The Kennedy Space Center near Orlando has been the launch site of every US human space flight since 1968.
It is the center of NASA’s major space activities, including launches and space-related events, and is popular with both kids and adults.
More than 1.5 million guests enter the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex every year to explore the American space program’s past, present, and future.
This article shares everything you must know before buying your Kennedy Space Center tickets.
Top Kennedy Space Center Tickets
# General Admission ticket
# Grayline’s bus tour from Orlando
# City SightSeeing’s bus tour from Orlando
Table of contents
What to expect at Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center is home to many real historic and current space exploration vehicles, which both kids and adults love exploring.
You will see scientific marvels such as the actual space shuttle Atlantis, a Saturn V Moon rocket, the Apollo 14 Kitty Hawk capsule, the Mercury Sigma 7 capsule, Gemini 9 capsule, etc.
In the Rocket Garden, you walk among incredible, authentic machines that pioneered America’s space exploration.
The Deep Space Launch Complex, the latest attraction, also houses many genuine spacecraft.
| Tickets/Tours | Cost |
|---|---|
| General Admission ticket | $80.25 |
| Grayline’s bus tour from Orlando | $157 |
| City SightSeeing’s bus tour from Orlando | $159 |
| Space Center entry + Chat with an astronaut | $149 |
| Kennedy Space Center + Airboat Tour | $189 |
Kennedy Space Center tickets
Tourists can buy tickets to Kennedy Space Center at the venue or book them online in advance.
We recommend you purchase your tickets online to avoid last-minute disappointment.
Types of tickets
If you plan to drive to the attraction yourself, it is better to book the General Admission ticket, which gives you full-day access to the attraction.
If you don’t want the hassle of arranging your transport to the Space Visitor Center, you can either book Grayline’s bus tour from Orlando or City SightSeeing’s bus tour from Orlando.
Families with kids tend to opt for the NASA Kennedy Space Center tickets, which include a chat with an astronaut.
Families with older kids, who want to squeeze in more fun, go for the 12-hour long Kennedy Space Center and Airboat Tour combo.
Ticket prices
Whether purchased online or in person, Kennedy Space Center ticket prices are the same.
Kennedy Space Center entry ticket costs $80.25 for all visitors aged 12 years and above.
Kids between 3 to 11 years pay a discounted price of $69.55 for entry.
Infants two years and below can enter for free.
Kennedy Space Center tickets which also include transport from Orlando, cost around $160 for 12-plus-year-old visitors and $140 for those between three to 11 years.
Daily Admission ticket inclusions
Every Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex ticket includes access to –
- Space Shuttle Atlantis® featuring the Shuttle Launch Experience®
- The Apollo/ Saturn V Center via a Kennedy Space Center bus
- Astronaut Encounter
- Planet Play
- Heroes & Legends featuring the US Astronaut Hall of Fame presented by Boeing
- Universe Theater featuring many shows daily, including Mission Status Briefings and Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo
- Space films in the IMAX® theater
- Journey To Mars: Explorers Wanted
- Rocket Garden
When you book a NASA Kennedy Space Center tour from Orlando, it also includes a full-day entry ticket to the Visitor Center.
Where is Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is in Central Florida, 72 km (45 miles) from Orlando.
From Daytona Beach, it is around 105 km (65 miles).
Its address is Space Commerce Way, Merritt Island, FL 32953, USA. Get Directions
There is no public transportation from Orlando to the Kennedy Space Center today.
However, Gray Line Orlando and City Sightseeing Orlando offer transportation & tours to the visitor complex.
If you plan to drive to the attraction, be within posted speed limits, as traffic violations will lead to heavy fines.
Parking
Enough parking is available for all vehicles – motorcycles, cars, and oversized vehicles such as RVs and buses.
Guests must pay the parking fees of $5 for bikes and $10 for cars at the entrance.
Kennedy Space Center hours
Kennedy Space Center opens for visitors at 9 am every day of the week.
It closes at either 5 pm or 6 pm, depending on the season.
| Months | Timings |
|---|---|
| 1 Jan to 3 Apr | 9 am to 5 pm |
| 4 Apr to 23 Apr | 9 am to 6 pm |
| 29 Apr to 19 Jun | 9 am to 5 pm |
| 20 Jun to 14 Aug | 9 am to 6 pm |
| 15 Aug to 31 Dec | 9 am to 5 pm |
The last entry into Cape Canaveral Kennedy Space Center is one hour before closing.
The last bus tour runs 2.5 hours before the complex closes.
Best time to visit Space Center
The best time to visit Kennedy Space Center near Orlando is a 9 am on a weekday.
Since exploring the Cape Canaveral attraction is a full-day activity and starting early keeps you ahead of the crowd at all exhibits.
May, June, and October are great months to visit because it is cooler, the kids are still in school, and thus it is less crowded.
How long does it take?
Most visitors spend 7-8 hours exploring all the exhibits at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
If you take a bus tour, you will get a complete overview of the major attractions of Kennedy Space Center in just over two hours.
Bus tour of Kennedy Space Center
The Kennedy Space Center bus tour is a fantastic way to view restricted areas of the facility from the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle.
The bus takes the guests to Apollo/Saturn V Center – from where America launched to the Moon and where NASA plans to send astronauts into deep space.
You will see some of the most mission-critical areas on the way, such as the launch complex 39B and the Vehicle Assembly Building.
During the bus tour, you will also hear from space experts and learn how NASA has joined commercial partners to prepare for the future of space exploration.
The bus departs every fifteen minutes from the Visitor Complex.
What to wear to the Space Center
The Space Center at Cape Canaveral is a family-friendly tourist attraction.
Visitors are expected to dress properly – a shirt and a shoe are mandatory for admittance.
Guests are requested not to wear –
- Clothes with objectionable material, including obscene language or graphics
- Clothes that expose tattoos depicting indecent or objectionable content
- Clothes that reveal inappropriate portions of skin or areas of the body
Guests who do not adhere to these guidelines or cannot modify their clothing may be refused entry into the Kennedy Space Center.
Kennedy Space Center map
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is similar to a theme park, where you walk from attraction to attraction.
This is why it is better to know the layout of the Space Center, especially if you will be visiting with kids.
With a map, you won’t waste time finding your favorite exhibits and, in the process, get exhausted.
You can either download this map or bookmark this page for later.
Food at Space Kennedy Center
The Visitor Center of Kennedy Space Center has eight food and drink joints – Orbit Cafe, Space Bowl Bistro, Moon Rock Cafe, iMAX Snax, Planet Play Lounge, Red Rock Grill, Milky Way, and Space Dots.
Guests can also bring their food – packed in small, soft-sided coolers.
Glass bottles or containers are not permitted inside the premises.
Sources
# Nasa.gov
# Kennedyspacecenter.com
# Wikipedia.org
# Headout.com
The travel specialists at TheBetterVacation.com use only high-quality sources while researching & writing their articles. We make every attempt to keep our content current, reliable and trustworthy.
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