So many attractions like this offer admission as the base price, then gouge visitors for all of the “extras”. It’s great that the ride is included, as well as movies- and that they even gave complimentary lockers! That’s basically unheard of in my neck of the woods lol. I live near Niagara Falls, a major tourist attraction, and there are “sneaky fees” everywhere -_-
Great tips about the restaurants and everything too. Looks like fun!
These are absolutely great tips! I have been wanting to go back to the KSC but I figured a lot must have changed since the last time I was there. I’ve always been a fan or pre-ordering tickets online. Multi-pass tickets are also such a great value for the price. It always great to pay one price and get to do many activities with one ticket.
I’ve been to Florida a couple of times, but haven’t come across the Kennedy Space Center during our travels. I used to really be into astronomy when I was younger, and think this would have made an awesome trip for me. I think my nephew would love to visit here. I had no clue that there was 1-2 days’ worth of things to do at this attraction.
These are some great tips! I’m hoping to take the kids this year to visit the Kennedy Space Center. I saw a blogger friend last year with her kids and she too mentioned how awesome the center is. I would love for us to take the bus tour and I would definitely get the Multi- Attraction Pass! Great tips.
This is on on my list of attractions! I have to get there soon. I love all your tips, just so helpful for a first time visitor.
What a fun family trip! My younger sister is really into science, and I’m sure she’d appreciate the space center. Thank you for sharing these tips!
I visited when I was a kid but haven’t been there since. Would love to take my boys as I know that they would love to see the space shuttles and the artifacts. Love the picture of the kids crawling through. Also love that they have IMAX – always my favourite way to experience movies – especially ones that feature the space program.