What to Expect at Family Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama

– By Sheeka Sanahori – 

“So are you the space fan or your son?” A camp counselor asked me after we got settled into our room at NASA’s U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. We were in a large modular building labeled “Habitat” on the outside. Inside, bunk room doors were spaced out by wavy sheets of gray metal. The design felt like the modest living quarters of a space colony on Mars. 

We were spending a long weekend at family space camp, a program that allows chaperoned children as young as seven to participate in space-themed activities typically reserved for older children and adults.

The counselor’s question was my first hint about who attends space camp. The parent-child duos in our weekend cohort were split – half of the families had similar motivations to mine; the parents were attending because their child loves space and wants to explore more. As for the other half, family space camp was a dream realized for these parents. These former kids of the ’90s grew up watching Nickelodeon’s “Double Dare.” They were living out their grand prize dreams of space camp in Huntsville, Alabama.

Space Camp Activities: From Model Rockets to Space Station Simulations

With children and parents getting the chance to build model rockets together, recreating experiments aboard a simulated International Space Station, and experiencing a spacecraft tumble with a ride in a multi-axis trainer, there were plenty of activities to excite children and the young at heart.

All of us campers felt a communal pride in being there – the camp put us one step closer to the astronauts and engineers who built the U.S.’s meritorious space program. Walking past the Space Shuttle and Saturn V Moon Rocket on the Huntsville campus during our daily activities made us feel more connected to NASA’s jubilant history.

Accommodation Options: Space Habitat vs. Marriott Hotel

Not every part of this sleepaway camp felt like a victory. The bunk beds in the camp’s habitat were hard and flat, with only a thin sleeping pad provided. No combination of bed linens brought from home, including the sleeping bag listed in our packing list, would make the twin beds feel comfortable. 

Once there (and unfortunately already assigned to my bunk), I learned this pro tip: Family campers can book a stay at the Huntsville Marriott At The Space & Rocket Center, which is the only hotel adjacent to campus. This option isn’t available to kids attending space camp without parents – it’s an exception made only for family campers. So if you prefer a real bed and private bathroom for the long weekend, a hotel stay can be a game-changer for your space camp experience. 

Dining and Campus Life at NASA’s Space Camp

It’s also the only opportunity camp attendees will get to go off-campus, including for meals. The camp serves meals, which are reminiscent of elementary school lunches, at its on-site kitchen. The meals are balanced, with a few options to account for dietary needs and restrictions, but they’re not exactly memorable. A stay at the Marriott will at least get family campers the chance to eat an early breakfast or late dinner off campus.

Whether you sleep in the habitat or add some hotel comfort to your trip, the activities you’ll participate in at family space camp will leave a lasting impression on you and your child. My son regularly asks if we can go back, and considering how much fun I had pretending to be a space explorer, I’m ready for my next road trip to Huntsville.

 

 

 

 

Sheeka Sanahori is a travel writer and video producer who writes about family travel, ancestry travel, history and the outdoors. You can follow her on Instagram @sheeka.sanahori and on TikTok @sheekajs.