Beaches of The Florida Space Coast

There is no one way to describe the beach communities along the Space Coast except as unique.  From the north to south ends along the Atlantic Ocean, the county is comprised of several quaint, cool and rapidly evolving communities that make a beach getaway to the area full of fun choices.  To the north, the county seat of Titusville features one of the most pristine beaches in the nation at Playalinda Beach at Canaveral National Seashore.  Situated close to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Kennedy Space Center, the beach is a top choice for visitors looking to combine sea, space and nature.  The quaint Titusville community features several accommodation choices and one of the very best specialty dessert shops in the state.  Something Sweet is housed in an adorable pink and green cottage in the downtown area and is a can't miss for anyone with a sophisticated sweet tooth.  There is also a restaurant in Titusville with a following so large it qualifies as an attraction of its own.  Dixie Crossroads specializes in offering unique ocean rock shrimps delivered fresh to the restaurant by a fleet of shrimp boats.  Inside the dining rooms, you'll find a virtual art gallery, photography,  concrete sculptures, stained and etched glass,  and even  large wildlife murals that portray this regions' unique habitats, plants and animals.

Moving southward, the Port Canaveral and Cape Canaveral beaches are gaining in reputation as good spots to try your hand at beginner surfing at places like Jetty Park or one of the many streets named for U.S. presidents that end in parking and free public beach access crossovers. Port Canaveral is home to one of the busiest cruise ports in the world and a bustling area of top notch restaurants, casino and charter fishing boats, bars and dance clubs in The Cove area. Next door, Cape Canaveral is home to fine dining at Mangroves Restaurant, gigantic subs at Canaveral Meats and Greek cuisine, complete with locals who will want go get to know you, at Zachary's. The city is also home to Sunseed Food Co-Op, a unique health food supermarket with the largest selection of certified organic produce in the county. In the adjacent town of Merritt Island, be sure to check out the Crab Shack on State Road 520 for one of a kind crab butter and unique riverside dining. Home to the Merritt Square Mall complete with large movie theater, Merritt Island offers a nice break from the beach with jet ski rental shops and alternate access to Kennedy Space Center along State Road 3 which passes through several wonderful nature preserves. Moving south is the well known city Cocoa Beach.  Breeding ground for championship surfers and home to the Hall of Fame and museum showcasing the surf culture of the entire East coast.  Cocoa Beach is well known as the site of the "I Dream of Jeannie" television show.  several mammoth surf shops also call the city home.  Ron Jon surf Shop can't be missed as the "World's Most Famous Surf Shop."  the Cocoa beach Surf Company Surf Complex next door is another must see.  It includes a hotel, surf school, travel agency, tour operator and, most importantly to some, the beach's only Starbuck's coffee Shop.  In downtown Cocoa Beach, which spans the area around Minutemen Causeway, there are one of a kind specialty shops in the old Naval Hosing now called "Cottage Row."  Surfer's Surf Shack which caters to girl surfers, bike rental at Matt's Bicycle Shop, multiple local cafes and eateries, Quiet flight surf Shop, fine dining and a jazz at the The Heidelberg and galleries of local artists are all reasons to make sure to check out the area.  One block away at the end of Minutemen Causeway is Scoops of Cocoa Beach, a relatively new ice cream parlor featuring real gelato and old fashioned ice cream memorabilia across from the popular Coconuts on the Beach oceanfront restaurant and across the street from Yen Yen's, a high end Chinese restaurant that serves fantastic Snow Prawns.  Be sure to check out the Sunday Farmer's Market in the city and the nature trail at Lori Wilson Park as well.  A bit further down State Road A1A, the road that parallels the shore, are the hot surfing spots at Patrick Air Force Base followed by some really great beach towns, Indiatlantic, Indian Harbour Beach and Melbourne Beach, where the beach lifestyle is evident everywhere you look.

Whether it is the sunrise, yoga students on the beach, happy children wandering the sands looking for beautiful sea glass and beads or the sun kissed smiling faces walking Fido at the Satellite Beach dog park, these areas beckon those in search of a relaxing beach retreat. A few popular hangouts in these communities are DaKine Diego's, an outdoor surfer hangout with burritos that may weigh as much as your youngest child and Goombay's which offers inside and outside seating, usually has music on the porch, and, best of all, serves a particularly popular version of meat on a stick. MeMaw's, one of the oldest restaurants with the friendliest staff famous for their great pork and beef barbecue, is a local favorite as well.  further south, there is Sebastian Inlet State Park, a major surfing focal point on the East Coast.  this park attracts surfers by the thousands to difficult breaks, camps and contests along three miles of ocean available for swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving.  As the number one surfing destination and one of the most popular state parks in Florida, camping is available as are a small store, docking, canoe, kayak, jet ski and power boat rentals.  Ranger led boat tours are available to Pelican Island and the gorgeous beach is considered on of the best fishing areas in the state.  The beachside communities along the Space Coast come complete with a selection of family friendly venues for everything from miniature golf to craft fairs and shopping districts.  whether you are looking for the untouched, secluded beaches and historical towns in North Brevard or the kickin' waves and recreation of some of the southern beaches, one this is for certain, life actually is a beach when you come to Florida's Space Coast.