Back to the beach

Central Florida beaches are warming up with summer-like temperatures in mid-spring. With the shuttle program down to its last two shuttle launches—Kennedy Space Center will become the permanent home of the Atlantis space shuttle once it is officially retired—a visit to Florida Space Coast makes an ideal day trip for any Orlando vacation.

Cocoa Beach (pictured) bills itself as Orlando’s closest beach, and it is probably one of the most down-to-earth beaches in the region–in spite of the fact that you can witness shuttle launches from the shore. Orlando residents frequently make the 45 minute trip to Cocoa Beach to enjoy boogie boarding, sunbathing, and the laid-back atmosphere at Cocoa Beach’s public beaches, Shepard Park (right by the iconic Ron Jon Surf Shop), Fischer Park and Lori Wilson Park, which are just south of State Road 520 on SR A1A. Lifeguards are on duty at these locations every weekend beginning on Easter weekend until Labor Day weekend.