I’ve always had a fascination with space. The Space Center Houston has been on my bucket list for years. Just recently we were able to visit the space center and it did not disappoint. Being the money conscious person I am, I always like to know how to go places for cheap. So here are 5 tips that will save you time and money at Space Center Houston.

Admission tickets: When shopping for tickets, there are a few decisions you need to make. If you are spending more time in the Houston area, then you’ll want to check out the Houston City Pass. The pass includes:Space Center Houston, Downtown Aquarium, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston Zoo OR Museum of Fine Arts, Kemah Boardwalk OR Children’s Museum of Houston. If you have time to do all of these, then for sure grab that ticket. Another way to save on admission tickets is to be part of the ASTC Travel Passport Program. You may already have a membership for a different museum that is part of this program. If so, that membership will let you in for FREE! For example, I have a Thanksgiving Point membership here in Utah, which is part of the ASTC program. So I was able to get 2 adults and 2 kids in for FREE. Yay! This membership will also save money on parking as well.

Tram Ride: The highlight of the center is the tram ride to the mission control building and the astronaut training center. The big tip for this is if you have a membership, like the ASTC or become a Space Center member, you have a separate line to get on the tram which will save you SO much time. These two tram rides are about 45 minutes each, so you’ll want to plan accordingly. You can’t bring any food or drinks on your ride.

Food: They do have a nice food court available for eating your food. You can either bring your own lunch and snacks or buy some there. They have a good family pizza meal deal that we decided to do for our family. Also, be aware that the food court closes early as well. Be sure to grab your food before 4:00. They have soda machines and Dip n Dots machines, but they only take cash, so be prepared.

Planning Your Time: When you arrive, be sure to ask what special events they have going on. When we were there, they had a real astronaut that was able to speak to us and answer questions. Events like that are so worth going. Be aware that the center starts closing BEFORE the 5:00 hour. If you want to go out on the deck and see the shuttle and plane, you need to be out there by 4:15 to look around. They start closing it down about 4:45 or earlier. You’ll want to be on the tram even earlier. Check with the workers there to see when the last tram ride will leave.