This article is part of "The Patrick AFB Online Relocation Package".

 

One of the "must do" things while living in Brevard County is to visit the Kennedy Space Center. It is located in the northern part of the county, but is a very short trip for anyone living in the area. It is a very popular attraction that draws around 1.4 million visitors from all over the world every year and is a source of great pride for people living on the "Space Coast". In my opinion there is just too much too see here in one trip. So consider purchasing an annual pass, for only $12 more than the standard admission.

The Space Center sits on the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge and takes up only a small portion of its 140,000 wild acres. Your tour will probably start at the Visitors Complex that was built in 1967 for Astronauts' and NASA employees' families to view space center operations. Here there are a number of museums, The Rocket Garden, IMAX Theater, The New Shuttle Launch Experience, Shuttle Plaza, Astronaut Memorial, as well as many shops and places to eat. From here you can take on of the buses (included in admission) for a tour of the other parts of the Space Center.

The first stop will be the LC-39 Observation Gantry, where you can go to the top and get great views of launch pads 39A and 39B, the Vehicle Assembly Building, as well as the launch pads that the military use at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The second stop is the Apollo / Saturn V Center where you get to see close up, a real Saturn V rocket! You also get to experience a multi media recreation of the Apollo 8 launch, and you can eat lunch next too a real moon rock.

The third stop is the International Space Station Center. Here you can walk through full scale mock-ups of the actual modules that are part if the ISS. You can also overlook one of the clean rooms where people are preparing the Space Station's components for their delivery.

For an extra cost The Space Center offers 2 special Guided Tours:

• NASA Up Close : this tour takes you through everything from launch preparation to liftoff, you will get "up close tour" of the Shuttle Launch Pads and The VAB.
  
• For the space history buff, nothing can beat the Cape Canaveral: Then and Now Tour. This tour will take you to the Air Force Space & Missile Museum and some of the historic launch pads. When you look at these old locations, you come to realize how far we have come. I have personally taken this tour and would highly recommend it.

And don't forget the newest attraction the U.S. Astronaut Hall Of Fame.  It is located about 6 miles from the visitor center and has many interactive adventures for the entire family.

The Kennedy Space Center is a great place to visit and something all Americans can be proud of.  It opens at 9 AM and admission is $38 for adults and $28 for kids 3-11.