Tampa to Orlando & Kennedy Space Center: 3-Day Itinerary

For those seeking thrills and education, this itinerary combines Orlando’s world-famous theme parks with the wonders of Florida’s Space Coast. Start by driving east from Tampa on I-4 for about 1.5 hours to reach Orlando, nicknamed the “Theme Park Capital of the World”. Here, you’ll find Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, and more Orlando famously draws tens of millions of visitors with its collection of top theme parks. Spend a day (or two) immersing yourself in the parks of your choice. At Walt Disney World, you can visit Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios (consider a Park Hopper ticket if you’re ambitious about seeing multiple parks). Universal Orlando offers the Wizarding World of Harry Potter alongside thrilling coasters, while SeaWorld blends marine life shows with rides. Pro tip: Start early to beat some of the crowds (and Florida’s routine afternoon summer thunderstorms), and take midday breaks the sun and excitement can be intense, so stay hydrated and pace yourself.

After getting your fill of Mickey Mouse and roller coasters, change gears and drive about an hour east to Florida’s Space Coast. Your destination is the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Visitor Complex at Cape Canaveral. At KSC, you can tour NASA’s launch facilities and see actual spacecraft up close. Don’t miss the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit, where the retired orbiter is displayed with bay doors open it’s a powerful experience standing nose-to-nose with a real shuttle. The Visitor Complex also features a Rocket Garden of historic rockets and interactive exhibits about space exploration. A highlight for many is the Astronaut Encounter each day, visitors have the rare opportunity to meet a veteran NASA astronaut, hearing personal stories and even snapping a photo. Time your visit right and you might witness a rocket launch launches have become more frequent, so with a bit of luck you could catch one lighting up the sky during your visit. (Be sure to check NASA/Space Center’s launch schedule online ahead of time if this is on your bucket list.)

Nearby, take some time to relax at Cocoa Beach, just 15 minutes south of Cape Canaveral. Cocoa Beach is a classic Florida beach town known as the “Surfing Capital of the East Coast” it’s the hometown of surfing legend Kelly Slater and hosts the world’s largest surf shop, the Ron Jon Surf Shop (a 52,000 sq. ft. flagship store open 24/7). Kick off your flip-flops and enjoy the Atlantic waves or watch local surfers ride the breakers. Don’t forget to swing by the famed Ron Jon Surf Shop for a souvenir T-shirt or just to marvel at this temple of surf culture.

If you have a third day, you have options: either drive back to Tampa (about 2 hours and 15 minutes via I-4), or continue your adventure by driving an hour north up the coast to Daytona Beach. In Daytona, you can actually drive on the beach a tradition dating back to the early car-racing days (there are designated beach driving zones; a daily fee and strict speed limits apply). It’s quite a thrill to cruise on the hard-packed sand with the ocean by your side. Also worth a stop is the Daytona International Speedway, home of the Daytona 500. Even if you’re not there during a race, the Speedway offers guided tours for racing fans to see the track, victory lane, and museum exhibits. Afterward, consider grabbing lunch on the Daytona Beach boardwalk or visiting the Motorsports Hall of Fame.

Road Trip Tips: This trip can be done as a loop from Tampa or one-way if you’re flying out of a different city (one-way car rentals between major Florida cities are common). Around Orlando and the Space Coast, keep some cash or a SunPass handy for toll roads Florida’s Turnpike and the Beachline Expressway (SR 528) have toll plazas and using a SunPass transponder can save time. For theme park days, remember Florida’s heat can be intense; stay hydrated and take breaks in the shade or indoor shows to avoid burnout. Afternoon rain showers are frequent in summer bring a cheap poncho or use that time to eat indoors or see an indoor attraction; storms often pass quickly. Lastly, if you plan to catch a rocket launch, arrive early on launch day viewing sites and causeways can get crowded hours before liftoff, but the experience of seeing a rocket soar into space is truly unforgettable.