East Coast Beaches

Florida Guide > Places to Visit

If you are staying in Orlando for long enough to have a few rest days from all the hustle and bustle of the theme parks then why not try a day at the beach. Orlando is close to both the coasts but the East coast is slightly closer. There are two main beaches close to Orlando, Cocoa Beach and Daytona Beach.

Cocoa beach is the most well known of all the East coast beaches to people holidaying in Orlando as it is so close to the Kennedy Space Center. It is also the closest beach to Orlando at just an hours drive away. If you happen to be lucky enough to have seen a launch, you may well have seen it from Cocoa Beach. It is a good place to combine a morning at Kennedy and then an afternoon on the beach. It is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Banana River. It has twelve miles of beaches to choose from. You can often see manatees swimming quite close to the shore, these are huge, gentle creatures known also as sea cows. It is an amazing sight if you are lucky enough to see one.

There is also the Cocoa Beach Pier where you can enjoy a variety of dining and shopping experiences as well as live entertainment. You could also enjoy an airboat ride from the near by Lone Cabbage Fish Camp. This will take you on an adventure to see alligators and other Florida wildlife.

Daytona Beach is known as a big beach with big fun. The beach is up to 500 feet wide at low tide and is perfect for castle building, cycling, jogging, fishing or just relaxing in the sun. The Atlantic Ocean is perfect for swimming, especially during the spring and summer when water temperatures range from 74 to 80 degrees.

Driving is permitted on 16 miles of the 23-mile long beach area with four pedestrian-only zones are found at various intervals. The most central pedestrian beach zone is found north and south of the Main Street Pier.

Daytona Beach is also well known for the racing. So if you want some extra fun you could always try the Daytona International Speedway, this fun family attraction offers a combination of high-tech, hands-on excitement and a fascinating historical perspective of motorsports that' s perfect for all ages.

So there you have a few ideas of what to do with your rest days from the park. If you should choose the Cocoa Beach option, then do remember to check on line if there is to be a launch from Kennedy while you are in town as Cocoa Beach is the perfect place to view it from.

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