Where to begin? We arrived when it opened and left as it closed. In between we were positively transported into a world Danny and I both find incredible, even magical. I’m patriotic and I’m a sci-fi nerd. NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., smooshes those two loves together and the result is my new happy place.

First, everything about it (including every building’s architecture) points to the future, hard work and imagination. The night before our visit, we scoured the KSC’s website and made a map of our “must do” activities and sights. We knew it would be tight to fit it all in and sadly, we fell short of our goal but all the more reason to return some day, right?

We ate astronaut ice cream! It was the girls’ first time and they loved it, of course. I remembered its foamy, dried marshmallow texture and the sweetness, too. Reminded me of field trips to the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kan. It was such a treat but after walking for hours under the Florida sun, I kinda wished it were earth ice cream instead of what they eat in space!

We perused the book store, took pictures with a space man, saw alligators in the ditch while on the bus tour and explored the gigantic blooms in the Rocket Garden. I’ve asked Danny for my own Rocket Garden once we settle back down and he’s agreed that we need one for sure. That reminds me that I need to put a request into NASA for a rocket or two.

Another highlight was experiencing the Apollo 8 launch while facing the actual consoles used in 1968. The entire control center was moved into the Saturn V building (only accessible if you take the bus tour which is included with admission so score!). We sat in bleachers and watched the countdown, heard actual recordings of the launch sequence and then in true 21st Century-style, our seats vibrated and shook as the rocket took off to orbit the moon. Danny only took one picture because he was too busy just enjoying himself. I forgave him and I hope you will, too. Sometimes photography takes a back seat to shock and awe and this place was full of both.

One exhibit showed us NASA’s plans for life on Mars and Danny and I agreed to disagree as to whether we would volunteer for it. We sweet-talked a fellow space explorer into taking our family’s photo in front of the actual launch countdown clock used up until 2011. We meandered through the latest exhibit, Heroes and Legends and stared into the faces of the brave people who volunteered to explore the heavens for all of us.

I can’t wait to go back and take a different bus tour (you can actually visit mission control) or listen to an astronaut speak. We have to see Atlantis again. And I’ve promised the girls we’ll finally get those space dots.