Merritt Island

Day Trips

Confront history in the making at the Kennedy Space Center on a full-day tour that provides access to a host of experiences, NASA time machines, and the Hubble Observatory. Begin the experience with an orientation tour provided by the guide upon arrival at the visitor center. Jump on board the Shuttle Launch Experience simulator that literally takes you out of this world. Watch 3D movies and feel what it is like to visit the moon. Stroll around the incredible rocket garden. The out-of-this-world package includes round-trip transportation from Orlando, Kissimmee, Disney, and Lake Buena Vista areas and admission to the Kennedy Space Center.

Boldly go where so many satisfied space enthusiasts have gone before! Explore the many exhibits, shows, and attractions at the Kennedy Space Center's visitor complex, including the Hubble Telescope exhibit, Eye on the Universe, Journey to Mars Explorers Wanted, the Virtual Shuttle Launch Experience, the Rocket Garden, and IMAX movies including Hubble 3D IMAX and Space Station 3D. Space Shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex showcases the priceless spacecraft Atlantis and 30-year shuttle program with more than 60 interactive experiences. The NASA bus tour offers a unique opportunity to glimpse the behind-the-scenes working of the space center, exploring startling views of the Vehicle Assembly building, and the Mobile Rocket Launch pad. Continue onward to the Apollo/Saturn V Center, featuring the immense, fully-restored Saturn V rocket; the largest ever built. Relive Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon and experience the thunderous rumble of the rocket's lift-off.

Less than one hour from Orlando is NASA’s launch headquarters – the Kennedy Space Center. The visitor site offers a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the space program. Tour NASA’s launch headquarters, and see space shuttle launch pads from a four-story observation deck. Walk beneath a massive Saturn V moon rocket, and relive Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon. Meet a real astronaut, stroll through the Rocket Garden, and enjoy five-story IMAX space films. The center also includes the space shuttle Atlantis, bringing visitors nose-to-nose with the priceless Atlantis spacecraft as only astronauts have seen it before.  More than 60 interactive, touchscreen experiences and high-tech simulators bring to life the people, passion and patriotism behind NASA’s 30-year space shuttle program. Explore the complexity of the engineering marvel that launched the Hubble Space Telescope and built the International Space Station (ISS). Guests can practice docking to the ISS, extract cargo from the payload bay, and create sonic booms and glide to a landing on the re-entry slide. They can also experience the sensation of floating in space, explore a high-fidelity replica of the ISS, experience an orbital sunrise, and take the helm at the shuttle cockpit. On your airboat ride, glide through the grassy marsh of the St. Johns River and Lake Poinsett at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. As the boat slows down to an idle you will have several opportunities to take pictures of local wildlife, such as alligators, eagles, and several species of wading birds by the hundreds. Then visit a natural cypress swamp.

See history in the making at the Kennedy Space Center. Hop aboard the Discover KSC Bus Tour to pass along restricted areas, get up close to launch sites, and walk beneath the massive Saturn V rocket. Have your photo taken with a real astronaut and enjoy a chat. Chat with an Astronaut who will answer your most pressing questions in a casual, small-group setting. Enjoy a sampling of food and beverages while having a group conversation about what it is really like to live and work in space. Hear amazing stories of space travel and shuttle launches. Back at the visitor center, ride the Shuttle Launch Experience, the new simulator that takes you out of this world! Sit back and enjoy an IMAX movie, stroll through a real-size space shuttle, walk around the incredible rocket garden, look at a moon rock, and even enjoy some space ice cream.

Be collected at your hotel and enjoy a breakfast on the go. Get the VIP treatment with more time at Kennedy Space Center and a morning guided tour from an experienced guide. Upon arrival, your tour guide will give you an orientation of the visitor complex. See the highlights of the Heroes and Legends, the Atlantis exhibit including the Shuttle Launch Simulator, and a stop at the IMAX theater. At noon you will be on your own to grab some lunch and take a ride on the KSC behind the scenes tour. This takes you out to the Atlas V building where you can touch a real moon rock. Use your $15 voucher for merchandise or at the dining areas throughout the complex. Make a stop in the largest space shop to see the displays and all the great souvenirs. At the end of the day, your guide will be waiting to take you back to Orlando with snacks for the drive home. 

Learn all about space travel on your visit to the Kennedy Space Center on a full-day tour. Meet a real astronaut, jump on board the Shuttle Launch Experience simulator, watch one of the intriguing IMAX films, and stroll around the incredible rocket garden full of real rockets from missions past. Choose from the following options: • Kennedy Space Center Full-Day: Explore the Kennedy Space Center at your own pace with general admission included in the package. • Ultimate Space Experience: Enjoy a buffet lunch and presentation from a NASA astronaut, after which you can get photos and autographs. Then, take a 2-hour guided bus tour around Kennedy Space Center, which will show you areas not seen on the regular bus tour. See some of the center's amazing space equipment and enjoy a small amount of free time to explore the attractions of the Space Center. • Kennedy Space Center Small-Group Experience: Passengers on this tour will enjoy a breakfast bag en route to the complex and upon arrival, receive a morning guided tour from an experienced guide. In the afternoon, you will be able to explore on your own. All guests will be provided with a $15 voucher that is redeemable for food or merchandise anywhere on the complex. • Kennedy Space Center and Airboat Safari Tour: Enjoy the morning and early afternoon exploring the Space Center at your own pace, then in the later afternoon you will head over to the St. John's River for a 30-minute airboat ride. • Dine with an Astronaut and Space Center Tour: Enjoy your day at the Space Center complete with a noon-time full buffet lunch that includes a presentation from an astronaut. You will have a chance to ask questions and get a photo and autograph. • Kennedy Space Center and Explore Bus Tour: Take a ride on the Explore Bus Tour that goes onto NASA Restricted Grounds and gives you an in-depth tour of the inner-workings of the grounds. • Kennedy Space Center Transportation Only: Transfer from Orlando area to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Please note this option does not include admission to Kennedy Space Center. • Kennedy Space Center Express: Meet the bus at the final meeting point and avoid the hassle of pickups. All tour options include round-trip transportation to the Kennedy Space Center from selected locations in the Orlando, Lake Buena Vista, and Kissimmee areas.

Meet one of NASA's astronauts at the Kennedy Space Center. Learn about astronaut traditions, have the chance to ask questions, and enjoy food and a drink during the session. Start with pickup from select locations in Orlando and head to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. While at the Visitors Complex, learn about NASA's astronauts and their traditions. Ask an astronaut your most pressing questions about their experiences in a casual, small-group setting. The session will involve a group conversation and also includes food and a drink. Receive a commemorative gift and a signed portrait of the astronaut as a part of this experience. At the end of the session, you can explore the Kennedy Space Center on your own. Immerse yourself in the history and future of space exploration as you see the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit and complete the Shuttle Launch Experience.