The early bird gets more than the worm

On the Space Coast, the early riser gets to experience a picturesque sunrise on our beautiful beaches.

While we have 72 miles of beaches filled with shells and shorebirds you can experience a sunrise at, here are some of the most memorable places welcome the day on Florida’s Space Coast!

Cocoa Beach Pier

The Cocoa Beach Pier is a Space Coast Icon, and a photogenic one at that.  It’s a great place to catch a sunrise, and also a prime location to enjoy a full day at the beach. With easy access to Cocoa Beaches best attractions, shops and restaurants, there’s no better way to spend the whole day on the Space Coast.

Image @onuriciccek

 Canova Beach

Pack up your sunscreen, towels, and a cooler and head out early to watch daybreak over the water with your furry best friend right by your side. Canova beach is one of the few Space Coast beaches that’s dog-friendly.  Leashes are required and owners need to clean up after their pups. There are waste bags and receptacles available at beach access points. There are even outdoor showers and a hose to rinse off as much sand as possible before taking off on your next adventure.  If you’ve worked up an appetite and a thirst from playing away the morning, head over to Coasters Pub & Biergarten, with its dog-friendly outdoor seating around back.

Image @SaintPaisley

Sebastian Inlet State Park

Sebastian Inlet State Park promises spectacular views of the sunrise from the beach, pier and lagoon. Collect those perfect shells, observe the powerful waters of the Atlantic Ocean as it meets the Indian River Lagoon, and you may be able to catch a glimpse of nesting sea turtles if the season’s right. Surf fishing is phenomenal down in the south end of the Space Coast.  Catch a fish or two from the shoreline or from the pier and fry it up for breakfast at your campsite! That’s right,  if you’re wanting more than one sunrise, then pack up your camping gear and stay a night or two; you’ll be glad you did. With a list of amenities and experiences for any age, you will easily have a fun and restful trip

The Sebastian Inlet – image by @veteransaerialmedia

Sand on the Beach

Feel the sand between your toes and the breeze in your hair as you take in the glory of the sun rising on the Atlantic. Then just stroll up the private boardwalk to this oceanfront Melbourne restaurant that’s actually right on the beach! They open at 7:00 am on the weekends, so in the wintertime, you can watch the sunrise from a table on the deck or inside with a cup of coffee or Bloody Mary in hand. After breakfast, just head back down to the sand for a day on the beach and return for lunch, or cocktails on the upper Bikini Bar. What could be easier or more fun?

Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge

Commune with nature while watching the spectacular sunrise on this lovely 20 mile stretch of quiet, sandy beach in Melbourne. Depending on the time of year, you may have a special encounter with the refuge’s beloved sea turtles! The peculiar tracks in the sand aren’t from dune buggies. They are signs of mother turtles making their way back to sea after laying their eggs on the beach. An even bigger thrill would be seeing baby hatchlings making their first trek to the ocean. It’s an experience people treasure for the rest of their lives. Thousands of loggerhead and green sea turtles nest here each year, making this beautiful nature preserve one of the country’s most important biological locations. It’s a beautiful place to watch the sunrise. For the best chance to see turtles too, be sure to come during nesting season.

If you need help trying to find the best place to stay so that you could easily roll right out of bed and catch one with ease, then check out the Space Coast vacation planner.

We want to see how you enjoy a Space Coast sunrise so post pictures and videos and tag us using #SpaceCoast