Start Planning your Summer Vacation on the Space Coast

Choose the Perfect Space Coast City to Stay In 

Titusville

Located in the northern part of the Space Coast, Titusville is most well-known for its numerous rocket launch pads and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex but has so much more to offer. On any given day you’ll find fun festivals, beautiful nature trails, and some of the best spots to watch rocket launches any time of the day.

Downtown Titusville 

Downtown Titusville is an exciting stop on your Space Coast Summer getaway. Stop by the Welcome Center to get a lay of the land and start your journey. Head across the street to the American Space Museum and Space Walk of Fame to escape the heat and learn about incredible moments in space exploration history from the people who lived it. Further down the road, you'll find Playalinda Brewing Company Hardware Store, where a casual menu can be enjoyed with an extensive list of artfully crafted brews. Step in to the Downtown Art Gallery, or the Mad Udder for some local art and slow-churned ice cream respectively. 

Explore the Trails in Titusville

Titusville is your gateway to nature with walking, biking, and running trails that make you feel like you’re in a whole new world. The  Enchanted Forest features several different ecosystems from oak hammocks, wet prairies, and the Atlantic Coastal Ridge full of native wildlife like the white-tailed deer, Florida scrub lizard, gopher tortoises, and so much more. Do not forget to bring your camera. End your time at the on-site educational facility where there is an interactive exhibit room, library, and gift shop to take home a souvenir.  Want see a wide expanse of Florida ecosystems including coastal waterways, scrub forests, and everything in between? Check out the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, where over 500 species of wildlife including alligators, dolphins, manatees, hundreds of migratory birds, fish, reptiles, and mammals roam freely in their natural habitats. This refuge offers six different hiking trails, all giving you a different view of nature and wildlife, as well as other recreational offerings like bird watching, fishing, kayak launch access, and hunting.

Check out this Blog to Explore More of the Space Coast's Natural Wonders 

Cocoa Beach

Your summer vacation needs to include a walk, or surf lesson, on famous Cocoa Beach. This world-renown hot spot for families will bring out the kid in everyone. Enjoy the perfect blend of sun and fun from indoor activities to outdoor attractions all in a one-of-a-kind beach town.

A View From Above Cocoa Beach

When you’re looking to see beyond the horizon, getting some height for new perspectives is easy when you spend time in the Cocoa Beach area.  Cocoa Beach Aerial Adventures is great for families looking to add some zip to their summer vacation. Here you’ll find a full zipline and ropes course full of challenging courses ranging from easy to expert. Fun for all ages, enjoy the Florida sunshine all while testing your problem solving skills and moving your body. Or take to the skies and book a helicopter tour with Cocoa Beach Helicopters and see how beautiful Florida’s Space Coast really is. With 72 miles of shoreline and our beautiful Indian River Lagoon, you’ll be able to capture photos of the coastline and other landmarks as you smoothly glide through the air. It’s a summer vacation excursion you’ll never forget.

Take a stroll through the past to present day

For another educational, indoor stop in Cocoa Beach, check out The Dinosaur Store and Museum of Ancient Cultures, where your dino-loving little ones can be an archaeologist for the day, explore the prehistoric age of dinosaurs, and have fun in the adventure zone. This activity will keep your family entertained the entire day or for a few hours in between the beach and hotel. Looking for more Space Coast history? Head over to the Florida Surf Museum located in Ron Jon Surf Shop, where you come face to face with surf legends of the past and present. It’ll give you a better understanding of why Cocoa Beach is considered one of the surf capitals of the world, and maybe inspire a surf lesson or two.

Picnic at the beach

For beach access points that feature covered picnic areas, outdoor showers, restrooms, playgrounds, nature trails, and other outdoor activities, Alan Shepard Park, Lori Wilson Park, and Sidney Fischer Park is where you can park yourself for the day. Each park offers different amenities, so make sure you pick the spot that has everything you need for the perfect summer vacation beach day! Not interested in packing up all the supplies for a picnic at the beach, then head over to The Cocoa Beach Pier. This is the perfect place for a day of relaxation, sun-soaking, and sandcastle building where all the amenities you need for a day, including lunch, souvenirs, and a tiki bar, at the beach is located in one spot.

Melbourne & The Beaches

This charming town and its surrounding area is packed full of things to do from art and culture, beaches, nature, boutique shopping, and so much more. Take it easy as you stroll through historic streets and downtown areas or as you catch a sunrise with a leisurely walk along the shoreline or waterfront dining.

The Art of Summer Vacation

Melbourne offers a gamut of ways to enjoy original pieces of art. Both Downtown Melbourne and Eau Gallie Arts District have larger-than-life wall murals that you can tour as you walk around or stop in some of the indoor art galleries like Art Expressions, or Fifth Avenue Art Gallery for more creative pieces. Channel your own inner Picasso with a session at Painting with a Twist, where you can paint your own tropical souvenir.

Stay active this Summer

Think you have what it takes to challenge yourself while on your summer getaway? Melbourne offers the great blend of indoor and outdoor excursions that will test your brain and muscle power and perfect for kids of all ages. See if you have the smarts to break yourself free at The Escape Zone. Or take your adventure to new heights with a zip line tour at Treetop Trek at the Brevard Zoo, or by scaling the walls at On the Edge Rock Climbing. End your getaway with a pat on the back for trying something new this summer.

Fun with family and friends: Melbourne isn’t just art and escape rooms, there are tons of activities for families and groups of friends to get active and competitive in this part of the Space Coast. Check out Andretti Thrill Park, for go-kart racing and arcade games. The Backyard,  for ax throwing and backyard games. Each have their own unique twist on family fun and activities and are non-stop fun for the whole day.

Next Plan your Space Coast Summer Activities on Land and Sea!

Live it up on Land 

From beaches to backcountry nature trails, the Space Coast offers plenty of ways to stay entertained if you’re not spending the day out on the water.

• Get in touch with your wild side: For a day of fun and adventure where learning is a pleasure, The Brevard Zoo, located in Melbourne, and one of the Space Coast’s premier excursions. With plenty of ways to experience the animals including a kayak past the giraffe enclosure, a zipline over the alligator exhibit, and walk amongst the kangaroos, you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to another world when you spend time here and tap into your own wild side. They even have a splash pad so the little ones can cool down on a hot summer day, bring your swimsuit!

• Space and beyond: The Space Coast is home to NASA and the Kennedy Space Center. For a day or even two of all things space, past, present, and future, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is your headquarters to see what life is like for an astronaut, what technology has been created to discover more about our galaxy and other galaxies beyond. The best part, if your summer vacation lines up with the launch schedule you’ll be able to see a real rocket launch, right from the source.

• Relaxation around the corner: For some of you, finding other ways to relax besides lounging at the beach make for a well-rounded getaway. FIT Botanical Gardens is one way to have a bit of serenity while enjoying a leisurely stroll through perfectly manicured gardens under shady hammock of palm trees and other tropical growth. 

Sea-ize the Opportunity to Enjoy These Water Activities

All different bodies of water, from rivers, lagoons, and canals to the Atlantic Ocean, surround the Space Coast so there are plenty of ways to have fun on the water this summer.

Searching for a beach without crowds? Check out our favorite secluded Space Coast Beaches.

• Surfing: You can’t visit the area and not at least try a sport that has made the waves here famous. Up and down the Space Coast, you’ll find plenty of beach and water access and surf instructors that will have you hanging ten in no time.

• Bioluminescent tours: The summer brings out the magic of the Space Coast. Bioluminescent tours give you an up close look at some magic that this area is one only a few that provide this mesmerizing phenomenon.
• Boat excursions: Explore a side of the Space Coast that is only accessible by boat. Whether you prefer kayaks, motorboats, or airboats, you’ll see wildlife and other landscapes that you won’t experience on the mainland.

Planning ahead to the summer season has never looked so good. So go ahead and start preparing for your getaway to the Florida’s Space Coast. You’ll find a smile making it’s way to your face as soon as you do. Check out the links below or the Space Coast Vacation Planner to help you discover all that you can experience while here on the Space Coast.

Rest Here

Eat Here

Play Here

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