“How big was your bedroom on the International Space Station… and how did you sleep in space?!” the 9 year old boy asked J.D. Bartoe, the Astronaut of the Day at Kennedy Space Center.  After describing a few highlights of his experience as a astronaut in outer space, J.D. opened things up to questions from the audience.  This is the “Astronaut Encounter” show at Universe Theatre, and it’s one of my FAVORITE things about visiting Kennedy Space Center!

My family vacations in Florida somewhat regularly, and we have discovered that including a trip to “space coast” near Cape Canaveral is well worth the investment.  Kennedy Space Center has a thriving visitors complex, full of interactive and fascinating attractions that all ages can enjoy.

Here are some highlights, and what to expect when visiting Kennedy Space Center.

Planning Your Visit to Kennedy Space Center

We were pleasantly surprised to discover when recently visiting on Thanksgiving Day that Kennedy Space Center is open 365 days per year! It turned out to be an excellent time to visit, with very low crowds.  They even offer a turkey dinner for sale at the Orbit Cafe.

Planning Tip:  Get to KSC early in the day!  You’ll be amazed at how much there is to do, and it can easily fill an entire day.  If you casually stroll in late morning… you may find yourself having to miss some exhibits you want to see.

General Admission Tickets include all main attraction exhibits, watching your choice of two movies at the IMAX theatre, and the Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour.

Space Shuttle Atlantis

On our first visit to Kennedy Space Center a few years ago, the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction was our last stop of the day.  We regretted not having more time.  There is so much to see and do in this building, and it’s one of my favorite spots at KSC.

Don’t make the same mistake!  Head there by midday at the latest, so you can spend as much time as you like.

Although it’s also impressive to kids, I think many adults will share my fascination with getting to see the actual space shuttle Atlantis up close.  It’s truly amazing.

The Atlantis shuttle was in service for 26 years, and flew 33 missions into space!  The reusability factor of the space shuttles was one of the primary goals during this phase of NASA’s space program.  Every time she launched as a rocket, flew as a spacecraft, and landed as a glider.

Be sure to ride the Shuttle Launch Experience simulator. Although my kids were a little nervous while in the waiting queue (they hype it up nice and dramatic), turns out is wasn’t scary.  Fun attraction with a terrific ending!

Astronaut Encounter

My favorite thing. How exciting is it to chit-chat with someone who has launched into space?!  That’s what this feels like, and each talk is different.  The astronaut of the day tells you a little about their personal experience, along with some photo slides specific to their mission in space.  IT’S SO COOL!

J.D. Bartoe told us a fun story about both Coca-Cola and Pepsi wanting to send up experimental soda dispensers, to be tried by the astronauts on his mission once they were in  “Zero G” (no gravity) space. Check out the floating bubbles of Pepsi!?  As a physicist, he talked about how he was surprised to see the behavior of the carbonation in these soda “bubbles”, and how it did *not* float to the surface as he would have expected.

Such a terrific way to get kids interested in science.  🙂

Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour

The Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour is included with your admission ticket, and you should definitely include it in your day.  The KSC property is vast, and the launch sites are located a distance from the visitor’s complex.

This is an opportunity to take it all in.  You’ll drive past launch sites, the enormous VAB “Vehicle Assembly Building”, and maybe even a gator or two.

The tour guides are knowledgeable and fill you in on interesting history.  Ours told us amazing details about the launches that I had never heard before.  He also pointed out that the scary-looking, outward facing fencing around the launch sites was actually to protect the alligators.  Apparently they are talented fence climbers!  But this angled style makes them tip and fall backwards, keeping them safely out of the danger zone.

The bus tour takes around 20 minutes, and your end destination is the Apollo / Saturn V Center.  Explore at your leisure here.

The return drive back takes you directly to the KSC visitor complex.

Kennedy Space Center – Where to Eat

We ate lunch at the Orbit Cafe, and thought the food was excellent.  Highly recommend the pulled pork sandwich and chocolate chip cookies!

There’s another cafeteria where you can eat lunch, back at the Apollo / Saturn V Center (the end destination of the bus tour).  It’s not something you can walk to.  But if you take bus tour midday and find yourself hungry during that portion of your schedule, there is food available in that area.

To make your day extra memorable, KSC also offers an experience called “Lunch With an Astronaut” available for an extra charge.  My family has never tried this, but given how much I thoroughly enjoy listening to the astronaut speak at the Astronaut Encounter show… I bet it would be amazing.  Prices seem quite reasonable (especially on a Disney World trip when we are also planning on Character Dining – ouch), at $29.99 per adult and $15.99 per child.

We have fully enjoyed our visits to Kennedy Space Center!  This educational destination is also a whole lotta fun for the entire family.

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We received complementary tickets to visit Kennedy Space Center.  All opinions are my own.