Kennedy Space Center

You don't have to be a space junkie to enjoy NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the only spot in the United States from which humans have been hurled into space. The plethora of hands-on exhibits, IMAX movies, and sheer magnitude of the shuttles will surely impress the most passive fan.

One of the highlights is the Shuttle Launch Simulator, where budding astronauts are strapped into a cockpit and given a high-fidelity ride, which creates the impression of an actual lift-off. Another is the Rocket Garden, which is an awe-inspiring collection of engine replicas, full-size Titan rockets, spacecraft and scale models, and the 363 ft (110 m) Apollo Saturn 1B rocket. Shuttle tours and the Astronaut Memorial round out the attractions.

Practical Info

The Kennedy Space Center visitor complex is located on the east side of the Intracoastal Waterway, accessible from Titusville via Columbia Boulevard and from Cocoa Beach and Orlando on Bee Line Expressway. Stop here for pamphlets, lockers, and the Space Shop, which stocks books on NASA and space travel.