3, 2, 1 . . .Blastoff! Exploring Florida’s Kennedy Space Center
- Gail McElroy
- Mar 19, 2023
- 4 min read
My jaw dropped in awe seeing the sheer size of the spacecraft in the Rocket Garden just inside the entrance of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The rockets on display are from NASA’s Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs and are part of the Heroes & Legends attraction, which includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame and Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo exhibits. This is also where visitors can meet an astronaut during a live presentation at Universe Theater.
On a hot and humid day last spring, my husband and I were on our own “mission” to beat the crowds to the Kennedy Center Bus Tour departure station and avoid standing in a long line, so we decided to spend more time exploring the Heroes & Legends area at the end of our visit.
When traveling, our motto is to arrive at tourist destinations and book activities early in the day, especially when crowds and weather may be an issue. Everything I read about visiting the Kennedy Space Center confirmed it was best to purchase tickets in advance, so we did.
Be careful to buy your tickets only from the official Kennedy Space Center website. Many third-party sites that look legitimate will pop up when you do a search for tickets.
Turns out, there were no lines when we arrived, but the Information Center was out of printed maps, which was a disappointment. (I am a tactile person and like to have a physical map to study.) However, they do have a downloadable map for your smart phone.
The bus line moved quickly, and the 10-minute ride to The Apollo/Saturn V Center (a must-see) was comfortable and, most importantly, air conditioned. There isn’t much to see along the drive since the base is located on many acres of open – and off limits – land. Consequently, the most exciting part of our ride was spotting a few alligators along the way emerging from some canals near the side of the road.
Turns out, for an extra $25 each, we could have purchased tickets for the KSC Explore Tour, which includes extra stops and “iconic photographic views.” (Admittedly, I should have done more research on tour options ahead of our visit and won’t make that mistake again.)
We told our friends about this before their visit last fall, and they were grateful for both my warning about buying tickets from a non-official site (they almost did) and for the add-on of the behind-the-gates bus tour tip. The two photos below are from their tour.
With our general admission we didn't get anywhere near seeing the actual launch sites. We could spot the “scaffolding” of a launch pad in the distance, but from our vantage point, it looked like a bright yellow toothpick. But our friends, with the KSC Explore tour, were able to get very close to the launch sites, the Blue Origin and SpaceX launch sites.
For the ultimate view, schedule your visit (and pay an additional fee) to view a launch. Just be aware the launch could get “scrubbed” for all kinds of reasons, including technical issues and weather. We almost stayed an additional day to see a Space-X rocket launch. Good thing we didn’t since it was cancelled due to a bad storm that blew in.
In total, we spent about four hours visiting the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), including time to eat lunch and shop in one of the gift stores. The food is expensive with limited options and seating is hard to find during the lunch rush. Visitors can certainly spend more time to incorporate the various shows and demonstrations, but we had time constraints for our visit.
We drove to the Space Center from St. Augustine (about two hours) where we spent the night before. Since we had reservations at a high-end beachfront resort in Fort Lauderdale the next day, we only planned for a half-day visit to KSC. Even though we had limited time and experienced a few disappointments, we were glad we visited the world-famous Kennedy Space Center, the site that launched the rocket that led to the first man landing on and walking on the moon. It was a Florida must-see for both me and my husband.
TIP: Before you book tickets be sure to scour the KSC website and prioritize what you want to do in advance of your visit to make sure to see the things that are important to you. If you can plan your visit around a rocket launch, all the better. Just know that any extras come with a price tag.
Here are some helpful direct links:
Where we stayed:
The Courtyard Cocoa Beach is also a good option. Because it is a tourist destination, hotels and motels line the main highway, offering something for every budget.
Ever since watching the TV show “I dream of Genie” as a kid, I’ve wanted to visit Cocoa Beach. Adjacent to Cape Canaveral and the Space Center, it is a beach town that served as the setting for the 1960s sitcom based on a fictional astronaut.
One of the biggest draws in town along the main road is the Cocoa Beach Ron Jon Surf Shop. The flagship store, spanning nearly two blocks and 52,000 square feet, is the world’s largest surf shop. If you’re visiting the area, you can’t miss it. Billboards promote it along Interstate 95, in both directions, for miles. Be sure to visit the pier and have a drink/meal at Rikki Tiki Tavern. Also, on your way into or out of town, be sure to stop for an ice cream at Twistee Treat.
Your article makes me want to visit the Cape! It gave me a good sense of what to expect and why I'd like to go. Thank you for the tips on the things to to do (and not to do). Those pointers are so helpful. It's kind of funny that I even though I worked in Procurement on the Space Shuttle project while I was in the Air Force, your article brought it up close and personal!
Jean :)
Nice going Gail. Very informative.