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Cocoa Beach Day Trip Guide: Best Things to Do, Eat & See on Florida's Space Coast
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items Cocoa Beach is our family's favorite escape from Kissimmee - barely an hour east and you trade theme-park lines for waves, surf shops, and rocket launches. This local's guide covers the best things to do, places to eat, and beach parks on Florida's S...
Map
The 800-foot pier is the heart of Cocoa Beach - grab a drink at the tiki bar over the waves, watch the surfers, and if a rocket is launching from the Cape this is an epic free viewing spot. Start your beach day here.
Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier
The world's most famous surf shop, open 24 hours and basically a theme park of its own - two stories of boards, beach gear, and souvenirs. Even if you buy nothing, walking through is a Cocoa Beach tradition.
Ron Jon Surf Shop
Fifteen minutes from the beach and worth a full day on its own - stand under a real Saturn V rocket and see Space Shuttle Atlantis up close. Our kids talk about it more than the theme parks. Check the launch schedule before you go!
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Our go-to beach access with families: free parking, boardwalk through a shaded maritime hammock, clean restrooms, and a dog park. Way less hectic than the pier area on busy weekends.
Lori Wilson Park
This is where we rent boards and bikes - surfboard and boogie board rentals by the day, plus surf lessons for first-timers. The huge shark tank inside the store is a free mini-aquarium stop for the kids.
Cocoa Beach Surf Company
The nicest dinner in Cocoa Beach - fresh local seafood done creatively, and the snapper is always right. Book ahead for date night; it's small and locals fill it fast.
The Fat Snook
Toes-in-the-sand dining right ON the beach - fish tacos, cold drinks, and live music with the waves as your soundtrack. It's the quintessential Cocoa Beach lunch; expect a wait at sunset and it's worth it.
Coconuts On The Beach
Steps from the pier with killer fish tacos, mahi sandwiches, and a proper beach-bar vibe. Great spot to catch the game after a morning in the surf - casual, loud, and fun.
Sandbar Sports Grill
Watch massive cruise ships glide out of Port Canaveral from the upper deck while you eat fresh-off-the-boat seafood. Time dinner around a ship departure (usually 4-5pm) - the kids are glued to the rail.
Fishlips Waterfront Bar & Grill
Beach, fishing pier, and campsites right at the mouth of Port Canaveral - THE best spot on the Space Coast to watch a rocket launch or wave at cruise ships leaving port. Small entry fee, huge payoff.
Jetty Park Campground
Guided kayak tours through the Thousand Islands mangroves - we saw manatees, dolphins, and rays on one trip. Small groups, patient guides, and calm water that's beginner and kid friendly.
Fin Expeditions Kayak Tours
Ten minutes inland on the mainland: brick streets, indie boutiques, ice cream shops, and riverside park swings. Perfect late-afternoon wind-down when everyone's had enough sun at the beach.
Cocoa Village Florida |
Right where the 520 causeway meets the ocean - named for the first American in space. Oceanfront parking (get there early), pavilions for shade, and one of the best stretches of sand for launch watching.
Shepard Park
A tiny gem next to Ron Jon celebrating East Coast surf legends like hometown hero Kelly Slater. Donation-based entry and a fun 20-minute rainy-day or cool-down stop for the whole crew.
Florida Surf Museum
Cocoa Beach's gentle waves are perfect bodyboarding water for kids and beginners. Toss a couple of these in the trunk before you leave Orlando and skip the beachside rental markup.
Bodyboard with Wrist Leash - 33/37/42 inch