Port Canaveral

[shipgirl56]

We are doing a B2B in June. Is there anything to do for the day that is close to the port?

[Frank12]

Kennedy Space Center is really neat if you've never been there.

[cruisedawgg]

Jetty Park beach or Cocoa beach. Both are VERY close.

[Meredisney]

1. Ron Jon Beach Resort is close and they have a water park "type" pool area. I believe they offer day passes for the pool, but go to their website and check it out.

 

2. Jetty Park is nice. Its basically a huge open park with a beach, they also have a camping area. It is right by the port and you can watch the cruise ships pass by. There are also usually dolphins in the water near the jetty.

 

3. You can take a cab into Cocoa Beach and hit up some of the local beach shops. Ron Jon surf shop is right near the pier. There are a ton of restaurants, Coconuts on the beach is a fun place.

 

4. Kennedy Space center is an option as well.

[firefly333]

The thread I work in Port Canaveral, is everything about the area, in the East Coast Departures, under the sticky for Florida departures.

 

If its the right season, you can see manatees early in the morning

[valancy1]

Something a bit different that we really enjoy doing is going to Merritt Island National Wildlife Preserve. We like going in there, we love seeing the waterfowl and all the different animals. We *always* see manatees at the special manatee place (they are in the wild but they always come to this one place that people can see them--ask the ranger when you enter the park).

 

Just another suggestion. That's what we'll be doing when we come back from our next cruise.

[shipgirl56]

Thanks for all the replies. I was looking at the Wildlife Preserve. What is the best way to get there and back to the ship?

[valancy1]

There is a main road/highway that leads into the port. Not sure what it's called but we've been on it headed east to 1A. Take 1A up to Merritt Island. NOTE: Merritt Island is not the same as Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is NORTH of Merritt Island; Titusville is the town it's "in".

 

You will definitely want to get your GPS set or get a map on line.

 

There is also a national wildlife refuge website that might offer directions as well:

 

http://www.fws.gov/merrittisland/

 

http://www.nbbd.com/godo/minwr/

[shipgirl56]

Are there rental cars near the ship?

[valancy1]

As I understand it there are... though I am not sure the brands. Try Hertz with the location "Port Canaveral". Or try googling/searching for "Port Canaveral" and see what the port's website offers as far as information. I'm usually successful when flying to smaller airports to see which airlines, rental cars, etc. are serviced at that location by going to the actual website of the airport itself--might be worth a try for the port.