Looking for pre-cruise activities around Cocoa Beach/Port Canaveral area - 2 spare days to fill

[Tinkerbellsparkle]

Hello! Due to our flight schedule, we have 3 full days to fill pre and post cruise. We will visit Kennedy Space Centre one day, which leaves 2 days to fill.

There does not seem to be much on offer in the area, the Breward Zoo is a possibility I guess 🙃

 

We are staying in Cocoa Beach for 2 days, but I need to book 1 night for our last day, should I stick with Cocoa Beach or is going down near Melbourne area nice, it looks a bit quiet (we fly out of Melbourne)?

 

Any ideas please? Thank you

[Capt_BJ]

1. Will you have a car? This area is not strong on public transportation. I'm answering with the assumption you'll have a car.

 

2. Kennedy visitor center is our most popular attraction and I think it will easily fill a day.

 

3. You are only an hour from Disney and Universal parks ..... they are of course not inexpensive altho there is no charge to visit Disney Springs shopping and entertainment area.

 

4. Brevard Zoo does get positive reviews from most - it was even on a 20 best in US list recently - but probably not a full day thing as not really that large. <I worked there for several years driving the choo choo train>

 

5. The area is of course blessed with beaches. from the port and Jetty Park to Sebastion Inlet is a 40 mile unbroken beach. From the port thru the Cocoa Beach area the beach tends to be 'busier' as here you'll find areas with concessions and depending on time of the year, lifeguards. Get south to the Patrick Air/Space Force base area and the beach are MUCH LESS crowded and at south end of Patrick (east end of SR-404) you may walk half a mile and see only one or two others . . . Melbourne beaches are less crowded then Cocoa as well.

 

6.  There some really nice hotels on the beach in Melbourne Beach .... like DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Melbourne Beach Oceanfront . Or how about a super nice B&B:  https://www.windemereinn.com/

 

7. Back to Cocoa: eco tourism is strong and you can find places with airboat rides into the St John's river area <alligator>, kayak tours thru the mangrove areas of the barrier islands <manatee and dolphin>. and boat tours for nature spotting https://www.cocoabeachdolphintours.com/

 

8. And don't forget the popular dining spots in the port like 

 

 

that should give you a start!

[ConnMom]

In addition to the excellent suggestions above, you might enjoy the Morse Museum of Art in Winter Park, with its wonderful Tiffany collection.