4. Port Canaveral

This is a major cruise ship port. In 2019, 4.5 million passengers embarked on ships from four different cruise lines. The port also offloaded six million tons of cargo, making it one of the busiest ports on the East Coast. The port has been mostly silent since March 2020 because of COVID, but the federal “no sail order” has been lifted and cruising is scheduled to start ramping up in 2021.

5. Cocoa Beach Pier

Jutting 800 feet out into the Atlantic, the Cocoa Beach Pier offers several restaurants including the Rikki Tiki Beach Bar at the end of the pier. It was voted the best beach bar on the Space Coast in 2020. People gather on the pier to watch surfers, fish, eat, and drink. Just be careful with the parking meters. The parking lot is patrolled all day by the ever-diligent meter police, who are quick to write up expired visitors. Trust me on this, I know from experience.