KidPaths

Orlando to Kennedy Space Center Drive With Kids

The Space Coast is an easy day trip from Orlando. Arrive early for the space center, then use the refuge or the seashore to slow down.

The drive

Distance
About 61 miles to the visitor complex (50 + 10 + 1.2 miles in its official directions)
Typical drive time
About an hour

Measured from Orlando (distance) and Orlando's tourism districts (time), as stated by the official source listed at the bottom of this page. Traffic, weather and stops with kids add time, so plan for a longer day than the map shows.

Kid-friendly stops on the way

Each stop was checked on its own official site. Open it before you go for current hours, prices and any closures.

  1. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

    Merritt Island, FL

    NASA's visitor complex, with the space shuttle Atlantis on display and bus tours behind NASA's gates.

    Official site

  2. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

    Titusville, FL

    A coastal wildlife refuge that overlays Kennedy Space Center, with the Black Point Wildlife Drive.

    Official site

  3. Canaveral National Seashore

    Titusville and New Smyrna Beach, FL

    A barrier island national seashore of dunes, coastal hammocks and Mosquito Lagoon, with ancient Timucua shell mounds.

    Official site

Need more ideas before you leave? Browse things to do with kids in Orlando or plan a different route.

Free road-trip stop checklist

Stop before everyone runs out of patience: how to plan a real break to burn energy, pick an indoor backup in case it rains, and add up the family total before you pay. One page, emailed now. Then The Weekend Scout once a week: one family outing idea for the weekend. Free. Unsubscribe from any email.

Three things to plan before you leave

  • Start early, since a space center day is long for small kids.
  • Bring sunscreen and bug spray for the refuge and the beach.
  • Keep an indoor backup ready for afternoon storms in warm months.

Checked against: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Merritt Island NWR, Visit Orlando: Kennedy Space Center day trip, Kennedy Space Center: travel information (checked )

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Plan the Orlando to Cape Canaveral family drive with Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island refuge and Canaveral National Seashore.

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