When planning a cruise vacation you should plan to arrive a day early. Unforeseeable delays can crop up from time-to-time when travelling and could cause you to miss your cruise. This creates a need for a place to stay before you depart. When cruising out of Port Canaveral there are three types of cruise hotels near Port Canaveral that you can choose to stay at: Orlando, Cocoa Beach, and Titusville. The three Port Canaveral hotel types offer different amenities and have differences that will appeal to different cruisers.
Of the three types of hotels Cocoa Beach is the one most closely linked with the sea, and it is likely to be what most cruisers are expecting on their vacation. As the name might suggest it’s on a beautiful beach, and the tang of salt and sand is in the air. Even when you can’t see the waves. Cocoa Beach cruise hotels are very close to Port Canaveral, all the hotels in our packages are within 15 minutes to Port Canaveral. Port Canaveral is directly to the north along Cocoa Beach’s main drag and there are plenty of shops on the way to stop and get your sunscreen, bottles of wine and other cruise necessities.
Surf, Surfers, and Surfing
Cocoa Beach’s claim to fame is as the surf capitol of the Atlantic, and with 11 time ASP World Tour Champion Kelly Slater hailing from the area its a legitimate claim. The beach is also home to the famous Ron Jon Surf Shop which is the largest surf shop in the world. It stays open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In case you need to get a new board the night before the big surfing contest so you can win the contest and the girl just before the credits roll. There’s also an affiliated surf school you may want to keep in mind for the training montage.
All kidding aside Ron Jon’s is a one stop shop not just for surfing, but for all your aquatic needs. If you’ve booked a lot of excursions that involve swimming, or are planning to spend your port days on the beach you will want to take a look. You might prefer to spend the money to kit yourself out with fins and goggles after you touch down in Florida rather trying to pack everything you need and bring it onto a plane. There are much worse ways to spend your day on shore before your than touring the world’s largest surf store.
Ron Jon’s is not the only surf company on Cocoa Beach. It is just the largest and easiest to find. Other surf stores and operators may offer better prices on gear and lessons. So it is worth taking the time to shop around for the best deals before you arrive.
Enjoy the River & the Ocean at a Port Canaveral Hotel
Cocoa Beach is actually an island town. On one side is the Atlantic Ocean, on the other is the Banana River lagoon. This results in a lot of water based activities. On the lagoon side Lazy Days Kayak Tours offers an affordable day paddling through the Thousand Islands of the Banana River. These channel cut islands give you a chance to get close Florida wildlife, and are surprisingly pristine in spite of being in between two sizable towns. Epic Board Sports guides stand-up paddle board excursions on the river that through the same area, but with an added requirement that you’ll need to be wearing your swimwear. Freedom Sailing Adventures takes vacationers on a 2 hour charter tour of the rivers. A variety of airboat operators round out the water based activities on the shoreward side.
On the ocean side there is of course surfing, but also deep sea fishing and other boating options. The Ocean Racer is a 65 foot speed boat that offers tours of Port Canaveral and Cocoa Beach. There is also a variety of deep sea fishing options that can be chartered out of the port. The Cocoa Beach pier is a destination for tourists and locals, and there are more Jet Ski rentals than we can list in a single sitting. The beach and its cruise hotels do not lack for things to do.
Dining, Drinks, and Dancing
Seafood is on offer nearly everywhere in Cocoa Beach, and while the quality can vary it is usually well above average. The two restaurants that have the best ratings are Florida’s Fresh Grill and Fat Kahuna’s Beach Side Grill. Both restaurants offer a wide selection of seafood options, and with meal prices starting in the $10-$12 dollar range are actually quite reasonable. There are many other restaurants that specialize in seafood on the beach as well. If national chains are more to your liking then there is a Bonefish Grill just 10 minutes across the causeway on Merritt Island by the Merritt Square Mall.
Other dining includes Pita Paradise, which while not specializing in vegan meals does offer a lot of meal choices for vegans. The rest of its menu is Mediterranean and meat friendly with the lamb kabobs proving especially popular. Finally, every seafood restaurant offers the option to choose the steak over the Mahi-Mahi, so the kosher or seafood adverse won’t be starved for options.
As a tourist destination—not only for long distance travelers, but for inland Floridians who want a beach weekend—there are plenty of place to wet the whistle in Cocoa Beach. All of the restaurants listed above have drink menus, and usually a bar. There are numerous establishments of the hole in the wall sort for having a quiet drink and playing a game of pool.
What there isn’t a lot of are night clubs. Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral, and Merritt Island are beach towns, and that extends into the night life. You don’t club hop on the coast as much as you drift from one margaritaville inspired venue to the next. If you’re a tourist, that might be what you’re looking for. However, if you’re looking to party to a pulse pounding beat, you’ll have to wait to embark on your cruise and party it up aboard the ship or stay at an Orlando cruise hotel where the night life is much more lively.
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