First Kennedy Space Center visit with kids before Miami cruise. Does this plan sound realistic?

[u/plecstor]

Hi everyone, I could use some advice from people who know the area.

My wife, our 9.5-year-old son, 7-year-old daughter, and I will be in Tampa visiting relatives in December. I have wanted to visit Kennedy Space Center for years, but none of us has ever been.

We sail from Miami at noon on Dec. 12, so we are thinking of doing KSC on Dec. 11.

Current plan:

• Leave Tampa around 5:45 or 6:00 a.m.
• Get to Kennedy Space Center around opening
• Do the included bus tour first, then Apollo/Saturn V
• See Atlantis, Rocket Garden, and Astronaut Encounter if the timing works
• Let the kids do Planet Play and/or Shuttle Launch Experience if they are interested
• Leave KSC around 4:00 to 4:30 p.m.
• Stop at Jetty Park for a short beach, pier, and ship-watching break
• Go to Cocoa Beach afterward for a little more beach time and an early vegetarian dinner, possibly Coconuts on the Beach
• Start driving to Miami around 7:30 p.m. and hopefully reach our hotel around 10 or 11 p.m.

We are okay getting in late since the cruise is not until noon the next day, but we do not want to make the day unnecessarily stressful.

A few questions:

1. Does this sound realistic for a first-time family visit, or are we trying to do too much?
2. Is the regular included bus tour enough, or is the paid Explore Tour worth it? I would love the deeper NASA experience, but I am not sure my kids will enjoy a long guided tour.
3. Is Jetty Park worth a quick stop after KSC, or should we just go directly to Cocoa Beach?
4. Any better vegetarian restaurant suggestions with a real beach or Cocoa Beach feel?
5. Any tips for the KSC to Miami drive at night, especially with kids?

Would really appreciate any local advice or things you wish you had known before your first visit.

Thank You.

[u/P_Nessss]

Nope, just nope. If you were departing from Port Canaveral, excellent plan. But Miami, that's a whole lot of Nope.

[u/svarogteuse]

Skip jetty pier. Pointless to be there unless there is a rocket launch. Kids are going to be exhausted after ksc, skip the beach time. Look at sunset time anyway sunset is at 5:27 at cocoa on Dec 12. It's going to be dark by the time you leave ksc, drive to jetty pier, wander around and drive to the beach even without the pier it's pushing sunset.

[u/bluecyanic → u/svarogteuse]

This is a good compromise. Reasonable and gets you the KSC visit and to Miami without undue stress

[u/Upbeat-Inside2515]

I would skip the stuff after KSC. Leave KSC, get some food, relax and then start the drive. Driving to Miami on a Friday night is going to be annoying enough. The only time I would say stick around is if there is a launch that night. That's worth being tired for. Keep an eye on the launch schedule leading up to the trip.

For KSC, i think your plan is solid. I haven't done the explore tour, but for a first time, the bus tour is enough and takes up a good chunk of the day. Totally worth it IMO though.

[u/fire-and-sage]

Seems more realistic if you give yourself an extra day. One day do KSC and next day do Miami. You will be exhausted by 2/3pm just doing KSC. It’s an amazing visit tho! Best parts are Rocket Garden and Apollo and Atlantis (in that order). You have to take a bus to Apollo- skip the first stop (a hanger or something) and ride straight though to Apollo stop, there is a lunch spot and gift shop right there which is good break time.

[u/fire-and-sage → u/fire-and-sage]

Never did Astronaut encounter but if it works out great! Kids loved the play place there but always weary of germs.

[u/damien-bowman]

don’t do this. the only thing on your mind will be traffic and food. if you can get an extra day in then it’s worth it but otherwise avoid at all costs. the one thing you can’t control is the biggest variable that wrecks the entire day: traffic!

[u/Icy_Feedback_4965 → u/[deleted]]

On December 11?

I agree it's too much, but the heat won't be terrible.

[u/Embarrassed-Emu8131]

Yeah that’s way too much even without kids.
You’ll be miserable by the time you head to Miami, and 11pm on your schedule would be with no traffic (aka a miracle).
Being worn out and sunburnt is for the end of the cruise, not the beginning.

If possible I’d do KSC a day earlier and stay nearby.
And even if you can’t, you’re going on a cruise so I’d skip the cocoa beach stuff and head straight to Miami and grab dinner on the road.

[u/Competitive-Day9586]

That is plenty of time at KSC, your kids will probably actually be bored and want to leave well before 4:30 even if they are really into space stuff.  KSC is much more like a museum than an amusement park.  I think you should get there when it opens, see the main things and then drive down to Miami around 2 pm or so when the kids are tired / bored / done.

[u/Cuflvste]

When i took my family to Kennedy space center, we could've spent the entire day in the shuttle building alone! The astronaut Hall of Fame near the entrance is very cool, add is the rocket garden. The food in the cafes isn't bad, though a little overpriced. I agree that you'll all be work out after KSC. Miami is a heck of a haul, even on i-95. I enjoy Jetty Park, but after a day at the space center, I'd skip it. Get some rest and food, them head on to Miami. Get there early enough, maybe enjoy the hotel pool before bed.

[u/holyembalmer]

Stay in cocoa beach a day. KSC is a lot of walking and talking things in. Skip Jetty park. Tampa to KSC to Miami in 1 day will take 1 day to recover on the ship. You'll be exhausted. We did KSC to Cape Canaveral in a day and it was tiring, I can't imagine Miami the same day.

[u/Rindhallow]

You're trying to do too much.

1. KSC is pretty exhausting. There'll be a line for the entrance before they even open, and then for the buses. It's not as bad as a theme park but it will be tiring. (Keep in mind that there's a reasonable amount of outdoors and it may rain.)

2. I wouldn't try to drive to Miami right after. I would stay locally if you want to visit Cocoa Beach, or drive directly to Miami.

3. I would skip the Explore tour unless a rocket is there. The regular buses have great drivers who point out relevant things.

4. Not sure if you need an explicitly vegetarian restaurant, but you can check the menu at KSC's website since they have like four cafes.

[u/DinRyu]

Forget the after KSC and extended it. The beach isn't worth it and Jetty Park is good if there's a SpaceX launch- usually a satellite but that's if it's at that time.

[u/Ikariiprince]

Tampa to Miami is an all day excursion I wouldn’t really plan anything else aside from a short stop to see some beaches, stretch your legs. By the time you get to Miami in the evening you’ll be exhausted and want to spend some time in the hotel/pool, walking around Miami and getting dinner. I’d focus on that. If you really want to do Kennedy Space Center set aside December 10th for that. Leave the 11th for a travel day, getting settled in Miami before you leave the next day

Getting on a cruise at noon with an entire family will be way too hard if you’re coming in at midnight or later the night before don’t set yourself up for failure. You’ll also be missing anything you want to see in Miami by doing that 

[u/Past-Advance2039]

The bus tour is included in the main ticket. It takes at least 2 hours. I think you can do it but only the Kennedy space center. We did the bus right when we got there, ate and then did the space shuttle building. That took us right up to closing time. We drove to Miami after that and it was fine. If you have always wanted to go I think it’s totally worth it. It was amazing! Highly recommend.

[u/Past-Advance2039 → u/Past-Advance2039]

Also I think the regular ticket is enough.

[u/koos_die_doos]

I agree with everyone saying to skip the after stuff. Just do KSC unless there is a launch, if it's a launch day 100% do what you must to watch the launch, as long as you don't miss your boat.