Having lived and traveled all over the US, we have come back to the Space Coast time and again. We even elected to live there for a time! This has given us some great insight into the area from a locals perspective, while still looking at this beautiful part of Florida from a tourist’s perspective.
Cocoa Beach and the surrounding areas exploded in the 1960’s when NASA came to town. Today, the area is a mix of small town surf culture, space junkies, and nature lovers. Located less than an hour from the Orlando International Airport (MCO), the Space Coast is the ideal place to spend a long weekend exploring!
This three-day itinerary is the perfect combination of all that the area has to offer!
Day 1: Cocoa Beach – Beach Day & Kayaking with Fin Expeditions!
You’re at the Beach!!! Plan at least one day to hang on World Famous Cocoa Beach! Rent surfboards and water toys at Ron Jon Rentals
, or just plop down your chair, put up your umbrella, and enjoy the crashing waves! Visitors usually choose either the Cocoa Beach Pier area, Alan Shepherd Park, Lori Wilson Park, or Downtown Cocoa Beach. Of these, only Lori Wilson offers free parking. Don’t disregard the parking signs and meters at the other locations, or you will come back to find your vehicle gone!!!
Our favorite beach spot is 2nd Street South. It’s a block from the craziness of the downtown beach, but close enough to enjoy all of the amenities that Cocoa Beach has to offer! Start your day with a coffee and breakfast sandwich from Juice and Java Café, then head to the beach to set up for the day. Spend the morning walking the beach (south for peace and solitude, north for people watching). Be sure to look for tracks from turtles that may have pulled themselves into the dunes the night prior to lay their eggs! For lunch, take a quick walk to The Tiny Turtle for the best tacos at the beach! After lunch, grab an ice cream from The Fat Donkey (you’ll thank me later). Spend some time checking out the art shops downtown as you stroll, then head back to the beach for the afternoon to soak up the sand and sun.
When you’ve reached that perfect golden brown, it’s time to head back to your hotel and get ready for the evening! Notable dinner spots include Long Doggers (laid back and kid friendly) or Florida’s Fresh Grill in the Publix Plaza (this is a great date-night type of spot!)
The perfect end to your first night in Cocoa Beach is a kayaking trip through the 1000 Islands Conservation Area! Depending on the time of year, you can choose a sunset tour or a bioluminescence tour. The lagoon in Cocoa Beach is not only home to a remarkable amount of wildlife, from fish, rays, crabs, sharks, dolphins, and manatees, but it also has amazing bioluminescence (the water literally lights up as you paddle through it!!!!) Fin Expeditions does tours nightly and we highly recommend them!
Day 2: NASA’s Kennedy Space Center & Playalinda Brix Project
Start your day with breakfast at Sunrise Diner in Cocoa Beach. This is an old-school, small-town diner, with great coffee, great food, and a friendly owner and staff! Next, get ready to nerd out at Kennedy Space Center! Located about 30 minutes north of Cocoa Beach on 144,000 acres, KSC is NASA’s primary launch center of human spaceflight! You can learn about past missions, see the actual Space Shuttle Atlantis and Saturn V, check out simulators, see what NASA is doing now — including building the SLS Rocket and finding ways to live and work on Mars — and maybe meet an astronaut! If you’re lucky, there may be a launch scheduled while you’re on the Space Coast; click here to find out!
Before you head back to your hotel, head to Playalinda Brix Project for a great dinner and craft-beer selection (they make all of their beers in Titusville). Favorites are the Irish nachos, steak fajita flatbread, rib roast sandwich, and mahi platter. Be sure to check out their building and furnishings – a former lumberyard that they converted to the brewery. Many of the building supplies used in renovations were salvaged from the original building and repurposed to what you see today! A quick note, Brix is both kid and pet friendly!
Day 3: Breakfast at Backwater, Brevard Zoo & Historic Cocoa Village
Whether a kid or a kid at heart, the Brevard Zoo is amazing! Start your day with breakfast at Backwater in Downtown Melbourne. Make pancakes with any number of additions (chocolate chips, fruit, sprinkles, Oreo crumbles, cotton candy, cookie dough) on a built-in flat top right at your table! Or you can choose one of our favorites from the regular menu; Shrimp and Grits, Okeechobee Ice Cream, or The Breakfast Club, and don’t forget a side of Gator Gumbo! They locally source as much of their food as they can, and they support several local non-profits. They also have killer mimosas if you’re feeling like treating yourself!
Now it’s time for the zoo!!!! The Brevard Zoo is currently requiring reservations for timed entries, so be sure to check on that before you head over. They are home to animals from all over the world and have tons of ways to interact with them, from feeding Giraffes, Lorikeets and Cockatiels, to walking through an open kangaroo habitat! This is so cool! The zoo also has several unique and exciting experiences in addition to exploring the actual zoo… You can kayak through animal habitats or climb high above them on a ropes course that runs through the park! In addition to what you can see and do there, the zoo also plants oyster mats in the Indian River Lagoon to help restore the health of the lagoon, rescues sick and injured sea turtles, and has monitoring programs for several critically-endangered animals.
After a day at the zoo, it’s time to head back to the hotel to freshen up then head out for an evening in Historic Cocoa Village! If you’re looking for a laid back and delicious dinner, head to Crydermans Barbecue for the best barbeque on the Space Coast! Their seating is all outside at large picnic tables. Want another option? Murdock’s has been a staple in Cocoa Village for 20 years, but they are in the process of moving — be sure to check them out if they’re opened back up in their new location — The Tin Whiskey Southern Kitchen (opening late 2021). If you have kids with you, check out REC 225 for a fun dining and game night. If you don’t have the kids along, stop in Bugnutty Brewing Company for a locally crafted beer (the owners are former NASA employees!) and stop at Stumpy’s Hatchet House to show off your slaying abilities!!! Stroll along the waterfront as the sun sets on another amazing day!
That wraps up the perfect three days on the Space Coast! Was this itinerary spot on? Please head over to our Facebook page, like it, and follow along on our adventures, which will help you to plan your adventures!!!!
Recent Posts
Whether we are packing for a relaxing vacation or crazy adventure, we always include a speaker in our gear. Over the years we have been through many speakers both small and midsized. We have found...
The incredible happy hours and mouthwatering food specials at these popular Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral locations will blow your mind! See our selection of the top locations to treat yourself on a...