Cocoa Beach
Just over an hours drive from Orlando, Cocoa Beach is a small bustling town on Florida’s East Coast. My wife took me on a surprise day trip there for my birthday, traveling up the coast from our apartment in Jensen Beach.
Driving North
Driving up A1A – Florida’s coastal road – you’ll see some incredible houses and catch a view of the ocean from time to time. It’s a slow drive during the day on weekends, so brace yourself for patience. But there are plenty of points where you can jump out of the car and check out the beach.
Mid February sees some of Florida’s finest weather for turning off the air conditioner and letting the cool ocean breeze flow through the car.
We grabbed a pub sub (aka sub from Publix supermarket) then stopped just near Patrick Airforce Base to relax and eat on the beach. The beaches up here seem a lot nicer than South Florida – the sand is finer and there are fewer people. After a quick nap and a paddle, it was back to the car and my wife was driving me to the big surprise.
We rocked up out the front of a bar – Island Time Marina and Restaurant. As we drove around the back and saw the marina, I knew we were going out on a boat.
Smooth Sailing
As soon as we pulled in we met by the owner of Nomad Getaways, Anthony who directed us to the boat where we met first mate, John. John was a vegan with dreadlocks, he was the expert sailor while Anthony was the engineer on the motor. They were both laid back and made the trip lighthearted and fun.
They took us out on a small sailboat with another couple. We crossed the lagoon using the motor then gently sailed back as the sun began to sink in the sky.
Heading back down the coast after our sailing experience, we stopped for a quick walk at sunset on S
We wrapped up the day down near Sebastian Inlet at a German restaurant with a Floridian name, Cafe Coconut Cove. The food was delicious – chicken schnitzel and apple strudel. This is definitely one to put on the list for a visit.
This was an incredible day trip, and there is so much more to do in the Cocoa Beach area of Florida. Have you been to Cocoa Beach? We’d love to hear about your adventure in the comments below…
Can you believe I’ve never been sailing? I know! I’ve been on cruises and small port boats, but not sailing. I think I would have to take Dremamine though. LOL Your trip looks great & that food looks amazing!