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We have entered the turtle season here on the Space Coast!
Sea turtles those tiny super cute species that grow into huge & beautiful creatures that can weigh over 350 lbs!
We wanted to share with you a little bit about the sea turtles, why nesting season is so important and how you can experience the amazing process firsthand.
First off, did you know that Florida is the #1 place that sea turtles nest in North America?! Brevard County (home to Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral & Satellite Beach) is hugely important in the preservation of the loggerhead turtle.
Sea Turtles lay their eggs in a nest above the high tide mark and are kept warm in the sand until they hatch. Mothers do not tend to their nests once the eggs are laid and covered up with sand.
The newly hatched sea turtles have to make it to the ocean unassisted. This time after hatching to making it to the water is one of the most dangerous times of their lives.
This is where it is important for us to keep lights dimmed around the beach. Hatchlings use the moon as a guide to make it to the ocean, so artificial lights can disorient them and cause them to walk away from the ocean vs. towards it
You may recall watching a segment in Planet Earth II where lots of sea turtles in Barbados were disoriented by city lights. While they normally do not disturb any animals in the wild, they did put them back in the sea.
We can help by dimming lights after 9pm and covering any holes up on the beach at the end of the day so they don’t get trapped.
The best way to get up and close with the sea turtles is to join a tour. They happen at night, when they are most likely to hatch. We recommend these two groups that are reasonable, fun and reputable.
Sea Turtle Preservation Society
Sea Turtle Preservation Society volunteers and guides host walks during June and July in south Brevard County.
They start at 9:00pm and reservations are required. You can view their calendar and sign up on their website.
Friends of Sebastian Inlet State Park
The group also offers ranger guided turtle walks where you can learn about and observe the nesting and egg-laying process of the loggerhead sea turtle.
The walks happen Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in June and July. Reservations are needed and the cost is a $10 donation per person.
More information can be found on their website.
Here’s our list of the 4 best ice cream shops in all of Cocoa Beach. Enjoy!
Address: 247 Minutemen Causeway, Cocoa Beach, FL
A local favorite, The Fat Donkey is a walk up window in downtown Cocoa Beach with cute murals and bench seating outside to enjoy your treat.
They offer a ton of flavor options for scoop, as well as soft serve with various toppings, and some other treats like ice cream sandwiches (we recommend the churro!) A great spot to grab a cone and wander around the area.
Address: 25 S Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL
Do you like the smell of fresh waffle cones? What about candy? What if we told you could have them BOTH in the same spot!
Welcome to Sweeties, home of sweet treats and fun eats. It is located in the heart of downtown Cocoa Beach, only one block in from the beach. The store is clean & spacious (perfect for a rainy day treat), or take it to go and walk around exploring the shops nearby.
Address: 157 N Orlando Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL
Oasis Shaved Ice has over 40 flavors and no additives. You can even get your shaved ice “stuffed” with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. With flavors like “Bahama Mama” and “Tigers Blood,” everyone in the family is sure to find something to quench their taste buds (they even have sugar free syrups, so you can have a yummy treat guilt free!)
Be sure to say hi to Ms. Viki. She knows all the local kids by name and even gives out free snow cones for good grades!
Address: 229 W. Cocoa Beach CSWY, Cocoa Beach Florida 32931
We are an Italian Ice Cream shop in Cocoa Beach. Using the freshest ingredients, We offer our fantastic gelatos made according to our traditional Italian recipes. Our gelatos include nutritive value addition to our attractive flavors and are healthier than regular ice creams. We offer our gelatos with American and Italian classical flavors to please our customers…a little taste of Rome in Cocoa Beach.
The world-famous Kennedy Space Center is a must-experience for Space Coast visitors of all ages. People always ask us if it’s worth the visit, or if all members of their family will enjoy it – the answer is YES! Each time we visit, we uncover something new or inspiring that we missed the last visit.
With so much to see, we thought we would count down to top 5 activities.
5..4..3..2..1.. Here we go!
Watch “Journey to Space” on the massive IMAX screen. With the massive screen and 3D projection, you’ll feel like you’re part of journey to space right from the comfort of your seat – and with popcorn!
Learn to pilot, dock and land the Space Shuttle Atlantis with high-tech simulators that allow you to train like an astronaut. What a great way to bring space to life for all members of your family. Who knows, maybe one day it will come in handy!
Take a walk through a garden that is unlike any you have seen before! This outdoor section of the KSC shows you all of the different NASA programs from the past – and the scientific & engineering feats they accomplished! A guided tour is a great way to mix fun with history.
Get the VIP tour from a veteran NASA Astronaut. The day includes a tour of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, the Shuttle launch experience and even a private lunch with the Astronaut. Click here for the upcoming schedule.
Strap yourself in and feel like you’re ascending into orbit in this exciting simulator ride. Starting with a prelaunch briefing, you’ll then strap in and begin your journey into space!
If you’re staying with us in Cape Canaveral or Cocoa Beach during a shuttle launch, you’ll be able to see the launch right from an oceanfront balcony or the beach!
Welcome to the winter on the Space Coast! For many, winter means carrots, potatoes and stews trying to stay warm. Not here! We are so lucky to be able to enjoy delicious and fresh food year round, and we wanted to showcase 3 local food festivals to check out while you are here on vacation. All of them offer not only delicious eats, but tons of family friendly activities for a memorable day trip.
The 8th annual event features an eating challenge, pie toss, outdoor entertainment and, of course, the chance to try some world famous key lime pie!
If you can’t make it here, and you LOVE key lime pie, you can make this super easy version right at home!
Get ready for the 34th annual chowder cook-off! There is also live music, a beer garden, a silent auction and great restaurants vying for the top prizes.
The port area not only has the cruise terminals and has a ton of great restaurants, but you can also pop by the Exploration Tower nearby to make it a full day outing!
Who doesn’t love seafood, and music?! This is a famous 4-day event that attracts the best seafood restaurants from across the country (and over 10,000 people!) If the kids don’t like seafood, don’t worry, there is also tons of other activities including an arts & crafts show a Kids Zone and lots more.
Tickets can be purchased for a single or multiple day for the seafood festival, and the concert tickets are sold separately. Viera is about 15 miles from both Cocoa Beach and Satellite Beach.
Does this sound familiar?
You are sitting down to plan your vacation, but not everyone can agree. Part of the family wants to relax on the beach and become mermaids never leaving the water while others want Disney fun and action packed days. How do you make everyone happy!?
We may have a solution for you – do both!!
Cocoa Beach is just a mere hour from Walt Disney World, allowing you to stay at the beach and easily spend a few days at the park.
Here are some tips on successfully doing both
If you are limited to school holidays, things book up quickly so its best to start early. If you are flexible or your kids are younger, we recommend visiting late fall through spring. There are fewer people and not quite as hot!
You can also reference this calendar to see if your dates line up to any festivals or special events at the park!
You can simply drive the hour each way when you want to visit the park. Another option is to take a shuttle so you don’t have to worry about parking.
If you are planning a couple of days at Disney, be mindful of the best times to visit. For example, Magic Kingdom is very busy on Monday’s, so you are better off doing it mid-week.
Here is a great guide for 1 and 2 day itineraries at the various parks.
We love Disney (and so will your kids!), but it can get busy, tiring and expensive. In additional to the beautiful beach & ocean, there are so many fun & inexpensive activities to do nearby.
As a reference, you can browse these to get some ideas 5 family friendly activities, or these 5 unique experiences right in our backyard.
Join the vacation rental trend and enjoy the best of both worlds. The beach & Mickey Mouse. Camp fires and smores on the beach one night and dinner with the Disney princesses the next. It’s nice to know you can have it all!
We know the allure of vacation – endless amounts of fish tacos and nachos with your toes buried in the sand, cool strawberry daiquiris overlooking the ocean or local craft beer. But hey, sometimes you just want one healthy meal thrown in there to make you feel a bit better, right? We get it!
That’s why we came up with our 4 favorite healthy food spots near Cocoa Beach. From fresh market sandwiches and chill live music joints to gorgeous acai bowls with fresh fruit, there’s a lot the area has to offer!
The best part? You won’t be sacrificing any taste. Halleluiah!
Located in Downtown Cocoa Beach, this causal & chill vegetarian & vegan restaurant has a long list of smoothies, bowls, salad, sandwiches and burgers to choose from. Pick it up or dine in their casual space (beer also available).
Best for: Organic + Laid Back Vibes
A local stable for many years, the Juice ‘n Java is both a great lunch spot and a live music venue! Sit down for a healthy lunch & fresh roasted coffee, or pop in at night for live music and a drink!
Best for: Tasty + Live Music
This downtown eclectic & artsy smoothie Acai café & juice bar has an amazing selection of bowls, smoothies, cold pressed juices, baked goods & coffee. Hang out and enjoy the local surf feel and great energy.
Best for: Healthy Pit Stop
Located in Indian Harbour Beach, The Green Turtle doubles as a gourmet grocery store and a café/deli. They have delicious & creative soups, salads & sandwiches. Plus, check out their calendar for free wine tasting events – we guarantee you won’t leave empty handed!
Best For: Healthy Gourmet
When most people think of the microbrew scene, Florida doesn’t necessarily come to the top of your mind. Well, we are proud to prove you wrong! We had the difficult task of trying them out (I know, someone had to do it). There are 10 craft breweries that are now in the area, all offering something unique. Here are 4 that we wanted to highlight:
Located in the Eau Gallie Arts District in Melbourne, Intracoastal Brewing Co is a fun & chill spot to enjoy a pint or flight of some new brews. They are a relaxed patio & grassy area for people (and pets) to spread out, board & yard games to keep everyone entertained and a food truck on sight serving tacos and Peruvian food.
Best for: Family Friendly Brewery
Located in downtown Melbourne, this brewery calls a 120 year-old former hardware and farm supply store home. Retrofitted in 2016, they create the bold brews right on site. You can enjoy their rotating list of beers in what feels like the comfort of your own home. Pretzels are free, food can be ordered in and the atmosphere is awesome.
Best for: Bold Brews
Who says you can’t have fun while drinking beer. From live acoustic jams & comedy, to trivia and tiki bands, this place is as energetic as they come. An amalgamation of local brewers from Melbourne, Tampa & Miami – Florida Beer Co moved into this space in 2013. Bonus – grab a 6 pack of your favorite Florida beer to go.
Best for: Action packed activities
With two locations in Titusville (Brix Project & Hardware Store) – both with a super unique vibe. The owners went from an Electric Company to starting a Brewery in the century old building. The Hardware Store location is a charming downtown spot with lots of beer to choose from. The Brix Project location has an ever-changing menu and unique & interesting pub food (plus delicious ol’ burgers) paired with their signature beers & cocktails.
Best for: Beer + Food
There is no dessert more refreshing & delicious as a Florida Key Lime Pie!
This simple recipe is the ultimate summer dessert choice; cool, zesty and oh-so-tasty. It is guaranteed to be a hit with your family and friends.It is definitely the most requested dessert around our dinner table – especially in the summer!
The Space Coast is full of so many fun activities to do. Whether you are traveling as a family, empty-nesters, pet owners, action seekers or sun-worshipers, there is something for everyone. While we certainly can’t outline all of them, we wanted to give you a snapshot of the kind of variety that exists.
It’s no secret that the Space Coast is an amazing place to explore and plan lots of fun activities with your family.
Nestled between the beautiful ocean and the Banana river and close to Disney, Orlando and the Kennedy Space Center, it’s impossible to see everything in one trip!