On our way back from Sebastian Inlet State Park we stopped at Ponce de Leon Landing Historical Park…read morealong the A1A Route along the Atlantic Ocean in Florida! There is a statue, bathrooms, free parking for Beach Access! It's a very nice location!

**INITIAL REVIEW**…read more Despite its association to NASA and the space program in general, the Space Coast is also known for its stretch of beaches, too. From the popularity of Paradise Beach, the iconic locale of Playalinda, and the history of Cocoa Beach, it is safe to say the Space Coast is known for that sandy stretch of land where the land meets the ocean. However, there is one beach that locales truly know about, one that is also historic as it is the official location Juan Ponce de Leon landed. If you ever get the chance to, you should definitely spend some time at Juan Ponce de Leon Landing Beach. Though an address is provided, Juan Ponce de Leon Landing Beach - which I will simply call Ponce de Leon for the remainder of this review - seems to be located equisdistant from many major tourist areas. In short, it seems to be in between Sebastian Inlet and Historic Melbourne Beach. It should also be noted there is quite a distance between Strawbridge and Wabasso Bridge, ergo one of my criticisms is how long it might take to get to this beach, especially if you live directly across the river. Ponce de Leon is not hard to miss. Driving either way on A1A a.k.a. Jimmy Buffett Memorial Hwy., the entrance features a statue of Juan Ponce de Leon. There is an art gazebo which also has the public restrooms and showers, along with four piers leading to the beach. The beach is very beautiful with mostly-untouched white sand and the well-known Atlantic salty green ocean water. It doesn't seem much, but for us locales, the best part of Ponce de Leon is that despite its historic lore, it is not bombarded by tourists. This is one of those beaches the locals have to themselves. So if you want your peace and quiet mixed with having the waves to yourself for bodyboarding and surfing, this is the beach for you. Ultimately, I am going to give Ponce de Leon four stars out of five for this review. It is a simple, yet beautiful beach with a decent number of anemeties, and some individuality (the statue for example) to mark it as its own. You can't go wrong going to one of the beaches known as a hidden jewels amongst the locals.

The best part about this place is being able to reserve parking online. If you do that, from what I…read moreunderstand, you are guaranteed entry. Bonus, if there is a line waiting for the booth and someone scans your QR code before that, you can just swing around them and enter if there is room. You still get a great view of SpaceX though those pads are about as far to the north as you can get. The real reason to go here would be for any boosters coming down to the LZs or perhaps Blue Origin which I believe launches from the south.

Jetty Park is wonderful county park. Very clean and scenic. My goal was different from others. I…read morewas at the nearby cruise terminal and wanted to get some exercise before the cruise. Was able to accomplish that with walking around. Jetty Park is near the Cape Canaveral launch site, but unfortunately no activity the day I was there. Definitely worth a stop.

In March of 2024 Brevard County Commissioners renamed Coconut Point Park Val M. Steele Park in…read morerecognition of his lifelong dedication to public service and community improvement. Steele served a total of four years as Melbourne Beach Council Member, town commissioner, and later as the mayor of Melbourne Beach. Some if his accomplishments included moving the main county courthouse to Viera, the building of the Spessard Holland Golf Course, and the creation of the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge. He volunteered on the St. Johns Water Management District Board during which he was instrumental in protecting and restoring hundreds of thousands of acres of marshland. He contributed to the economic growth of Brevard as a director of the Bank of Brevard, Atlantic Bank, American Bank of the South, American Mortgage Corporation and Holmes Regional Hospital. Steele passed away on October 12, 2020, at the age of 79. Val M. Steele Park is a 36.9 acre beach park located within the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge complex. I love that the parking is free. It is a popular spot for surfing, beachcombing, and fishing. Park amenities include a picnic shelter, restrooms, and outside showers. One of the two dune crossovers is wheelchair accessible. If you are looing for a beach day, it doesn't get much better than this. This beach park is also a stop on the Great Florida Birding Trail. The primary habitats here are beach dune and coastal strand. Shorebirds on the beach include Black-bellied Plovers, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Red Knots, Northern Gannets, Bonaparte's Gulls and Great Black-backed Gulls in fall and winter. From late summer through winter look for Magnificent Frigatebirds, and Parasitic and Pomarine Jaegers. In the surf are Common Loons and Lesser Scaup. In addition to the birds this beach area is also an important sea turtle nesting site preserve from spring to fall.

Great covered bbq area with tables. Little beach area so bring a chair and relax for a while too.read more

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.

Coming back to Cocoa Beach as an adult brought back a lot of memories…read more It's timeless. The beach is just as relaxed and welcoming as I remember, but now I appreciate the little things more: the breeze, the waves, and grabbing a snack by the pier. It's simple, familiar, and still one of my favorite spots to unwind.

Cocoa Beach is a fabulous destination for sandy fun in the sun for the entire family in the Space…read moreCoast area of Florida. You can swim in our beaches all year long and there is good surfing to be enjoyed all along Cocoa Beach as well. If you are in need of beach going supplies, there are numerous stores around the city of Cocoa Beach that sell any supplies that you might need. We also have our world famous Ron John's Surf Shop that sells beach going supplies as well.

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!

My family and I are fans of this beach. Although it is an hour ride from home, the ride is…read morecomfortable, barely any traffic and it is easy to get to. This beach is accessible & near to eateries, a CVS & small beach shops in case you forgot something, it comes in handy, since we forgot to get water. There is a small parking lot that can fill quickly if you don't arrive early enough. There is a clean bathroom. There is also a gazebo area with picnic tables and a grill. The sand is clean. The water blue and wonderful. We loved that it was not packed & that everyone was being cognizant of keeping their distance. We had an AMAZING time. We sunbathed for hours, listened to music, took in the view, the sun and slight breeze, undisturbed. Before we left, we planned our next visit. Great way to spend my mother's day.

Riding on A1A there is not too many free places anymore to access the beach besides just to sit and…read moreenjoy the view. While visiting Florida I just wanted to go spend a few minutes looking at the ocean and smell the air. This beach access is free and there is bathrooms too which makes it nice if you need to change for the beach. A nice boardwalk up to a deck area with a couple of picnic tables if you wanted to come eat and enjoy the beach view. It's under cover too which made it nice for my Mom who can't be in the sun long. This is a nice spot if your looking to sit off the beach. The only down fall was a "bum" sleeping on one of the picnic tables. That made it a bit uncomfortable while sitting there. A great spot for photos. I would for sure go back and get my ocean fix here. Plenty of parking.

We stopped here briefly on a visit to Florida with my brother, who likes this beach. The beach is…read morelovely: a long, white sandy expanse. It was pretty empty on this weekday, a few scattered beachgoers; lots of parking (but probably not at peak times). Much of the vegetation had unfortunately been killed by the recent hard freeze, and patience will be required to see if it comes back. A walkway leads to the beach from the parking lot, and a wooden structure at the end overlooks the beach. A great beach for area visitors.

Another fabulous beach along the space coast. This park has roughly 20 free parking spots. It has…read morea station to wash off your body/sandy feet after a wonderful day at the beach. We found a spot with no issues and plenty of space on the beach. These beaches are never crowded! Love love love! Waves, finding fun shells and fun are all you need here.