Robert P. Murkshe served as mayor from 1963 to 1972. During that time he guided the city through an…read moreextraordinary period of growth and transformation. At the beginning of his tenure, Cocoa Beach was a small community of just 3,475 residents and lacked many essential public facilities, including a hospital, high school, junior high school, and municipal recreation facilities. it lacked the infrastructure you would find in a modern city. By the time he left office, the population had grown to more than 12,000. He established and expanded these important community resources and his leadership also helped lay the groundwork for the environmental preservation efforts that continue to protect Cocoa Beach's natural resources and coastal beauty. Named in his honor, Robert P. Murkshe Memorial Park is a 2.5 acre beachfront park located at 16th Street South. A paved walkway leads from the parking area and restrooms over the dunes to the beach. Amenities include an outdoor shower, a covered picnic pavilion with tables and a grill, and free parking. A cool find in this park was the artwork that Guy Harvey lent to the Creative Cans in the Sand project, a not-for-profit with the mission to help encourage beach goers to dispose of their trash responsibly. Guy Harvey is an artist, scientist, diver, angler, conservationist, explorer and entrepreneur who is famous for his coastal artwork. The cans bring art to the park in the hopes that it will encourage visitors to dispose of garbage in the cans, not on the beach. When I visited the park I noticed that this beach is popular with surfers and saltwater fishermen. I appreciated the convenient beach access and relaxed vibe. When you are looking looking for a quieter stretch of Cocoa Beach to enjoy the waves, Robert P. Murkshe Memorial Park is a great choice.

This has moved up to our go to beach. There's free parking, showers, and bathroom…read more If you go to the left when u get to the beach, that is the dog side in the morning and after 6 pm. If you go to the right of the life guard side, you can go there with your dog. It's so spacious and nice and clean. The water feels amazing during the summer. We live by Tampa and come this way. We have been here almost a handful of times now. It's never packed to the rim with people. It's pretty awesome to see the cruise ship in the far back. I was just saying can't believe I found another fave beach after living here for just over ten years. Love it here!!

The Canaveral National Seashore is located between Titusville and New Smyrna Beach…read more It is a favorite beach for many locals because of the gorgeous blue water and white sand. The atmosphere is relaxing and tranquil. It has something for everyone..... Bird watching, sea turtles and lots of beach combing opportunities.

This is a really beautiful place that I think people should visit! Especially during the Pandemic…read morewhen outdoor activities are encouraged, what is better than the beach with beautiful views, wide open spaces, and fresh sea breezes?? I love the ultra fine white sand with tons of shells that have washed ashore. Want to start a shell collection? This is a good place to start. The waves here are amazing and a great place to go for people who have a knack for surfing. I think the facilities here also also well maintained. The boardwalks and beach access points are sturdy and well constructed. Bathrooms are available at the entrance to the beach access points. Overall, one of the best beaches I've been to in Florida. An added bonus is that it's not overly crowded and parking is plentiful! :)

When visiting this beautiful 32.43-acre oceanfront park it is to picture that this was once an…read moreunofficial city dump. Standing among the sea oats and beach, it's almost impossible to imagine that this land was neglected until the mid 1970s. The park owes its transformation to the vision and determination of Lori Wilson, an attorney, Florida State Senator, and passionate environmental advocate. After moving to Florida in 1960, Wilson served in the Florida Senate from 1973 to 1978, becoming only the third woman and the first Independent to hold the office. She was a strong supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment and championed numerous environmental causes, working with organizations such as Save Our Waterways, the National Association of County Officials Environmental Steering Committee, and the Central Florida Zoological Society. Senator Wilson was a visionary and she was determined to restore this stretch of coastline organized a massive community cleanup. Local youth organizations, including the Boys & Girls Clubs, spent weeks removing trash, planting native vegetation, and restoring it back to its natural condition. In appreciation for her leadership and dedication, the grateful community voted to name the restored park in her honor. Today, Lori Wilson Park is one of Cocoa Beach's most popular beach parks. The Mansfield Maritime Hammock which is stop on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, features a .6-mile interpretive boardwalk through a protected coastal canopy filled with native plants. It is an important stopover for migratory birds. Dog lovers will appreciate the spacious 32,000-square-foot fenced off-leash dog park, which opened in 2006 through a partnership between Cocoa Beach and Brevard County. More recent improvements include upgraded dune crossovers built with durable composite materials, a renovated dog park, and modernized restrooms and outdoor shower facilities. The park also is where you can find I Dream of Jeannie Lane named in 1996 in honor of the TV show I Dream of Jeannie, a TV show about a genie in love with an astronaut that aired from 1965 to 1970 and was fictionally set in Cocoa Beach. The historical marker was added in 2012. I appreciated that the parking is free and there is easy beach access. I also enjoyed my time exploring the maritime Hammock. Thanks to Lori Wilson residents and visitors can enjoy ocean access, nature walks, and a place for off leash dog play. Lori Wilson Park is an inspiring example of what a community can accomplish when they pull together.

My favorite beach in Central Florida. Bathrooms and shower available. They do have a lot of events…read morehere so sometimes parking can be rough

Beautiful clean beach. Lifeguard towers, restaurants along the beach, lots of free parking & a…read moreperfect place to spend the day. Cocoa Beach is a city on Florida's Space Coast, known for its beaches, surfing & proximity to the Kennedy Space Center. It offers a variety of attractions, including the Cocoa Beach Pier, massive Ron Jon Surf Shop, Lori Wilson Park & water based activities like kayaking and boat tours, with a laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere that attracts tourists & retirees.

A time was had @ Cocoa Beach! The beach was beautiful, & the waves were so much fun. I really…read moreenjoyed being in the water, playing in the waves, & taking in the relaxing beach vibes. The waves were the best part of my day! It was a perfect place to spend some time by the water, relax, & I def enjoyed this beach! I'll be back just to jump in the waves!

Hangar's Beach is one of several beaches with free parking along Florida's Space Coast located on…read morePatrick Space Force Base. The beach gets its name from its proximity to historic military aircraft hangars. The area has a lot of military history. What is now Patrick Space Force Base was originally established as Naval Air Station Banana River in 1939 as an anti-submarine patrol and training base. During World War II, this stretch of coastline was actively patrolled to guard against the threat of German U-boats operating off the Atlantic coast. Today this secluded, uncrowded strip of coastline is known for its great surfing conditions and excellent vantage point for viewing Cape Canaveral rocket launches. Beach amenities include an observation deck, wheelchair-accessible dune crossover, and outdoor shower. The planes from Patrick Space Force Base approach from just north of Hangars Beach, giving people on this beach a great view.

Nice, beautiful beach right on A1A across from Patrick's Air Force base...during regular days, you…read morecan see planes coming in or taking off while you enjoy the sandy beaches. During the Air Show dates in mid April, you can enjoy the dozens of planes that fly around the area. The easiest way to get here is to drive north on A1A from SR404 since the free parking lot is right on your right..if you are coming from Cocoa Beach, you can get in the median and drive over to the beach side for parking. A really nice, unspoiled beach....not too busy as some of the other ones closer to Cocoa Beach downtown.

If I visit Cocoa I always make a point to visit this lovely park. When you need a place to take a…read morebreak from shopping and dining in downtown Cocoa Village, head over to Cocoa Riverfront Park. This is the perfect spot to relax on a bench and take in the beautiful view of the Indian River and the Hubert Humphrey Causeway. Cocoa Riverfront Park was once the home of the Porcher family. Their neoclassical mansion is still in the park. The families packinghouse was on the river bank behind the house. It was used to process produce delivered by boat the family's groves on Merritt Island. Today the park is a recreational destination for visitors to Cocoa Village. It has an open lawn area, playground, amphitheater, boardwalk, splash fountain, and covered pavilions. There are areas for fishing, water sports, and to launch a boat. The Porcher House can be rented for weddings. Cocoa Riverfront Park is a destination for concerts and community events like the July 4th celebration and fireworks. This park connects to Taylor Park and Lee Wenner Park providing 10 acres of recreational space along the Indian River for everyone to enjoy.

The venue and vibe are amazing. The upkeep on the bathrooms is not good. I understand during…read morecertain events and being crowded it's hard to keep the bathrooms clean, but not once during a recent concert was any of the permanent washrooms cleaned or even checked. Yes there were portapotties on site but you still need to maintain the brick and mortar ones.

This is a great area to launch for SUP (stand up paddleboard) or kayaks. There is a small parking…read morelot that will fit about 20 cars in the launch area. A company called Calypso Kayaking thar rents canoes out of here. The launch area can be a little difficult if you're not super agile or if your paddle board is heavy - the best way I can describe it is it's a sloped staircase made of wood planks and dirt (I think it was about 5-6 steps if I remember correctly). It wasn't difficult going down, however, I was using my friend's Bote SUP, which is pretty heavy and it was difficult for me to carry it up the steps especially after a difficult and physical paddle with windy conditions. If I was using a lighter board I don't think it would've have been too difficult for me. This park also has nice a cute little playground and clean restrooms that are open year round. There is a covered picnic area with grills. And the parking lot at both the launch area and near restrooms are paved. We were there at low tide and the water was very shallow in some areas - so shallow that we had to get off our SUPs at one point and pull them through the water a few feet so we didn't damage our fins. It was great having the shallow waters because we saw LOTS of stingrays, horseshoe crabs and fish! Also lots of water birds throughout our paddle! One of the islands that we stopped at had a nice beach area and beautiful dead tree that made for great photo ops! All in all, this is a great location to launch for SUP and kayak. We will definitely go back and hopefully see dolphins and/or manatees the next time!

This is a great location to paddleboard or kayak in Merritt Island /Brevard County if you want to…read moresee manatees up close there are places to launch your kayak and it's not crowded

Great place to peacefully sit under an awning next to the Banana river across from cocoa village.read more

A good place to launch your boat for the Banana River. This…read moreis located just south of A1A off the East side of North Banana River drive. This location has two parts to it: Kelly Park West and East. I have only visited Kelly Park East. This is a park (East) with several parts to it. It has a boat ramp on the south end of it with about 30 spots for Trucks with Trailers and a double boat ramp. There is a Covered open patio by the water and to adjacent to the boat ramp. You are launching into cove that is protected from the River waves. There is a dock around about ¾ of the U-shaped inlet. The north end of the park has a small beach on the river and about 50 car spaces and about 30 larger spaces. The space between these 2 areas has a large open air covered structure for events, a swing set and bathrooms. The playground is not shaded so I am sure it gets hot in the Florida sun. The pavilion is very nice and we have used it for several events. Overall, it is a very nice park and and good place to hold event or launch watercraft.

Absolutely incredible! 5 star experience! We loaded up and within one minute were already…read moreencountering wildlife. The entire ride was just full of wildlife activity. We saw it all, alligators, manatees, dolphins with their babies!! Every bird you can imagine, turtles, snakes just everything out there. We also got some great views of some incredible homes and local architecture along the water which was really neat. Our captains Andrew and Pat were very knowledgeable and professional! We learned so much. The real highlight of the day was that as we were due to dock Andrew let us know that there was about to be a spaceX launch and if everyone agreed we could extend the ride a bit so we could all watch it. To our delight everyone did. My husband came down here 30 years ago at the age of 10 to see a launch that ended up getting scrubbed so for him to see his first ever real launch on our 19th anniversary was pure magic! It brought tears to both our eyes and I will forever be grateful to them for giving us that experience. Fantastic memories made and worth every penny and more! Also want to note that the boats bathroom was very clean and easy to use. They provided beverages both adult and regular refreshments. The shade kept us pretty cool but I do recommend bringing "chilly towels" and a hand fan if it's over 90 degrees. We will absolutely be returning with our kiddos on our next trip to take them as well.

We had a lovely sunset cruise with captains Andrew and Dakota. They were friendly and engaging,…read moreand pointed out lots of birds and dolphins!

Cool park with a walking path, pond , and some statues. We didn't see any manatees, but they are…read morethere. The parking lot was large and the park is very open, great for walking.

A very nice park well kept where, if you are lucky, you can view some manatees…read more Manatee Sanctuary Park in Cape Canaveral, Florida, is a well-maintained park in the area for all to enjoy. It is located right along the Banana River between Port Canaveral and Ron Jon's. The entire property is well-kept and manicured. It features a nice paved walking and jogging path for a workout or a peaceful stroll. Between the walking path and the river there is a covered walkway with pavilions that stretch along the water's edge. While manatee sightings can be hit or miss, the general peace and the chance to spot other creatures like dolphins and wading birds make a trip to this location worthwhile. Right off the parking lot, a fun detail that adds character to the park is the very nice statue of turtles. Taller than an average person. The park provides a good size parking lot that can comfortably fit about 25 cars, which is a huge plus, ensuring easy access even during slightly busier times. While the park does have bathrooms, they were unfortunately not the cleanest on the day of my visit. OVerall, Manatee Sanctuary Park is a nice place for visitors looking for beautiful scenery, and excellent paths for exercise. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a quiet, relaxing outdoor escape.