Your real-time guide to Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral and Port Canaveral, Florida.
Cape Canaveral is the most active launch site on Earth. SpaceX launches Falcon 9 and Starship missions regularly from Space Launch Complex 39A — and you can watch every single one from Cocoa Beach beaches completely free. Jetty Park at Port Canaveral is the closest public viewing spot. The Cocoa Beach Pier and any spot on A1A with a clear eastern horizon works perfectly. Check our live launch tracker for the next scheduled launch.
Cocoa Beach is the surf capital of the East Coast. The waves are beginner-friendly with enough power to learn on. Local surf schools operate directly on the beach near the pier with experienced instructors, all equipment included. A 90-minute lesson runs $60-75 and most beginners stand up on their first session.
The A1A corridor from Cocoa Beach through Cape Canaveral has live music most nights of the week. Outdoor beach bars with no cover charge, cold drinks, and bands that start around 7pm. Happy hours run from 3-7pm at most venues with $4 drafts and $5 cocktails.
Port Canaveral Marina is one of Florida's premier sport fishing departures. Half-day inshore trips target redfish, snook and trout in the Banana River. Full-day offshore trips head for mahi-mahi, wahoo and kingfish in the Gulf Stream. All charters include tackle, bait, fishing license and fish cleaning.
The Cocoa Beach Pier extends 800 feet into the Atlantic Ocean and is the centerpiece of the beach scene. Restaurants, bars, live music, surf competitions and the best wave-watching on the East Coast all happen here. Parking is free at most nearby lots. Walk out at sunrise for an experience you won't forget.
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