If you struggle to get your kids excited about science and math, then you might consider taking to the stars. Turn this spring break into a learning experience by traveling to the Kennedy Space Center, located just 45 minutes east of Orlando. While most families instantly think of Mickey, Shamu and Universal when visiting Florida, the Kennedy Space Center provides kids with out-of-this world fun that they won’t soon forget.
You’re not promised views of a launch everyday, but there’s still plenty to see and do at the Kennedy Space Center. There are IMAX movies, including one narrated by Tom Hanks and a Shuttle Launch Experience designed to give visitors a sense of what it feels like for shuttle astronauts as they are blasted into space at 17,500 mph. One of the most popular attractions is the Apollo/Saturn V Center, which highlights the fully restored, 363-foot-long Saturn V moon rocket, the most powerful rocket ever built.
If you have a budding astronaut in your family, consider signing on for a NASA Up-Close Tour led by a trained space expert. Another option is to enroll in the Family Astronaut Training Experience. The two-day program for adults and kids ages 8 to 14, allows you to build your own rocket and perform a space shuttle mission in a full-scale orbiter mock-up. The cost is $625 for one adult and one child.
The Kennedy Space Center is a massive complex, encompassing some 43 miles (it also features a wildlife preserve–home to more than 5,000 alligators and 16 bald eagle nests). In addition, to the 1.5 million visitors that tour the complex each year, the Kennedy Space Center is also home to more than 14,000 employees. Needless to say, space is at a premium and long lines are the norm. Shuttle buses move visitors around the center from the ever-popular Rocket Garden, which features eight authentic rockets from the past, including a Mercury Atlas rocket similar to the one used to launch John Glenn into space, to a new Children’s Play Dome where kids can crawl through rocket tunnels, climb a “moon rock” wall and touch a real moon rock.
To learn more about the Kennedy Space Center and view a complete listing of admission prices, click here.
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