8 Awesome Things to do in Cocoa Beach Florida
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Cocoa Beach Florida is a fun beachside town located right next to the Atlantic Ocean. Just one hour east of Orlando and 20 minutes south of Port Canaveral, it’s a popular place to visit before or after Disney World (and Universal) or a cruise. We had a couple days to explore the area and did so many fun things. While there’s plenty more to explore, below are 8 Awesome Things to do in Cocoa Beach Florida.
Note – this article was written in partnership with Visit Florida and Visit Space Coast. As always, opinions are my own.
Where to Stay:
We stayed at the newly opened Courtyard by Marriott Titusville since it’s so close to the Kennedy Space Center and loved it. It’s especially ideal on launch nights as you can watch launches from the rooftop bar. The rooms are beautiful and modern with fun nods to space. We also loved the cafe in the lobby for breakfast, the beautiful pool with cabanas and sitting out by the water in hammocks. It’s a very peaceful hotel and quieter than staying right in Cocoa Beach.
If you’re looking to stay more in central Cocoa Beach, check out Beachside Hotel & Suites. It even has a lazy river on property!
1. Spend a full day at Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center was the highlight of our stay in the area. It’s hard to beat a place dedicated to sharing about the space race and incredible feat of putting a man on the moon. We loved learning about the various missions, getting to see real rockets and learning about the training astronauts go through. Our 8 month old son visited with us and while he wasn’t able to enjoy many attractions, there were tons of shaded spots for one of us to stay with him while the other one checked out exhibits. We were surprised at how great the food options were and loved the heathy protein bowl, acai bowl and Space Dots (for a fun treat).
2. Enjoy a beach day
You can’t go to Cocoa Beach without enjoying some time at the beach! We enjoyed the shoreline near the pier but there are plenty of other beaches to explore too.
3. Explore the Cocoa Beach Pier
The Cocoa Beach Pier is historic and a must see. There are restaurants, bars, gift shops and entertainment. On the beach, there are volleyball courts for sand volleyball too.
4. Grab lunch in Cocoa Village at Ossorio Bakery
Cocoa Village is a quaint area to explore and has many fun shops and restaurants. We loved Ossorio Bakery. They make wood fired pizza, pastries, sandwiches and delicious ice cream.
5. Take a Sunset Cruise
While the best chance of seeing wildlife including dolphins, manatees and birds is in the morning, we loved experiencing sunset from the water with Cocoa Beach Dolphin Tours. We also lucked out and saw a ton of wildlife so it is possible to view them in the evening too.
6. Start your day at River Road Coffee + Popsicles
Located in Cocoa, Florida is the quaint small coffee shop River Road Coffee + Popsicles. They make delicious lattes, matcha lattes and popsicles. It’s a must stop to fuel your day. I loved the guava dragonfruit popsicle but they make tons of other flavors and have alcoholic versions as well.
7. Feast on BBQ at Crydermans
Not far from River Road Coffee is the fantastic BBQ spot Crydermans. The pulled pork sandwiches were delicious. Don’t miss the cornbread cookie! So delicious.
8. Sit on the patio at The Tiny Turtle
The Tiny Turtle is a really fun local restaurant with a delicious Puerto Rican / Caribbean menu. Their patio has a beach feel and is a great place to enjoy a meal. The staff were all fantastic and so welcoming too.
I hope you enjoy your time in Cocoa Beach. For more Florida destinations, check out New Smyrna Beach, Ocala and Crystal River. Happy planning!
