Between Daytona Beach and Cocoa Beach, there exists a rich and uniquely diverse slice of Authentic Florida. Miles and miles of pristine Atlantic coastline, a 140,000-acre wildlife refuge and long expanses of natural Florida will astonish you while visiting the Space Coast. Historically, the area has been known as home to the Kennedy Space Center that has long chronicled the extraordinary chapters of the NASA era. But, there is much more in store for the curious Authentic Florida traveler.
Choosing how to enjoy your visit will be the biggest challenge as the options seem endless. The area is an adventurer’s paradise, offering birding, hiking, biking, kayaking and everything in between. Here are a few places we love to visit along the Florida’s Space Coast.
Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge
Sharing a common boundary with the Kennedy Space Center, the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge is a definite highlight. This is one of the key areas visited by birders and located on the Great Florida Birding Trail, which denotes birds’ rest stops as they navigate the Atlantic Flyway. Southern and northern migratory birds congregate to make this corridor a birder’s mecca. In recent years, bald eagles have also been known to nest here.
A “must-do” is a trip on the Black Point Wildlife Drive, a seven-mile driving tour of the salt marshes, mud flats, palm hammocks and pine flatwoods that provide distinct habitats for wintering birds and Florida wildlife. Before you begin, consider stopping at the Merritt Island Refuge Visitors Center for an overview and ask about the guided tours.
Miles of pristine, undeveloped Florida coastline seems to stretch out forever along unspoiled, sandy dunes covered with luscious beach vegetation. The Atlantic Ocean kicks up with seafoam green waves meeting a horizon of azure sky often filled with a panorama of beautiful cloud formations. Need some room to just unplug? Set your chair down on the park’s best-known beach, Playalinda, to enjoy the shorebirds, gulls, terns and a pleasant salty breeze. Get ready for your time to enjoy peaceful solitude as this is a great beach to “let it all go.”
