Kennedy Space Center

SR 405, Kennedy Space Center
FL 32899
Phone: +1 866-737-5235
https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/

Visiting the Kennedy Space Center in a Rental Car

The Kennedy Space Center is located on the Central-Atlantic Coast of Florida, 50 miles east of halfway between Miami and Jacksonville.It was built as a launching place for Saturn V, the biggest spaceship in history, and has been used for all Nasa’s passenger space missionssince December 1968.

A visit to the Kennedy Space Center is undoubtedly a once in a lifetime opportunity to see up close the incredible aerospace history of the United States. Situated in historic Cape Canaveral, The Kennedy Space Center offers a guided visit by bus through the space center, access to all the expositions, to the astronauts’s hall of fame, and to the IMAX cinema. You can also eat in the space center’s restaurant, the same dehydrated food that astronauts eat in space.

An important attraction of the Kennedy Space Center is the Apollo Center, where you can see the Mission Control Center and experience, thanks to visual and audial simulation, the launching of the Apollo mission. You can also see the rocketSaturn V, one of the largest spaceshipsbuilt by man, and the originalLunar Module of Apollo 11.

Apart from that, the guided tour takes us to see the 2 principal spaceship launchpads- 39A and 39B, where parts and motors of the Shuttle are exhibited. At another stop it’s possible to see installations dedicated to the International Space Station (ISS).

Other attractions of the Space Center and the Shuttle Launch Experience, a flight simulator that recreates the launch of spaceships, and the Rocket Garden where we can marvel at 8 real rockets located in the vertical take-off position.

For an additional cost you can also access the Astronaut Training Experience (ATX), that takes us through an astronaut’s typical day of training. ‘Close Up’ permits us to get closer to each exhibition or even to have lunch with a real astronaut.

The cost of the tickets is from US$ 50 for adults and US$ 40 for children.

The Space Center is open everyday from 9:00am to 6:00pm (Hall of Fame until 7:00pm). Tours begin at 10am and leave every 15 minutes.

How to Get to Kennedy Space Center with your rental car

For those visiting Miami or Orlando, it’s suggested to rent a car for the trip and drive there. From Miami it’s recommended to take the 95  which has economical toll-roads, and to not drive over the speed-limit, since there are radars checking the speed almost the whole way. The trip between Miami and The Kennedy Space Center takes 4 or 5 hours. Those traveling from Orlando can drive east and take the 528. From Orlando the trip is about 2 hours. Either way its advisable to reserve a rental car with GPS in your language, to be able to enjoy the way without paying attention to signs and exits. Its also advisable to activate the automatic toll payment by requesting that the rental car come with the SunPass activated. RentingCarz offers promotions that include this service.

Parking Information when you rent a car

Those who rent an auto can leave it parked in the Space Center which costs US $10. It opens 30 minutes before the center opens. There is an area available for handicapped persons.