What families say

This is a great pick for kids into space or science, with a self-guided walking tour that gets you up close to the massive 80-foot dishes (sometimes even watching maintenance in "the barn"), plus a helpful video and small gift shop in the visitor center. A few reviewers note it leans more adult/educational than flashy or kid-gimmicky, so younger children may need extra context to appreciate the science, but the scale of the antennas impresses all ages. There's no food or drinks sold on site and it's an hour from the nearest gas station, so pack a full cooler, snacks, and a full tank before you go—and if you can time it with the annual open house, expect tours, speakers, food trucks,

Ages 9–18