Cocoa Beach and the surrounding communities are wonderful places to explore under normal circumstances, but during the holidays—all the holidays—they take on a special shine, and although we aren’t as well known for our Irish community as much as we are known for our beautiful and sandy beaches, we do know how to get our green on when March rolls around every year. Offering fun events, relaxing days on the beach, and the added benefits of luxury and style found in our Happy Palm Stays vacation escapes, your upcoming Florida journey over St. Patrick’s Day promises to be fulfilling, fun, and exciting. This guide to St. Patrick’s Day in Cocoa Beach will give you a peek into the fun you can have during your adventures in Cocoa Beach in March.
Green Bikinis and Flip Flops
With highs in the mid-70s, we think it should be pretty obvious that you will spend at least a portion of your celebration wearing your favorite green bikini and matching flip flops, while burying your toes in our white sand beaches. Sunny skies, blue waters, and nothing pressing on your vacation schedule will encourage you to revel in the salt air breezes, the music of waves crashing against the shores, and the sight of palm trees and sea oats swaying in those breezes and because there will more than likely be a beach umbrella tucked away in the closet of your Happy Palm Stays holiday hideaway, you can retreat into shade when the rays start to get a little too intense.
We Love a Parade on St. Patrick’s Day in Cocoa Beach
Lately, we have lamented the lack of parades but as they have seemed to lose their appeal in other parts of the world, the Space Coast still loves their parades, and the annual Melbourne St. Patrick’s Day parade promises to be everything you remember from the processions of your youth. Offering marching bands (including a bagpipe one!) colorful floats, veterans groups, and so much more, this parade generally takes place on the Saturday closest to March 17 and never fails to impress bystanders.
Scotch Eggs, Shepherd’s Pie, and Irish Stew
No self-proclaiming Irish person for the day should pass on a traditional Irish feast, and Meg O’Malley’s Restaurant & Irish Pub offers all of that and rivers of green beer as well! Located in Melbourne and featuring an annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration you will probably forget (because you drank too much green beer!) its menu is filled with authentic Irish meals, making you feel as if you are in the old country again, even if you have never visited.
Green Beer and the Perfect Guinness Pour
While we were on the topic of green beer and Irish Pubs, there are more than a few located in Cocoa Beach, each planning a celebration that will make the perfect ending to your day of wearing of the green. Nolan’s Irish Pub, located at 240 N Orlando Avenue, has been one of our favorite places to celebrate, offering an authentic menu, perfect Guinness pours, and because it is dog friendly (on its patio, the opportunity to pet some happy pooches. Paddy Cassidy’s Irish Pub, 2009 N Atlantic Avenue, is the kind of neighborhood pub we all want in our own communities, offering darts and a casual vibe.
Pay Homage to Irish American Astronauts with a Visit to the Kennedy Space Center
Did you know that astronaut Michael Collins of Gemini 10 and Apollo 11 fame traces his roots back to County Cork or that Kathryn Dwyer Sullivan who flew three shuttle missions and was the first American female to walk in space also shares family in County Cork? What better way to honor these proud Irish Americans than with a trip to the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex? Located on Merritt Island and honoring all astronauts who burst through the boundaries of our earth, the exhibits, displays, two IMAX theaters, and other historic spacecraft and memorabilia will fascinate and enchant which is a celebration in itself, don’t you think?
After the Celebration
As you explore all the options we have listed above, coming home to Happy Palm Stays offers more ways to celebrate, but most importantly, more ways to relax and recuperate from too many green beers. Offering community amenities that can include resort pools and hot tubs, sports courts, and grill areas that invite residents to enjoy an Irish-themed family barbecue, perhaps followed by a swim or a soak. Every moment spent with Happy Palm Stays promises to be better than the last and our holiday hideaways are sure to be an integral part of your vacation experience. Reach out to us and reserve your favorite Cocoa Beach vacation home today and discover how easy it will be to have a light and happy heart, as wished by every Irishman in the old saying, “May your heart be light and happy, may your smile be big and wide, and may your pockets always have a coin or two inside!”
