As you ride along Rt. 405 on the flat plains of Merritt Island, a barrier island next to the Atlantic Ocean , a full size replica of the Space Shuttle Explorer, with its twin solid rocket boosters and orange-colored external fuel tank, let you know you've arrive at The Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex. Ticket lines, at the center, can be slow. It’s advisable to purchase tickets at your hotel, resort or through Triple A before you go and you might even get a discount. If you're planning on spending a lot of time there, buy the Maximum Access Admission MAA ticket ($52 for adults). It includes two days entrance to the midway, a special guided tour through the restricted areas and entrance to the Astronauts Hall Of Fame in Titusville. Be sure to have your ticket validated before you leave the complex on day one. Getting through security is fairly simple unless there's a rocket launch scheduled for that day. In any case, arrive early.

Once inside, refer to your schedule and plan your day, before you do anything else, or you'll miss something. Don't miss your scheduled bus tour to the restricted area. If you have any problems, there are many uniformed guides ready and willing to help. Robot Scouts was a great show for both kids and adults. It's about robots in general and robots in space. Robotix produced it and it impressed me so much I have been buying their products ever since. I bought my first two in the Space Shop at the center.

An astronaut who had lived in the earth orbiting US Space Station Skylab, once for 84 days, Major Bill Pogue, gave a great talk, signed his books and answered our questions at The Astronaut Encounter.

Don't miss the two film presentations at the IMAX theaters. Only MAA ticket holders see both. To hear about space contributions to modern medicine and living, visit The Launch Status Center. Watch for the space person who is suited up and ready to venture around the outside of a space station in orbit. Kids can get right into the act in The New Millennium Theatre. If the little ones are getting restless take them to the play dome next to the very visible garden of famous historic space rockets.

The expansiveness of space exploration in today's world becomes apparent on the bus tour. With the narrated MAA tour ticket you will visit the International Space Station Center and go near the Vehicle Assembly Building (it’s so big, you'll think you’re next to it when you're five miles away). You'll see the crawler and find out how it brings the space vehicles to the launch pad. You'll see the launch pads up close and find out how the rockets are fueled before takeoff. The bus goes right next to the special three mile run way for returning space shuttles and after that you'll end up at The Saturn V Center.

A great place to take the kids to experience what astronauts do and to see an actual shuttle. You can spend as little as 3 hours or as much as an entire day here depending on how much you want to see and do.

Get a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at NASA's space exploration program. See space shuttle launch pads from the four-story LC 30 Observation Gantry. At the Apollo/Saturn V Center, walk beneath the massive Saturn V rocket and relive the excitement of Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon. For more information, go to this website.

Trace the history and look toward the future of space exploration. This trip, though, involves a lot of walking. If on your schedule for a week of Florida fun, schedule this early - it is not something that will be greatly enjoyed by kids if done after Disney and Sea World.