Cocoa Beach

Just 55 km east of Orlando, Florida's Space Coast offers 115 km of pristine Atlantic beaches. Along this impressive stretch of coastline, unspoiled nature preserves such as Canaveral National Seashore exist in perfect harmony with the space-age attractions of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Throw in Cocoa Beach and you've got something for everyone.
Nearby Orlando is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the world, especially for family vacations. Besides having an almost year-round perfect climate, the city is best known for its many theme parks and resorts in the area, in particular Walt Disney World Resort in nearby Lake Buena Vista. Other notable area attractions include SeaWorld, Universal Orlando Resort, Gatorland, and Wet n Wild.

Beaches
Cocoa Beach is the happening beach, particularly for surfers. If you are lucky enough to be there on a day that there is a launch, you can watch a shuttle propel into space right on the beach since it is next to the Kennedy Space Center. Other nearby beaches include: Canaveral National Seashore, Playalinda Beach, Cherie Down Park, Jetty Park at Port Canaveral, Sidney Fischer Park, Lori Wilson Park, Robert P. Murkshe Memorial Park, and many more.

Swim, snorkel or scuba dive at Blue Spring State Park, De Leon Spring State Park, Moss park/Split oak and Sebastian Inlet State Park.

Climate Orlando and Cocoa Beach have a warm and humid subtropical climate, with two distinct seasons: hot and rainy, lasting from May until October, and the other cooler and drier, from November through March. Much of the cities' weather is affected by the movement of the Gulf Stream. In the summer the daytime average temperature is 26° C and strong afternoon thunderstorms occur almost daily. During the winter season, average lows are around 18° C and the highs average near 22° C.

Mother Nature haunts this area year round: summertime is plagued with a considerable hurricane risk, and in winter there is often a wildfire hazard.

Geography
Cocoa Beach is located more or less in the middle of the state of Florida along the shores of the Atlantic. The city is just south of Cape Canaveral on Florida's eastern Space Coast.

History Cocoa Beach started its current growth during the 1960s due to America's space program with NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center.

Many of the homes in Cocoa Beach are built on dredged mud and sand from the Banana River. After NASA's Apollo program came to an end, and before the Shuttle program was in full swing, the town suffered from layoffs. Many families lost their jobs or simply moved away. People could not sell their homes. Today it knowns a revival as Orlando's nearby beach destination.

Nature The Arboretum of the University of Central Florida contains more than 600 species of plants, including more than 100 bromeliads, in cultivated gardens. Its cultivated areas currently include a Conservatory Compound, a Bromeliad Sanctuary, Cycad Garden, Fern Garden, Palm Collection, Rose Garden, Swamp Habitat, and Wetland Plants Display.

Harry P. Leu Gardens has landscaped gardens and lakes, featuring flora gathered from around the globe since 1936. Here you will find the largest rose garden in Florida and America's largest Camellia collection outside of California. The Leu House dates back to the 1880's. Tours are offered every 30 minutes.

An interesting visit is the World of Orchids, which features thousands of blooms in an enclosed tropical rainforest. This is a working greenhouse shipping orchids and other plants nationwide. There is also a long boardwalk meandering off into nearby wetlands.

The Central Florida Zoological Park is home to a butterfly garden, herpetarium, and numerous tropical animals.

Airport :
Orlando International Airport Airport Tax : Departure tax is usually included in your ticket price, inquire on booking. Distance from Airport : 70 km Tourist Office : Cocoa Beach Tourist Information Center. 1000 Shorewood Dr, Cape Canaveral. Phone (321) 784-3223 Tourist Season : Year round but peak season is from June through August; as well as Christmas, New Year week, March spring break and Easter week. Festivals & Events January - Annual Capital One Bowl and CompUSA Florida Citrus Bowl, Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities, Walt Disney World's Indy 200

February - Silver Spurs Rodeo, Bach Festival hailing the birth of composer Johann Sebastian Bach, Mount Dora Arts Festival, Central Florida Fair

March - Kissimmee Blue Grass Festival, St. Patrick's Day Party, International Orchid Fair, Disney's Easter Parade

April - Orlando International Fringe Festival, JazzFest Kissimmee, Rajuncajun Crawfish Festival

May - Orlando Carnival, International Flower and Garden Festival

June - Fulton's Crab House Seafood Alaska Festival, Florida Film Festival

July 4th - Kissimmee Old Fashioned Celebration or Lake Eola Picnic in the Park

August - Summer Music Games World Championships

September - Osceola Art Festival, Annual Mexican Fiesta

October - Polish Fest, Halloween Horror Night, International Food and Wine Festival, Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Golf Classic

November - Festival of Trees, Annual Candlelight Processional

December - Christmas in the Park at Winter Park's Charles Hosmer Morse Museum for the annual lighting of century-old Tiffany windows, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parade and Party, Orlando Citrus Parade

Transportation Most visitors arrive at the Orlando International Airport. Some charter flights arrive at Orlando-Sanford International Airport. There are shuttle bus services available to Cocoa Beach. The Amtrak train station provides service from Orlando or points north up to New York. Greyhound provides commercial bus service between different cities in Florida.

A rental car is the easiest and most convenient way to get around. The roads are all wide and easy to drive on with all the major areas signposted. Taxis are generally expensive, but available at almost any time and place.

Activities & Sports
Cocoa Beach is a world famous spot for surfing with many surf shops and a great place to learn the sport. Hike, swim, go boating, canoe, kayak, bicycle, snorkel, or scuba dive in one of the many surrounding parks. Try the Blue Spring State Park, De Leon Spring State Park, Hontoon Island State Park, Lake Eola Park, Lake Louisa State Park, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Moss Park/Split Oak, Sebastian Inlet State Park, Tomoka State Park and Wekiwa Springs State Park.

A few places offer horseback riding tours, like the Grand Cypress Equestrian Center, Horse World Riding Stables and Westgate River Ranch.

At last count, Orlando counted around 170 golf courses. This could be considered a golfer's paradise for sure. Try the nearby Cocoa Beach Country Club if in Cocoa Beach.

Local sports teams include the Orlando Magic (NBA) basketball team and the Orlando Predators (AFL) football team. The Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando built for American football and its main events are the Capital One Bowl and the Champs Sports Bowl.

Archaeology The Orange County Regional History Center has exhibits and artifacts from the earliest days of this region, the Seminole Indians, to the modern day history, including the Civil Rights era and the Disney period.

Attractions & Sights The Kennedy Space Center, a mere 45 minutes from Orlando, offers visitors a unique opportunity to tour launch areas, see giant rockets, try modified spaceflight simulators, and much more. The center main not be open on certain launch days so call ahead. There is also the Astronaut Hall of Fame and a Space Center bus tour with stops at an observation gantry and the Apollo / Saturn V Center. Other guided tours include NASA Up Close, Cape Canaveral: Then and Now, and Lunch With An Astronaut.

Taking a strolls in the village of Cocoa is the best way to see the restored historic streets filled with specialty shops, restaurants, and other fun stops into the riverfront district. The Brevard Museum of History and Science, and the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame Museum are definitely worth a visit. The Astronaut Memorial Planetarium and Observatory provide great family fun. The planetarium hosts star-gazing parties on and off site. The Cocoa Beach Pier is a historical landmark and this stretch of beach is famous for surfing and sunning. The pier also features restaurants and shops.

The Brevard Zoo has more than 550 animals representing 165 species from North and South America as well as Australia and Africa. The zoo is a non-profit institution.

Nightlife Although there are a few local bars and hangouts, Orlando is the place to go for nightlife. It is centered mostly on Central Boulevard and Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando. Bars and dance clubs abound with urban rhythm. The tiny Thornton Park District has dozens of cafés and pubs. Suggestions include: Mulvaney's Irish Pub, Rhythm and Flow, Dexter's, Burton's Frosty Mug, and HUE.

At the theme parks, there is Pleasure Island at Disney World and the CityWalk at Universal Studios offering entertainment. There is also Hard Rock Café, Hard Rock Live, and Hard Rock Hotel.

Dinner theatre is definitely an option here: try Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, or Arabian Nights.

Cirque du Soleil performs La Nouba in Downtown Disney West Side. Check schedules for the Orlando Ballet, the Orlando Opera, the Orlando Philharmonic, and other performing art venues.

Side Trips Nearby Orlando is best known for its many theme parks and resorts in the area, in particular Walt Disney World Resort in nearby Lake Buena Vista. Other notable area attractions include SeaWorld, Universal Orlando Resort, Gatorland, and Wet n Wild. Downtown Orlando, centered on Orange Avenue, has lost of worthwhile attractions to see such as fascinating museums, and it is packed with bars, clubs, and restaurants, theaters and concert venues.

A lovely area to check out is Altamonte Springs, a northern suburb of Orlando, Florida. Here you can visit the Cranes Roost Park, a 37 acre lakeside park featuring a long lit boardwalk and covered pavilions, various ornamental plants and huge shade trees. Catch a local event in its 900 seat amphitheatre. There are several more parks to explore or picnic in around: Hermit's Trail, Lake Lotus Nature Park, Lake Orienta Public Boat Ramp and Recreational Area, Sunshine Park, and Turnbull Avenue Park. Golfers can play a round at The Links golf course featuring 9 holes 1,220 yards par 27.

Accommodations
Orlando has a hotel around virtually every corner. There are hotels to meet every traveler's need, whether it is a hostel or a 5-star resort. There are also a large number of lodgings in the surrounding cities and towns, like Kissimmee and Cocoa Beach.

Privately owned vacation rental homes are also very popular especially with families and larger groups. They offer more space than hotel rooms, have kitchenettes, and are often times cheaper.

The Orange County Convention Center offers 2.1 million-square feet of exhibition space and serves as the area's convention and meeting center.

Eating Out There are a few good places to eat in Cocoa Beach, such as Jack Baker's Lobster Shanty, Tokyo Japanese Steak House, Abitino's Italian, and Barrier Jacks.

Orlando has over 5,400 restaurants: from fast food joints, across-the-country chain restaurants, ethnic eateries, and gastronomic tables (see Orlando travel guide).

Orlando's theme parks also offer great upscale dining options. A few examples include Sharks Underwater Grill at SeaWorld, Mythos at Universal Studios, or Cinderella's Royal Table in Disney's Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney World Resort even organizes meals with some of their famous characters.

Shopping There is no shortage of shopping opportunities in Orlando that is for sure. Visitors will find a number of major malls, outlet factories.

Within Cocoa Beach there is the famous Ron Jon's Surf Shop, a one of a kind store to meet some locals, check out a few boards, and even get some clothes and keepsakes for others.