Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Cocoa Beach?

Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Cocoa Beach?

Many travelers spend two to five days in Cocoa Beach during their visit. After all, the adventurous beach town has plenty to explore such as the beaches, the famous sights and museums, and the restaurant scene.

Cocoa Beach is a fun destination that attracts families and surfers. It's proximity to the Kennedy Space Center make it a unique destination for outer space enthusiasts, but it also has wonderful beaches that have great waves for surfing. Beginning surfers will also benefit from the area's surf. Visitors can enjoy a fun combination of playing in the sun and learning about the country's space program.

Do you have one or two days to visit Cocoa Beach? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.


Is one day enough time in Cocoa Beach?

Cocoa Beach is a small beach town that is quite popular with tourists. So with one day, you'll probably feel rushed to relax at the beach, wander through the museums, dine out at amazing restaurants, and enjoy the evening activities. You really need more time to appreciate everything that the adventurous beach town has to offer. Many visitors prefer to have two to five days to enjoy the beach and other sights. If you have one day or less, we still have some great ideas for what to do while you're here.

How to spend a day in Cocoa Beach

When visiting Cocoa Beach, you can't miss the Kennedy Space Center as it's one of the most famous places in the world. Make sure you give yourself enough time to enjoy it.

You'll absolutely want to spend some time enjoying the food scene in this beach town, so make sure you spend time at one of the local restaurants where you can taste the delicious cuisine for a meal or two. Seafood is the obvious choice in this beach town. Head to Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier for some great restaurants. In addition to seafood options, you'll find steakhouses, bistros, and pizza shops.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Village Food Tours Lunch & History Tour ($100)

Public transit in Cocoa Beach is easy and efficient. In just a few days, you should be able to get around the beach town quite easily. You can hop on the Cocoa Beach Trolley to access many sights in the area. It's a service provided by the Space Coast Area Transit (SCAT).

Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Cocoa Beach?

A weekend is generally not enough time to experience the beach and other activities of Cocoa Beach. A shorter schedule may leave you with a sense of urgency to enjoy the most popular activities such as the beaches, the famous sights and museums, the restaurant scene, and the nightlife scene. To genuinely appreciate the adventurous beach town, a longer visit is recommended so that you can have more time to relax at the beach. Many tourists opt for two to five days here, after all. After all, Cocoa Beach, renowned for its numerous sights and attractions, is a major draw for tourists. However, if you're working with limited time, we have some great ideas for making the most of your stay below.

Cocoa Beach, Florida Cocoa Beach, Florida

How to spend 2 days in Cocoa Beach

With a weekend (two to three days) in Cocoa Beach, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the beach town has to offer.

The beautiful beaches await you in Cocoa Beach, so spend the day (or several, if you can) relaxing on the sand or swimming in the water. There are long stretches of sand that are great for swimming, surfing, water sports, or just relaxing in the sun. The most popular area is around Cocoa Beach Pier. For family-friendly, head to James H. Nance Park which also has a playground. If you have a dog, Canova Beach Park is your best option.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Bioluminescent Kayak Tour. Fin Expeditions is Cocoa Beaches Top Rated Kayak Tour ($69)
  • Dolphin and Manatee Kayak and SUP Adventure Tour of Cocoa Beach ($65)
  • Bioluminescent Clear Bottom Kayak or Paddleboard Sit-On-Top Kayak Hybrid Tour! ($75)

This beach town is very popular for nightlife. After the sun goes down, head out to one of the many popular venues around town. You'll find a number of casual pubs, bars, and grills around town where you can grab a drink in a relaxed setting.

More Info

If you're looking for more information about Cocoa Beach, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.

Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.

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