Kennedy Space Center

No visit to the Cape Canaveral area is complete without a stop at the Kennedy Space Center, NASA's launch headquarters for Space Shuttle missions. The launch complex is located on an island wildlife preserve, where tours of the facilities guided by space program experts are arranged by DNC Parks & Resorts at KSC, Inc., the official operator of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Included in the basic tour, which takes approximately two hours, are stops at the LC39 Observation Gantry and the Apollo/Saturn V Center. An optional tour adds the A/B Camera Stop, where guests are invited to snap photos at the closest possible Space Shuttle Launch Pad viewing site. Another option includes entrance to the Air Force Space & Missile Museum on the property.

Other attractions at the Kennedy Space Center are the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, the IMAX Space Films Theater, and the Children's Play Dome. There is also a Rocket Garden for resting up as well as a Gift Shop for purchasing souvenirs. Dining opportunities can be found on site, too, such as the Orbit Café, the G-Force Grill, and the "Lunch with an Astronaut" program.

Kennedy Space Center is located at State Road 405, Cape Canaveral, Florida 32899. Daily operating hours are from 9am to 6pm, with bus tours starting at 10am and departing continuously every 15 minutes until 2:45pm. General Admission tickets cost $41 plus tax for adults, or $31 plus tax for children aged 3 to 11.