Traveling is a bit tricky right now and for those living in Florida, we already live in a place where tourists flock. We have so much right here in our own back yard. For those living on the Treasure Coast, driving up to the Space Coast to visit Kennedy Space Center is a fun day trip.
July 20th is National Moon Day when we commemorate Neil Armstrong being the first man to walk on the moon back on July 20th, 1969. President Richard Nixon made this day into a holiday to mark this amazing achievement.
If you haven’t been to the Kennedy Space Center, it is a remarkable place. While many of the exhibits are permanent, they always bring new things for visitors to marvel at. Located on Merritt Island on Space Commerce Way, it is only 2.5 hours south of Jacksonville, 1 hour south of Daytona Beach, 1 hour east of Orlando, 2 hours east of Tampa, 1.5 hours north of Vero Beach, and 2.5 hours north of West Palm Beach. The location really is ideal for a day trip.
The park is organized in chronological order making it easy to plan how you wish to get around. The space center takes you from the very beginning of space exploration all the way to present day operations and everything in between.
Heroes and Legends is where they cover space exploration from the beginning. You can check out all the space craft and walk through the rocket garden, learn about all the Apollo missions, walk through the astronaut hall of fame, and even speak with the astronauts directly.
If you’ve wanted to see the launch sites, you’ll want to take the behind the gates bus tour. You’ll also tour the spaceflight operations to see how NASA operated in the past all the way to present day. The tour also gives you access to the Apollo/Saturn V center where you learn about the Apollo Moon landings.
Do not forget about NASA’s space shuttle program. This is where the Shuttle Atlantis resides permanently for all to explore and enjoy. The shuttle missions launched the Hubble space telescope and the International Space Station, among many missions.
If you want to feel what it is like to ride on the shuttle and get launched into space, you’ll want to ride the Shuttle Launch Experience. Before leaving this section, visit the memorial honoring those from the Challenger and Columbia missions.
NASA Now & Next is another section of the space center where you can learn about current and future space missions to explore deep space, including Mars and beyond.
There is so much to see, do and explore it can be hard to fit it all in one day. Prices are reasonable when you compare it to other amusement parks and attractions. Adult one-day tickets are $75, and children (3-11) are $65. Adult two-day tickets are $89, and children are $79. Seniors (55+) pay $70 for one-day and $84 for two-days. There are also military pricing and annual passes. Depending on the season, the park is open from either 9am to 5pm or 6pm. All the information is on their website: www.kennedyspacecenter.com.
If you are looking for something fun to do that will entertain the entire family and are looking to vacation close to home or just want something to do over a weekend, visiting the Kennedy Space Center will not disappoint.
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