Located on the Atlantic Coast in Florida, Cocoa beach is a small town with over 6 miles of beaches; famous for its surf culture, laid back vibe and for being the best location to watch rocket launches (with the exception of the Kennedy space center, of course).
This cozy beach town has a rich surf history, being the hometown of the 11-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater. Surfers can be found almost everywhere, as well as places to take surf lessons.
There are many things to do in cocoa, from exciting adventures and activities like surfing and rocket launches watching, to relaxing getaways on its many oceanfront accommodations.
Things to do in Cocoa Beach
Cocoa Beach
The town has a beach that goes by its name, offering calm and consistent waves, ideal for surfers and those who want to learn how to. One of the top surfing locations in Florida.
Located west of Cocoa Beach, Cocoa Village its a small area with over 150 years of history, that offers a mix of old and new, with lot of pubs and bars, dining, shopping, art galleries and entertainment. The Cocoa riverfront park, located just a couple steps away from the village, is a perfect place to enjoy the water views of the indian river, do some exercise or just play with the kids.
The Cocoa Pier is a famous landmark, offering restaurants, bars, gift shops, surf classes, fishing equipment and even live music! Have a drink at the Rikki Tiki Tavern and enjoy the unbeatable views of the water.
Cocoa’s Ron Jon is the world’s largest surf shop, with a total area of 52,000 sf, offering all kind of surfing equipment as well as beach attire and lifestyle. (they even sell surf/beach related house decor!). A surf museum can be also be found inside the Shop, showcasing boards & artifacts related to Florida surfing.
Located in Port Canaveral, the exploration tower is an incredible welcome center, offering an incredible art exhibits, gift shops and an observation deck that overlooks Cocoa, the Port and everything within sight.
Just a few miles north of Cocoa, The Kennedy Space center is one of a kind experience, offering many attractions for the whole family. Explore the history of the space travel, learn what is like to be an astronaut or get access to the launch sites. Locals and visitors love to watch the spectacular views of the day and night launches from here.
See a Rocket Launching
Although the Kennedy Space Center is of course the best place where to watch a rocket launch, tickets are limited.
However, you cans till experiences the launchings from Cocoa! You can pretty much see a rocket launch anywhere on the Space Coast. Some popular places to watch a launch are the Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier and the beaches south of the Port.
Fishing
Cocoa offers plenty bodies of water to go fishing and boating, including the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian River lagoon and the Intracoastal waterway. Over 500 species of fish can be found in Cocoa.
Cruises
Located on the northernmost part of Cocoa, Port Canaveral us the starting point for their cruise vacation of over 4 million passengers a year. It is the world’s third largest cruise passenger port, and homeport to Carnival, Disney, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean cruise lines.
Dinosaur Store
The Dinosaur Store is an icon in Cocoa, having the most elaborate array of fossils in the world, as well as an adventure zone with games, animals and activities and a museum.
Located on the Banana River, the Thousand Islands is a conservation area with a big number of islands, home to incredible wildlife and canals, ideal to do some kayak.
Located next to Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach, the Florida Key Lime Company offers creamy and delicious key lime pies as well as thousands of other desserts like ice creams, craft beers, wines and more! Treat yourself while you are in Cocoa
