Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex | Things To Do

Touring Kennedy Space Center using their One Day Suggested Itinerary!

A visit to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is an absolute must-do when you are in the Orlando area visiting the theme parks and Florida attractions. We spent a day at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and we were amazed at all the things to do, see, explore and learn about from the wondrous collection of exhibits, educational programs, and artifacts that celebrate America’s Space Program.

5 Key Takeaways from Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex

The Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex is packed with activities and experiences. You will need more than one day at the Kennedy Space Center to see most things

Since there is so much to see and do, you should take the time to plan your visit
If planning your visit feels overwhelming, the Kennedy Space Center website does have suggested itineraries that you can follow
For a guide to the basics of planning your visit, we do have an article that’s designed to help
As you might expect, there is a lot of ground to cover at the Kennedy Space Center and very little in the way of shaded or covered areas in between experiences. Wear comfortable shoes, hydrate and always have an umbrella handy in the summer months

With so much to see and do, we had no idea where to start until we found the suggested itineraries provided by the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex website. The itineraries do change from time to time to allow for new exhibits. The outline below is what was suggested at the time of our visit to the Kennedy Space Center.

We followed the One Day Visit for families with children under 10 years of age:

Heroes and Legends®
Rocket Garden
Kenned Space Center Bus Tour including Apollo/Saturn V Center
Space Shuttle Atlantis®
Planet Play
Journey to Mars: Launched by United Launch Alliance
Dining and Shopping

Rocket Garden

As you enter the Kennedy Space Center, you come across the Rocket Garden outdoor display where you can marvel at the towering rockets that were used in America’s early space exploration missions. Our plan was to go to the adjacent Heroes & Legends exhibit. As we walked up the ramp, we were able to gaze at the monstrous launch vehicles in the Rocket Garden, and while waiting for the line to move, you can read through the placards describing the background of these historic rockets. If you can, stop by the garden and take a few minutes to get up close to the rockets; look up to get a good perspective of their size, rising as high as 128 ft, and one laying on its side, measuring 223 ft long.

Heroes & Legends

Going by the self guided tours itinerary that was recommended for us on the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex website, we decided that our first stop would be Heroes & Legends, which features exhibits with various artifacts including spacesuits and the historic spacecrafts suspended above that carried our astronauts on their missions. You'll also find the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame® in this building. We set our own pace, stopping and going as we perused through the gallery.

U.S. Astronaut Hall Of Fame

At the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, you can walk through a gallery that pays tribute to the contributions and lives of each of the astronauts that have been inducted. If you're lucky, your trip may coincide with the induction of a new member into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. As of the writing of this article, Roy Bridges and Mark Kelly are the next veteran NASA astronauts that are set to be inducted on May 4-6, 2023.

Heroes & Legends at the Kennedy Space Center

Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour

The Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour was next on our agenda. You’ll need to reserve a time to get on the bus tour and you can do that by scanning a QR code displayed on the grounds as you enter the Kennedy Space Center, or you can go to the information center.

Stroller Parking

If you are using a stroller you will be asked to stroller park before you board the shuttle bus. You'll park your stroller at the point where the shuttle bus will drop you off on the return trip from visiting Apollo and Saturn V. Conveniently, the bus will drop you right near the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit.

Once you arrive at the Apollo/Saturn V Center, they will offer you a temporary stroller for your use while you're at the exhibit. You'll just return the stroller to stroller parking before you get onto the shuttle bus to return to the visitor center.

A word about the strollers, they are not comfortable but are useful if you have a child that does not want to walk or one that you would rather not carry. They are very similar to the hard plastic strollers that you will find at the Walt Disney Theme parks. You may want to pad the seat with a blanket.

The Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour

The Kennedy Space Center bus tour provides an abundance of interesting facts and tid-bits recited to you as your bus makes its way to the Apollo/Saturn V Center. Do listen closely as you’ll no doubt learn something that will astonish you and boggle the mind.

One thing that we’ll point out that we found to be jaw-dropping during the bus tour was the Vehicle Assembly Building. This building is used to put together space vehicles such as the Apollo Rockets, the Space Shuttles and the new Space Launch System. It is enormous, massive, humongous, colossal—pick your word to describe it—it is one of the largest buildings in the world. To get a perspective, the tour guide explained that you can slide the Statue of Liberty on its base through the door, and still have 150 feet of clearance; the space inside the building is enough to fit 3 ½ Empire State Buildings disassembled. Wow!

Apollo and Saturn V

As you leave the bus, you can pick up a stroller, if needed. While you wait for the start of the preshow, there is a photo opportunity with the moon landscape and the earth in the background.

Apollo/Saturn V Center Photo-op at the Kennedy Space Center

At the Apollo/Saturn V Center, there is lots to see and do and you can either plan out the exhibits you’d like to see or you can decide as you move through the venue. Start at the Apollo 8 Firing Room, where the actual control center consoles that were used in the historic launch of the Apollo spacecraft are on display. The Apollo 8 Firing Room theatre simulates the launch of the first NASA crewed-mission to orbit the moon in 1968. We sat at the front left of the theatre and got a close look at the consoles that were used during the Apollo space launches. For a different view, sit at the very center of the room and back enough so that you can see the entire firing room with consoles and screens showing the Saturn 5 rocket liftoff to space at the launch pad.

Apollo 8 Firing Room Consoles at the Kennedy Space Center

As you leave the firing room, you’ll encounter the showpiece of the Apollo/Saturn V Center, which is a genuine Saturn V launch vehicle; a gigantic three-stage rocket measuring 363 feet. You’ll discover the enormity of the rocket as you slowly travel beneath from end to end, examining the sections of the launch vehicle, which have been separated and made distinguishable, and you can see the three rockets at the start, and the command and service modules towards the end or the top of the rocket. We stopped a few times along the way and stood in awe of this stunning structure that sent America’s astronauts to the moon.

Saturn V Rocket at the Kennedy Space Center

Off to the side of the Saturn V are several other exhibits throughout, including Alan Shepard’s moon-dust covered spacesuit, the Apollo 14 command capsule, a number of authentic but unused space modules, moon rockets, and the Lunar Theatre which simulates the Apollo 11 moon landing. Be sure to visit the Ad Astra Per Aspera - A Rough Road Leads to the Stars exhibit; a moving tribute to the ill-fated Apollo 1 astronauts, Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee, who tragically perished during a training exercise in 1967. The exhibit has a number of personal artifacts from each of the astronauts as well as the actual hatch from the Apollo 1 capsule that trapped the crew in the capsule during a tragic fire.

On your way to the return bus, you can stop off at the Right Stuff gift shop where you can get all sorts of NASA souvenir and merchandise. We got our fair share of merch, including shirts, Christmas ornaments, and freeze-dried ice cream that the astronauts enjoy in space and that our little one enjoyed on the ride home.

Orbit Café

Back at the main visitor complex we stopped off for lunch at the Orbit Café. You can order at the kiosks and use either credit card or cash; and yes, the kiosk will give you change. The food is typical cafeteria fare including burgers, veggie burger, pizza, chicken sandwich, Cuban sandwich and pulled pork sandwich, as well as fried chicken tenders, fries, salads, and beverages. We ordered the chicken tenders and burger with fries and drinks. The meal was enjoyable, especially after a long day of working up an appetite, but nothing special that stands out. Along with the Orbit Café, there are other venues to grab a bite, including Space Bowl Bistro, where you can choose the ingredients for your own savory bowl creation, and the Red Rock Grill for a quick grab and go of hot dogs and fries.

Just a brief remark about the seating—there is seating indoors and out; however, if you are intent on sitting outdoors, you may find that the birds are bothersome. They are not afraid to come close to you and beg for food; they are extremely aggressive and relentless. You’ll find yourself constantly shooing them away throughout your meal. So annoying!

Atlantis and the Shuttle Launch Experience®

Our next stop; the historic spacecraft Space Shuttle Atlantis. At the entrance is the full-size launch vehicle that propelled the space shuttle into orbit. The launch vehicle dominates the landscape and front entrance, with the orange fuel tank in the center and the two rocket boosters at its sides. Inside as you walk up the ramp, you are greeted with very dramatic music that sets the tone for the reveal of the majestic Space Shuttle Atlantis, positioned at angle so that you can get a sweeping view of the space shuttle with payload doors opened and robotic arms extended. The space shuttle is truly a wonder to behold.

There is lots to do at the venue for the Space Shuttle Atlantis. There are over 60 interactive exhibits that you and your little ones can visit, explore and experience, underlying the history and technology of NASA’s Space Shuttle program, and immersing you in many aspects of the astronauts’ life in space.

We did give the Shuttle Launch Experience a try which is a simulated shuttle launch experience into orbit. Having ridden Disney's Mission to Space, which was done in consultation with NASA, some in our party found this simulated ride to be a little underwhelming. That said, you can ride the simulator without paying an extra fee and we think that you should. Feel free to let us know what you thought.

The Shuttle Launch Experience at the Kennedy Space Center

Planet Play

Planet Play is the Kennedy Space Centers play area that has been built just for kids and the young at heart! The play area is designed for kids aged 2-12 and has many interactive spaces for the kids to climb, crawl and slide through. There's also a lounge where parents can relax with coffee, wine or beer while the kids let off some steam.

Journey to Mars: Launched by United Launch Alliance

By the time we reached the Journey to Mars area, we were ready to call it a day. We are disappointed that we did not get a chance to visit this exhibit because similar to the Atlantis experience, it looked like it was chock full of fun, interactive experiences. This area is said to highlight NASA’s current and future undertakings, and is filled with games, simulators and replicas of Mars Rovers.

The Space Shop

This is the largest shopping location at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. If you need something NASA related, you're sure to find it at The Space Shop. The store has two levels, offering a large collection of souvenirs and space memorabilia, and in addition to NASA branded merchandise you’ll find items branded with their partners like Space X.

Planning your trip

If you need help planning your trip, we have a planning guide here on our site to help you with all the facts you need to know. You'll find details around admission tickets, parking and timing your visit. Click here for more!

Do you need more than one day at the Kennedy space center visitor complex?

If you can spare it, the answer is, Yes! Yes, you will need more than one day to see and do everything you'd like to at a leisurely pace. We would think that you could probably spend 3-4 days at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and still not have really seen it all.

Our advice is no matter how many days you can devote to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex that you plan to spend time in only 3 exhibits if you want to see everything in the areas of the visitor center that you've chosen without hurrying.

This should leave you plenty of time to enjoy your lunch and take your time shopping and exploring areas like the Rocket Garden without feeling rushed.

We're planning to go back when our little guy is ten and we can spend the day at the Astronaut Training Experience. This experience will allow you to simulate a training to Mars where you prepare for launch, landing and walking on Mars.

Until next time enjoy the journey!

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex | Things To Do

Touring Kennedy Space Center using their One Day Suggested Itinerary!