Make your visit to the Kennedy Space Center count by going on a day when a rocket launch is scheduled or if you are staying fairly close you can still see the rocket go up from elsewhere.
- Check the launch schedule here to find out when the next rocket launch is due.
- You can get the best view at the space centre, but not all launches are watchable from there. Launches in the evening often are, but ones during the night aren’t generally. Tickets for launches become available for purchase approximately two weeks prior to the launch date. You must purchase a general admission ticket or an annual pass in order to use launch transportation/viewing tickets.
- Another good option for a view is to go to Cocoa Beach, which isn’t far away. You can find a nice viewpoint there for free. Maybe you could even eat dinner somewhere with a view while you wait for the launch.
- We stayed in the Vero Beach area and able to watch the launch on TV. NASA has its own TV Channel so you can watch the launch then hurry outside to see it. We did this and we were able to see the rocket in the sky for a brief time, although clouds did hide our view a bit. I think this option is good for the later launches, especially if you have younger children. We put our son (a 9-year-old) to bed at the normal time and then woke him up in time for the launch. Then back to bed again afterwards.
I think it really adds something to the experience if you are able to witness a rocket launch and it’s fairly easy to do so, as they do have them regularly to resupply the space station or similar. It’s amazing to watch a rocket go up in the sky and think about how far it will be going.
The one place I didn’t get to see when I visited Florida. It must have been very exciting seeing the rocket launch.
Great advice, thank you! It hadn’t occurred to me that they’d be a regular enough event to be that accessible as an attraction. It sounds very exciting to watch.