Space Coast stuff before a cruise?

[smiths02]

We are going on a 4 day cruise next June.

Anyone have any experience spending a few days exploring KSC?

We will have our own vehicle. 4 adults (grandparents are coming), 3 kids (12, 5, 5). Anyone recommend any great places to stay? Places to eat?

 

[jennyl772003]

I would say 1 full day for KSC, but I wouldn't plan on multiple days there. We stayed at Hilton Cocoa Beach Ocean Front and liked it a lot. Lot's of good places to eat in the area. We Loved Jazzy's Mainly Lobster.

 

[remlap]

I agree, one day at KSC is enough.
We had seen the final Atlantis launch and wanted to see the Atlantis exhibit. Prior to our last cruise on the Dream, we arrived at KSC opening, went directly to the new Atlantis Exhibit, and then got in the bus tour line, was loaded on the the second bus tour of the day. We met the first bus tour at the Saturn rocket facility prior to it's opening, so we all went into the first "show" together. After looking around for a bit, we caught the bus back to the gate and drove to the port, stopping at a grocery store for a bottle of wine. We had been there before, and obviously skipped IMAX movies, etc. That said we did see the highlights of KSC on the same day as the cruise.

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

We just went to KSC this past Sunday (we were staying at the Yacht Club at WDW and drove over for the day). A word of warning, KSC can be very crowded during the summer. We had to wait quite a while for the bus to the Apollo area. We saw both IMAX movies (even though I and DS had seen one of them last year at the Museum of the Air Force in Dayton, OH), the Atlantis exhibit (we waited quite a while for DD to ride the ride there), the Journey to Mars exhibit, and the Heroes and Legends hall as well. It took all day to do those things and after getting there ~ 9:30 AM, we left ~ 6:00 PM. Also, the cost is $50/per adult (12 and over), which I found a little steep.

 

[dcassetta]

I agree the space center is really just a one day activity. But there are lots of other things to do in Central Florida. The Brevard County Zoo is very nice or you can go little farther down to Fort Pierce to the manatee center. To get a little bit of natural Florida drive over to Crystal River Springs or Weeki Wachee springs (that's where the mermaids are).

 

[MaleficentRN]

We spent a three days in Cocoa Beach before a cruise a few years back. We stayed at the Country Inn and Suites. It had a pretty good pool area and a good breakfast. Two of those days we went to the beach. We rented chairs, an umbrella, beach toys and boogie boards from a local place. Lucky for us there was a surfing festival going on so there was a lot of activities that weekend. One cool cloudy day we we were going to go to KSC, but the price was more than we could stomach. There was a rocket launch happening and we just pulled over to a spot on the road where dozens of others were and watched it for free.

We ate at a few places. Fishlips was OK. It's fun to watch the ships away while you eat. Mad Jacks had some decent barbeque. DH and I went to the Sandbar one bnight and they had some good bar food and lots of TVs to watch XYZ game.

 

[pillow]

You used to be able to get free tickets from your congressman to KSC. Not sure if thats still a thing.

 

[dcassetta]

You used to be able to get free tickets from your congressman to KSC. Not sure if thats still a thing.

That program ended up a couple of years ago.

 

[Erintx7]

I would say 1 full day for KSC, but I wouldn't plan on multiple days there. We stayed at Hilton Cocoa Beach Ocean Front and liked it a lot. Lot's of good places to eat in the area. We Loved Jazzy's Mainly Lobster.

This is exactly what we did. Think we even bought the tickets through the Hilton. We loved KSC- saw enough for one day but wanting slightly more (did not have time for bus tour for instance) so it is something we will definitely do again next trip. If you were a kid in the 80s, the Apollo exhibit is fantastic!!

 

[ladyofthetramp]

We did KSC this past July after we got off the ship and it gets very crowded and quickly. One day was enough for us, but we did not do it all. It was very pricey and I could not find any discounts to speak of. I will say though the Atlantis exhibition was awesome. We were very glad to get to see it. And I selfishly really wanted to make it to Trader Sams for a drink before we headed to the Hyatt to overnight before our flight out first thing the next day, so we left in the late afternoon. LOL. Anyway, we like the Residence Inn- clean, free breakfast and my kids loved the pool. Juice N' Java is a local place in downtown Cocoa Beach is great for salads, smoothies and sandwiches.

 

[KashasMom]

We loved KSC - went when it wasn't crowded. We did the add-on Explore Tour and weren't able to see/do everything in one day. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would and wish we had another day.

 

[truck1]

To do everything at KSC really requires 2 or 3 days. To see the majority of the good stuff will take about a day. There are 3 different tours, that are not part of the general admission. 1 goes to the firing rooms attached to the VAB, 1 goes out to Cape Canaveral, where the early rockets were launched, and the other goes out to LC 39, where the shuttles took off, closer to a lot of the other bldgs. that you only see from a distance, like the checkout bldg., where they would assemble pieces of the ISS, the crew compartments of Apollo, and where the astronauts stay when there here in Fl. The problem is that the length of the tours, and the timing, makes it impossible to see all of the special tours in 1 day. The general bus tour, can take anywhere from 2-3 hours, and is self guided and paced. You could easily spend several hours alone in the Saturn 5 bldg. alone because of all of the exhibits and side shows. The Visitors Center can take several more hours also, with all of the exhibits there.

 

[EASchechter]

Honestly, I think KSC requires more than one day -- just the Atlantis exhibit takes several hours (and is a MUST see!) We go regularly as annual passholders, and we have yet to get into the new Hall of Fame. The time just flies by!

And for dining, if you're willing to go a little west, the Mi Island Restaurant in Merritt Island is OUTSTANDING, especially if you're gluten free.