After visiting Cocoa Beach, I wanted to try somewhere nearby to see if it had the same vibe. We…read moreheaded over to Melbourne Beach. I thought I really enjoyed Cocoa Beach, but I think Melbourne Beach might actually be the one for me. Although it was a weekday and the kids were back in school, the beach was pretty empty, and I absolutely loved that. From the top of the stairs, I could see the beautiful crystal green-blue water. The forecast called for a 60% chance of rain, but there were hardly any clouds in the sky. The weather was perfect. It was so enjoyable watching the little crabs retreat into their holes, run around the sand, and quickly disappear again whenever they sensed danger. I also loved watching the birds run away from the waves as the water came too close to them. It was pure relaxation. The water itself was wonderful. Usually when you first step into the ocean, it feels cold, but that wasn't the case here. The water felt like a comfortable room temperature and seemed to get even warmer as I ventured farther in. It felt amazing on my body. The ocean wasn't completely calm, and there were a few waves strong enough to knock me over, but I still enjoyed every minute of being in the salt water. It felt soothing and refreshing. There was no lifeguard on duty, so swimming was at your own risk. Overall, the day was perfect! Melbourne Beach definitely gave me the peaceful beach experience I was looking for.

If I could give this place ten stars I would. What an experience my family and I didn't even know…read morewe needed. Such a beautiful place people talk about Tampa and Orlando but not enough people talk about Melbourne. It's a must see and a must go for sure . Exceptional place to visit beyond gorgeous beach. Will absolutely be returning . My family and I just relaxed , ate good. Shopped a lot and kids enjoyed the beach and scenery.

The Melbourne Beach Pier is steeped in history. Located in Ryckman Park, the pier was built between…read more1888 and 1889 by the Indian River and Atlantic Railway Company. It was constructed from wood planks and pilings as was common in the late 1800's. The pier is the oldest known example of such piers on the Indian River. After the pier was built it served as a crucial transportation link moving tourists, residents, freight, and mail between the mainland and the barrier island. A railroad was laid from the ferry landing on the dock and across the barrier island 7/10 of a mile to the ocean beach. This provided access to the Atlantic Ocean by a pushcart and later by a motorized car. A ferry service was operated by the Beaujean family between 1889 and 1923. The railroad provided access to the island and excursion boats from the mainland communities brought winter tourists to dock at the pier. The community's first post office was located at the east end of the pier and provided the daily mail service in 1894. The building of the toll bridge between Melbourne and Indialantic in 1921 ended the pier's importance for island access. On April 12, 1984, the pier was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. In 1985 a restoration project supported by local citizens and state programs helped to preserve this iconic Melbourne Beach structure. Today the pier offers a panoramic view of the Indian River and is ideal for fishing, relaxation, and sunset strolls. I enjoyed my walk back in time down this historic pier, and best of all unlike many piers there is no charge to enjoy it.

Located in a really beautiful community, really clean, sunrise and sunset are beautiful and Ocean…read moreAvenue is right at opposite end of the street to surf or just go to the beach. Parking is free all around until 8:00 AM, but plenty of spaces and pay stations where you can pay with card. If you're taking a kid or anyone fishing for the first time and you want to GUARANTEE a bite, go to Black Dog Bait and Tackle like 5 minutes away, get one or two dozen live shrimp with a bubbler bucket and cast off any corner of this pier. I will say that the only thing that bit was catfish NONSTOP. They put up a fun fight and they come in all sizes and they rarely swallow the hook, but once you catch a couple, I suggest going to the beach or finishing up your bait at Geiger Point at Kiwani's Park. You'll have a better shot of catching some little snappers and drums (which you can't keep any size in this area). Super beautiful spot though for a kid's first time out.

Usually a pretty good spot to go!! I prefer this area over Cocoa beach it's much cleaner…read more Unfortunately right now the seaweed situation has been pretty bad and they got hit pretty hard. But otherwise add this place to your go to spots

A beach is a beach when you live near one. To me there is nothing absolutely breathtaking about…read morethis beach. However, don't take it the wrong way. I still love the beach when I want to go to the beach. Luckily I know people that live near the beach so we park at their place and walk down to the beach. I've grown a very nice seashell collection from this beach. There are a few spots here and there along the beach that also great for a hangout if you want to be near the beach. Just beware of the parking meters if you don't know people who live in the area.

This is Spessard Holland North Beach Park. Two miles away is Spessard Holland South Beach Park…read more Both beach parks and the Spessard Holland Golf course were named in honor of Spessard Lindsey Holland, a prominent Florida politician and lawyer. He served as the 28th Governor of Florida and later as a U.S. Senator from 1946 to 1971. The beach park and golf course are among a number of places named in his honor across the state. Beyond the beach and park in Melbourne, his name is attached to various locations, including the Spessard Holland Expressway in Orlando and the Spessard Holland Elementary School in his hometown of Bartow. This 6.5-acre community beach park is a lovely spot to enjoy the ocean In Melbourne Beach. The beach is monitored by seasonal lifeguards. This park is popular with beachgoers and those who enjoy surf fishing and surfing. The park has a 100 foot dune boardwalk and two small pavilions. Other amenities include restrooms, drinking fountain, and outdoor showers. I always appreciate a beach with free parking like this one.

Spessard Holland Beach is a pleasant enough beach and it was a great place to chill for a bit…read more Parking was free and it was well-maintained. I would definitely recommend heading here if you want to chill and be around the water.

Indialantic By the Sea is a lovely beach town and bird sanctuary. One of the big attractions is the…read moresea turtle activity from May through October. This is when many turtles come on land to build nests and lay their eggs. The eggs hatch in about eight weeks and the baby turtles crawl into the sea. Their beaches remind me of how all of the Florida beaches used to be ...quiet with easy parking and very limited tourist type businesses surrounding the water.

This town used to be a 5. They used to have holiday decorations all along the Main Street. They…read moredidn't have a stoplight every few feet on fifth Avenue. People in town weren't always complaining about everything. They need to stop taking themselves so seriously , I mean only a few years ago the mayor was removed from office for doing cocaine and paying for prostitutes on the towns dime. However, they do allow golf carts as long as you pay a fee to get a little sticker. Unlike other beachside towns, they do not give residents a free parking sticker or a discount. Don't go to the post office around 1 o'clock because they close for an hour and a half for lunch. Since the town has allowed every square inch of the beachfront property to be built up by condos there is now a rat problem by the boardwalk. They used to live in the sea grapes and then their homes were destroyed and they have to go somewhere. Such a shame that such a beautiful town has become Cocoa Beach South .

James A Nance is a 5.45 acre park that is part of a string of ocean front parks in Indialantic and…read moreMelbourne Beach. Thus park was named in honor of James A. Nance who was a Melbourne based attorney. He played an integral role in a landmark tobacco lawsuit filed by the state of Florida against major tobacco companies. Between 1997 and 2012 he donated more than $1 million to local charities and organizations including local law enforcement agencies, hospitals, and youth sports leagues. One of his favorite charities was The Haven for Children, which helps neglected, abused and abandoned children. In 1923, the Indialantic Casino was built on the site of what is now the southeast corner of James A. Nance Park. For years it was the epicenter of events in Indialantic. Today James A Nance Park has a lot of great amenities for a family day at the beach. These include beach access, restrooms, exterior showers, pavilions, two sand volleyball courts, and boardwalk There is also an adaptive playground built by community volunteers in honor of Mikey Goodwin who passed away at only 19 from a tumor on his brain stem. His family does a lot of charitable work in his memory. The beach is a great place to catch a rocket launch or sea turtles nesting from March through October. The Sea Turtle Preservation Society is located just a short walk away, so this area is heavily monitored for sea turtle nests. If you are local, annual parking passes for the beach can be purchased at town hall for $50.This pass allows you to park at Wave Crest Avenue, Watson Drive, Tampa Avenue, Sixth Avenue and here at Nance Park. If you are coming for the day you have to pay hourly. If I remember correctly I believe it was $3.50 an hour. Just make sure you pay because the lot was being patrolled to make sure people paid.

Shout out to indiAtlantic for allowing a permit to still have bonfires on the beach. Thanks Long…read moreDoggers for picking up everyone's Christmas trees and for picking up the permit.

What a great place to stay. This two-bedroom rental was beautiful with a hot tub that was super…read moreclean and an awesome ocean view from the master balcony. Plenty of beach supplies, close to restaurants, full kitchen, comfortable hammock, cable and games. I loved it. Will be back again as soon as I can get there!

We have stayed here twice. The first time was last January with our daughter and son-in-law, their…read moredog, and our 3 dogs. Fantastic location, and has wonderful owners who are very accommodating. Beautiful condo, we loved it so much that we stayed again in May with our younger daughter and our 3 dogs. We can't wait to go back again.

Wanted a safe place to disconnect and rejuvenate. We could not have found a better place. What a…read morelittle gem we found. The cottages are nicely decorated, the private hot tub was a gift that kept on giving, the pool area was calming, listening and watching the to the waves from our private porch was the ultimate. The property manager, Chasity B, was onsite often and was just lovely. You can tell that this property is owned and operated locally by the attention to detail including the landscaping and little touches like beach chairs and coolers. We will be back next year without a doubt. We loved the St. Thomas room on the second floor. Had the opportunity to see the Cayman Suite...newly renovated and lovely.

Pros: 1. This is…read morethe only Unit to have an absolute beautiful view. 2. Owner is absolutely awesome. Very concerned about comfort. 3. The cost to rent is great. 4. It appears the unit sliding doors were replaced from the previous storm. Great doors. 5. No Crowded beaches. 6. Location is excellent and close to popular parks, state parks, shopping, public parks on beach or designed perfectly for a picnic and kids outdoor gyms. 7. The beds are very comfortable. 8. Very quiet area. 9. It's not a dirty beach town. It's a well kept beach town. 10. People seems friendly. 11. Owner has lots of beach toys and sitting for the beach 12. Personal parking space for one car. 13. Nice tv and books...etc. 14. Kitchen fully equipped with nice appliances. 15. the view from the master is heaven. Cons: 1. Website Pictures do not actually depict the accurate look of unit. 2. Hot tub and patio should be setup for more privacy. 3. The entire place needs an update. 4. Kitchen is tiny with tiny sinks 5. Forks weighs a ton and falls of the plate due to weigh. 6. Bathroom setups are too small for larger people. 7. Units on both side of this unit need an update. Unit on the right needs to be gutted. The left side unit is being remodeled and the patio is absolutely beautiful. I haven't seen the inside. It doesn't appear it's for rent. 8. The unit we renting can be a haven just need money reinvested. I rather pay for comfort than to pay a price to be disappointed by pictures that doesn't accurately depict the unit.

The tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. It was cold day with little activity but the…read moreguide was thorough and knew all the right spots.

Amazing Experience! Perfect for Our Orlando Vacation!…read more My wife has always dreamed of seeing manatees up close, as it's something we rarely get to experience in everyday life. So while we were in Orlando, we decided to take a tour with Dolphin Family Tours. It ended up being one of the best parts of our trip! The tour was well-organized, and we got to see not only dolphins but also those gentle manatees she had been so eager to encounter. The boat was comfortable, and the Captain was super friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend!

Captain Mikes airboat tour was a great experience, highly recommended. We literally just got off…read morethe boat. We saw several alligators and learned a ton of information about the lake and alligators in general. He didn't just spew boring facts, he did it in an entertaining way which captivated all 12 of us, even the teenagers! One takeaway- I'll never eat tilapia again!

Had an awesome ride with Captain Frank today! Weather was a little iffy and we got rained on before…read morewe left the dock. It cleared up though and we had a great time. Thank's Frank!