Want to know about fun things to do in Cocoa Beach? Here's your list of some great Cocoa Beach attractions and activities the whole family will enjoy.
Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach offers free parking.
- Lauren Tjaden for VISIT FLORIDA
By Lauren Tjaden
1. Park Yourself by the Shore
You’ll find one of the area’s loveliest escapes at Lori Wilson Park. Besides a clean, wide beach, thick with golden-hued sand, the park boasts free parking. Remember to wander the nature trail while you’re there. It winds into a maritime hammock lush with live oak, palmetto and greenery, and you’ll feel like civilization is a world away.
Cocoa Beach promises small, consistent waves, ideal for learning to surf.
- Lauren Tjaden for VISIT FLORIDA
2. Ride a Wave
Cocoa Beach is renowned for its calm, consistent waves. That, combined with the fact the water is shallow enough to simply wade out past the breakers, makes it an ideal place to learn to surf. You can take a lesson, rent a board, or bring your own. It's one of the best places to surf in the state, making it one of the top things to do in Cocoa Beach.
The Cocoa Beach Pier is an area must-do.
- Contributed Photo
3. Explore the Cocoa Beach Pier
The Cocoa Beach boardwalk stretches 800 feet over the Atlantic Ocean. Besides giving you a swell view of the beach, it’s brimming with shops, restaurants and boutiques. Don’t miss noshing on a juicy fish sandwich at the Atlantic Ocean Grille.
Cocoa Beach's iconic Ron Jon Surf Shop is the world's largest surf shop.
- Lauren Tjaden for VISIT FLORIDA
4. Discover Ron Jon Surf Shop
This iconic Ron Jon Surf Shop is the world's largest surf shop, encompassing 52,000 square feet. The store, which is one of the top Cocoa Beach attractions, is open 24 hours a day, it offers everything you could possibly need for the beach lifestyle, including bikinis, surf boards, clothing and sports gear. With its fish tanks, glass elevators and flowing waterfalls, it’s worth discovering even if you don’t feel like shopping.
For the quintessential Florida beach experience, escape to Cocoa Beach.
- Lauren Tjaden for VISIT FLORIDA
5. Eat Outside
The only true beach bar in Cocoa Beach, Coconuts on the Beach is a local favorite that promises live music, specialty cocktails, service to the beach and great food, like the oh-so-yummy bacon-wrapped shrimp and scallops.
- Uknown
6. Paddle Peacefully
Enjoy a nature tour kayaking the Thousand Islands with Adventure Kayak or Fin Expeditions. You’ll see manatee, dolphin, and many species of birds while paddling through tropical mangroves.
Take your pick from extreme or not-so-extreme adventures at Cocoa Beach.
- Mitzi Gordon for VISIT FLORIDA
7. Fun in the Sun
Take your pick from leisurely or extreme adventures at 321 Kiteboarding and Watersports. They offer stand-up paddle board and kayak rentals as well as kitesurfing and surfing lessons.
8. Munch on Lunch
If you have time for a beach lunch, make it Coconuts on The Beach. The location, smack-dab on the Atlantic, is a ten. But the view isn’t all Coconuts offers. Sink your teeth into a Fish Reuben, fish tacos, fish 'n chips, and make sure to try the sweet potato fries. Wash it down with an icy beach drink or a pina-colada smoothie.
The Wizard of Oz Museum in Cocoa Beach, Florida
9. Meet Dorothy and Toto
Conveniently sited close to Cocoa Beach, the Space Center and Port Canaveral, The Wizard of Oz Museum invites families to step into a fantastical celebration of the cherished American fairy tale, utilizing cutting-edge technology that projects images across the walls and floor. Its Immersive Wizard of Oz Experience reveals the magical land that Dorothy and her beloved companions explored-- a place where a tornado swirls, mice pull the Cowardly Lion out of a field of poppies, and the yellow brick road winds into the Emerald City. This highly-rated attraction also offers the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit; a kid-friendly, interactive munchkin room brimming with Oz toys from the 20th century; a guided tour; and a unique collection of rare artifacts from the story’s remarkable history.
10. Conquer the Half Pipe
Cocoa Beach Skate Park is lovingly described by teens as ‘sick,’ and it's one of their favorite things to do in Cocoa Beach. The Park, a friendly, inexpensive haven for kids, boasts two deep bowls and a half pipe, in addition to a grassy area and bleachers where parents can relax.
11. Paint the Town
Cocoa Beach invites you to explore a myriad of murals, with offerings that include a pink alligator, a mesmerizing sea turtle, and an astronaut and the space shuttle. The Space Coast Mural Map can guide you around town.
If you’re going to be in town in March, make sure to check out the Space Coast Mural Festival. It promises a week-long mural exhibition, a two-day street party complete with top notch musicians, and even a mural maze.
