The Best Things To Do & Places To Eat In Cocoa Beach

We want our visitors to Cocoa Beach to have the best possible time while in town! To help you out, we have put together a list of the most fun things to do in Cocoa Beach along with the best restaurants around.

Best Things To Do In Cocoa Beach

1. Three Brothers Dolphin, Manatee and Sea Turtle Adventure Tour

Of course, we are a little biased, but this tour is one of the best experiences in all of Florida. What makes this location so great is the amazing amount of wildlife we see. The area is loaded with tons of dolphins and manatees. Cocoa Beach also offers a bird sanctuary island that we circle while on the water where we see tons of the “Florida Flamingos” or the Roseate Spoonbills.

This tour is designed to be very beginner friendly and we have both kayaks and paddle boards available. A paddleboard is truly one of the best ways to experience the true beauty and nature that Florida is famous for! Another great thing about this location is that it is conveniently located only 45 minutes from Orlando Theme Parks so it makes for a great day trip while staying in Orlando. It is also located just minutes from almost anywhere in Cocoa Beach.

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2. Kennedy Space Center

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is a great trip for those who have an interest in US Space Exploration. It is the only one of its kind and includes many different experiences such as the Space Shuttle Launch Experience and the US Astronaut Hall of Fame. General Admission Tickets are $75 per adult and $65 per child and then you can add experiences like the Astronaut Training for an additional $175 per adult and $175 per child. Although it can be a little expensive, the Kennedy Space Center is a great option for space enthusiasts or for a rainy day activity.

3. Visit Ron Jon's and Cocoa Beach Surf Co.

Cocoa Beach is famous for surfing because the greatest surfer of all time, Kelly Slater, was raised here. Because of this, Cocoa Beach is home to the World's Most Famous Surf Shop, Ron Jon’s Surf Shop and right next door is another huge surf shop, Cocoa Beach Surf Co. These surf shops are two stories tall and you can find everything from Starbuck, a massive aquarium with leopard sharks, full-service bars, and everything surf and surf apparel.

Top Restaurants In Cocoa Beach

1. Grills Seafood

This is a local classic that we have been going to since we were children. Grills Seafood is built right on the water and has live music nightly. The atmosphere is great and you can watch the huge cruise ships pass by on the water. The fishing charters also come into the docks right next to the restaurant so you can watch as they clean the fish and feed them to the tarpon and sea turtles waiting for a free meal. A personal favorite here is the bacon-wrapped scallops!

2. Dixie Crossroads

This is another local classic. It will take you about 30 minutes to drive from Cocoa, but it draws people from all over. Dixie Crossroads is known for its rock shrimp. If you’ve never had them, they have a really hard shell that comes already split open for you and they taste like a mix between lobster and shrimp. The restaurant itself is built on top of a maze of Koi Ponds and gardens that make the usual wait go by faster.

3. The Fat Snook

This is a local hotspot for fresh local fish and seafood. The Fat Snook is a little bit nicer restaurant, but like most places at the beach, you don’t need to get too dressed up. Here I recommend checking the types of fish they have fresh and if none of those are appealing to you, try either the Creole Shrimp and Scallops or the Shrimp with Poblano Pepper Grits.