Visiting Cape Canaveral - got some questions for people who've been there

[cvanc]

Hi troops-

So I'm going to be at the Cape for one day and want to maximize my visit. Hoping to get suggestions and "must see" input from any of you who've had the pleasure.

I'm a bit confused between what you can see via the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and the U.S. Air Force Space & Missile Museum. There's only one rocket garden, right, and I can visit that from either tour?

Anyway all suggestions are very welcome. Thanks!

 

[kyled921]

Kennedy Space Center offers several "Behind the Scenes" type tour packages as add-ons to your standard admission. The USAF Missile Museum is at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, across the river from KSC Visitor Center on Merritt Island. If you have not been to KSC in awhile I would strongly suggest going to the Visitor Complex. You could easily spend just the entire day there between the Rocket Garden, Atlantis, and Saturn V center. If you wanted more, there are three additional tours KSC offers (for more $$$ obviously). These offer tours of the VAB, firing rooms, or CCAFS missile sites and museum. Where will you be staying in the area?

 

[Getmore]

For one day there will be plenty to see on the Space center tours.

 

[jadebox]

It can be a little confusing the first time, but regular admission to the KSC Visitor Complex includes the "KSC Bus Tour" and you don't want to miss it. Primarily, it takes you to the Saturn V Center which is a highlight of any KSC visit. You can also purchase additional tickets for "up-close" guided tours.

I'd recommend getting to the KSC Visitor Complex early and, in addition to regular admission purchase tickets for one of the extra tours and for the "Dine with an Astronaut."

If the scheduling of the add-on tour permits then, when you first enter the Vistor Complex, go to the right and board the bus to visit the Saturn V Center. Soend a while there then return on the bus to go to lunch with the astronaut. You can meet an astronaut even if you don't attend the "Dine with an Astronaut" event, but you get more one-on-one time with the astronaut at the lunch and, unless the situation has improved since the last time I was there, the food is better than you'll find elsewhere at KSC. Usually the astronaut will pose with you for photos and give you a signed photo.

Then spend time at the main area of the Visitor Complex until your add-on tour starts.

This will be a very full, active day. Actually, you can skip the add-on tour and still have a full day. So, you probably should review what's available on the tours and decide what you want to do in advance.

-- Roger

 

[jadebox]

Oh ... the Rocket Garden is inside the main area of the Visitor Complex. It's a part of the regular admission to the Complex. It's to the left as you enter the main area (as if you could miss it), near the Debus Conference Facility where the Dine with an Astronaut is usually held.

-- Roger

 

[WillMarchant]

I just went to the KSC visitor center website and, as far as I can tell, the "blue tour" (which went to the CCAFS rocket garden) is no longer available. Anybody have different news and a link?

So that leaves the rocket garden at the KSC visitor complex. The visitor complex and the SaturnV center are also excellent, of course.

You should also go to the https://afspacemuseum.org/ which is just outside of the CCAFS south gate. FWIW, their web page says that the bus tours to the CCAFS rocket garden have stopped.

 

[bobkrech]

Was at KSC in November. Will is correct. There are 2 rocket gardens: the one at KSC, and the one at CCAFS which is no longer open to the public, so you can only visit the one at KSC just inside the KSC admission gates. https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/

Have no fear though, there is plenty of stuff to keep you busy for a full day, especially if you have not been there within the past 10 years. https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/things-to-do.aspx There a new shuttle building housing the Shuttle Atlantis and other exhibits along the a shuttle launch ride. It really good, so plan on spending 1 1/2 to 2 hours there.

Make sure you take the KSC bus tour that goes out to the Saturn V building and exhibit. You spend about 45 minutes touring the ground on your way out and back to the visitors center and plan to spend 1 to 1 1/2 hour looking at the Saturn V and the other exhibits in the building.

There is also the Astronauts memorial at the main KSC visitors center, plus the massive gift shop and the Astronaut Encounter center where you can meet and have lunch with an astronaut.

The KSC visitors area opens at 9 AM and closes at 6 PM. Try to get there at 9 AM so you get to choose when you go out to Saturn 5 and/or do the Astronaut Encounter lunch. You can pre-purchase tickets on-line at https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/tickets.aspx which can save time on the day of your visit.

There is also the Air Force Space and Missile History Center https://afspacemuseum.org/historycenter/ which is part of the Air Force Space and Missile Museum https://afspacemuseum.org/visit/ which is not publicly accessible at present. It is located outside the CCAFS so it is publicly accessible. I have not visited this location but it is probably worthwhile if you have a second day.

Bob

 

[GlennW]

I was there last year and I can tell you that if it's your first time going, you don't need the add-on tour. You will have a full day just doing the visitors center, Atlantis Building, Bus tour to the Saturn V building and rocket garden. I think someone mentioned this but do the bus tour to the Saturn V exhibit first thing as it gets very crowded. Also if they are still showing it, see the imax movie about the shuttle mission to repair Hubble, that was fantastic!

Have a great time!

Glenn

 

[BalDave2]

I was there last year and I can tell you that if it's your first time going, you don't need the add-on tour. You will have a full day just doing the visitors center, Atlantis Building, Bus tour to the Saturn V building and rocket garden. I think someone mentioned this but do the bus tour to the Saturn V exhibit first thing as it gets very crowded. Also if they are still showing it, see the imax movie about the shuttle mission to repair Hubble, that was fantastic!

Have a great time!

Glenn

Glenn is right, there is plenty to do without the add on tours. However, we did the launch pad tour and got up close to the Atlantis launch pad. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and gave us a lot of great info, his son actually worked on many shuttle projects. He said they were going to tear down the launch pad soon and rebuild it to accommodate other rockets. I would highly recommend this tour especially if the Atlantis pad is still there!

 

[mjennings]

Been gone from the area 6.5 years now, but yes the main complex can be a full day tour. Sad to hear that the CCAFS rocket garden is now off the tours. I'm not surprised though the historic tour seemed to get more expensive an less frequent when I was there and the rockets at the CCAFS site needed some serious love.

 

[mikec]

The CCAFS rocket garden is pretty decrepit but some of the stuff that used to be there is now at the History Center just outside the south gate. https://afspacemuseum.org/historycenter/

 

[mjennings]

glad to hear that they moved some of it mikec. The CCAFS had only the delta 2 pads between it and the ocean so high corrosion environment is an understatement. IIRC there was stuff growing on the BOMARC wings last time I visited, to give some a sense of the conditions.