Cape Canaveral

Things to Know:

• Very nice family vacation area – Something for everyone
• Less crowded and commercialized than some Florida beach destinations
• Easily accessed via major interstates/highways
• Beachfront rentals available at reasonable rates

Cape Canaveral is midway between Jacksonville and Miami along what is known as Florida’s Space Coast. It is probably most famously known for being the home of the Kennedy Space Center, the hub of the nation’s human space program. A visit to the Space Center is a fascinating trip through the history of the country’s space program and can provide insights into the future as well.

But Cape Canaveral offers more to the visitor, including gorgeous, quiet beaches, a popular cruise ship port, lots of restaurants, and even a brand new distillery.

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Oceanside Distillery claims to be the only distillery on the space coast and has only recently opened to the public. We took a tour and sampled some of the spirits produced there. The distillery is very different from ones we have visited elsewhere, where they pride themselves on their history, traditions, and age-old “hands-on” processes. Oceanside uses some of the most technologically advanced equipment available and takes a very modern, but precise, approach to distilling. This in no way means they take short cuts when it comes to barrel aging. Their whiskeys are aged in accordance with industry standards, and we can vouch for the end product being as rich and refined as spirits produced by more established distillers. The master distiller is quite enthusiastic about his work, and that combined with his deep knowledge made for a very interesting tour.

To us, the best part of Cape Canaveral is the beach. We have been during Labor Day and Memorial Day weekends, and it was not very crowded either time. The beach is very wide and flat so there is plenty of space to spread out. We thought the surf to be more gentle than in other nearby areas, making it a nice place to swim and play for all ages. The area we stayed in was free from high-rise condos or hotels blocking your view of the ocean, which gave Cape Canaveral an old-time Florida feel. Since we visited during the pandemic, we got to see cruise ships docked offshore while patiently waiting for travel restrictions to be lifted.

We also visited Port Canaveral, where the cruise industry is usually in full force. I imagine its very exciting to sit in one of the waterside bars and watch all the travelers and ships scurry about. Even though there were no cruises taking place, it was still a nice place to sip a cold drink and watch the fishing and pleasure boats go and come.

Recommendation: Great long weekend or week destination for a family. The beaches are sprawling and not at all crowded. Beachfront condos and other rentals can be found for a surprisingly reasonable rate, many with pools. Kids will love the the sand and surf, and there’s plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops within a short distance for mom and dad. Among the unique and unexpected sites around Canaveral Beach are the ever wandering and incredibly colorful peacocks, which trot happily along beach access roads and lay their eggs in sandy roadside nests. And of course, there’s always the nearby Kennedy Space Center. Available tours provide a first-hand look at space travel and vehicles, past and present. Visitors can learn about space travel history, how space crafts are assembled, the challenges and limitations of space travel, and America’s future space exploration goals.