This post is in partnership with Kennedy Space Center. I was provided tickets. All thoughts are my own.
Do you want an “out-of-this-world” experience? Well, I have a place for you! A few weeks ago, my family and I were invited to Kennedy Space Center, and we left feeling inspired, impressed, and ready to go back. I can’t wait to tell you all about it.
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is located on Merritt Island, Florida, about an hour East of Walt Disney World. Since 1968, the Kennedy Space Center has been “NASA’s primary launch center for human spaceflight.” Today you can visit the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral, Florida, to see artifacts, displays, and attractions teaching about spaceflight.
I wasn’t sure how 3-year-old-friendly the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex would be, but as we planned our visit, I realized there would be so much to do for our entire family. Brooklyn got so much out of our experience and hasn’t stopped talking about it since.
We arrived at the Visitor Complex around 11:00 am, paid for parking (automobile parking is $10), and set out on our adventure. We stopped at the NASA Countdown Clock, located at the entrance, and then took a few pictures before heading inside the complex.
After an hour-long car ride, Brooklyn was ready to burn off some steam, so our first stop was Planet Play.
Planet Play is an indoor, educational play area that Brooklyn could’ve honestly stayed at all day. There are things to climb on, slides, and tunnels, and it’s all themed to look like you are in outer space. We played in Planet Play for about 30 minutes, then stopped by the IMAX Theater. IMAX at Kennedy Space Center is currently showing Astroid Hunters and Journey to Space. These shows are both 40 minutes long, and you can find showtimes on the Daily Schedule. Finally, we went to see the LEGO® Build to Launch Exhibit (they are all located in the same building).
Around this time, we were ready for some lunch. There are SO many options for food at Kennedy Space Center. We chose Orbit Cafe (which has mobile ordering) and had burgers and chicken strips for lunch. There are also ice cream shops, other restaurants, and a lounge inside Planet Play. These restaurants really help to make Kennedy Space Center an “all-day thing.”
Now that we had played and our tummies were full, it was time to do some learning. We went to Journey to Mars, which was one of my husband’s favorite spots. In this building, there are so many interactive games and simulators that allow you to see exploration on Mars. There are also different replicas of Mars Rovers, which are interesting to see.
Our final stop on our visit was in the brand new Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex. This building was my favorite stop of the entire visit, and we spent so much time here.
This experience is brand new and allows you to see “current and upcoming cutting-edge innovations of space exploration.” There is also a ride inside called Flight Plan that will enable you to take off and explore four different worlds (I feel like it’s similar to Soarin’ at EPCOT and Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom).
To ride Flight Plan, Explorers must be 39 inches tall to ride. Please note that riding this earlier in the day is best, as the line can get pretty long. We waited about 45 minutes to ride, but it was definitely worth it!
Around this time, we were exhausted from our day of exploration. We decided to head home with plans to come back soon; we didn’t even come close to “doing it all”.
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is open year-round, typically from 9 am – 5 pm, but sometimes even later! This place is perfect for all ages and absolutely worth the drive from Orlando. We cannot wait to go back and explore even more.
Sending love and magic.