Florida Guide > Days Out
Kennedy Space Centre, Florida
No trip to Florida should end without a visit to the Kennedy Space Center. When you are so close it would be criminal not to visit the most historic place in America – from where all the space missions leave. It is situated about one hours drive from Orlando.
This may not appeal to everyone or all ages, but I have yet to meet anyone who did not enjoy it. The bus tours take you to all areas of the space center and everything is explained in great detail. All the most important areas i. e. , the launch pad, mission control and the building where the rockets are made, are all visited and the public are let off the bus to explore with or without a tour guide. The staff are always happy to answer any questions and there is even a café half way round where you can have lunch and join a later bus to carry on with your tour. Nobody rushes you and you can get on and off busses at leisure so you are able to spend as long as you wish at each area. The hall where you can view space memorabilia including space capsules and actual duplicate rockets, which are always built as spares in case the first rocket is faulty. The gift shops too sell wonderful momentos of your tour. What little boy (or big boy) would not love a souvenir from Kennedy Space Center or even a junior space outfit. They even sell the dry packet food that astronauts eat during a mission. (I wouldn’t recommend it for lunch though) ! !
For me, the best part of the whole trip is a visit to the IMAX theatre to see a movie of a launch taken from inside a rocket. The sight of the rocket leaving the earth as viewed from the rocket is absolutely breathtaking and often moves people to tears. (It gets me every time, much to my embarrassment).
Finally, if you are lucky enough to visit when a rocket launch is due, then you can watch history being made. It is a spectacle not to be missed, even if it is a night launch, and will stay in your memory for ever. You can buy tickets for a seat to view the launch although you would need to book well in advance. However, do be aware when booking a ticket, that the weather could cause the launch to be postponed and they do not offer refunds. I have seen several now and have usually managed to get a good spot to see the launch from either Cocoa Beach or Titusville. You will get just as close as in the space center itself.
Have fun and here’s hoping you will get to see a launch.
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