What to do in Port Canaveral when in port 1-9 PM when visiting on MSC Meraviglia.

[MAMA "B"]

MSC does not have very many excursions available, so wondering if anyone has ideas for what to do on our own.

Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[Langoustine]

KSC. That's about it unless you want to go to Orlando.

[Frequent_Cruiser]

If the weather is nice that day, you could consider visiting the nearby Cocoa Beach. When we were at Port Canaveral in Feb. 2024, there was a shuttle service ($20 per person round trip) after exiting the cruise terminal. The shuttle dropped pax off at Cocoa Beach Surf Company (4001 N Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931). There is a Starbucks right there, plus CVS, Walgreens, Winn-Dixie, Bealls across the street.

 

It only took 5 minutes to walk to the beach from the drop off spot to enjoy the sun and ocean. The return shuttle also departed from Cocoa Beach Surf Company. Be sure to keep the ticket stub for your ride back to cruise terminal.

[elcuchio24]

Kennedy Space Center is awesome, if you are at all interested its a great time. 

[MAMA "B"]

Thank you for replies, but we have already done both of those excursions.

 

[Essiesmom]

You might ask on the Florida Departures board, as some locals might have suggestions.  EM

[Knights on the Beach]

https://www.cocoabeachhelicopters.com/helicopter-tour/index

 

We did the "see it all" tour in 2020 on a beautiful clear day and it was amazing. 

[bajathree]

Use it as a ship day. I have no idea whey they use Port Canaveral as a port stop.

Edited March 28 by bajathree

[Langoustine]

23 hours ago, bajathree said:

I have no idea whey they use Port Canaveral as a port stop.

It's for people who want to visit the Kennedy Space Center or one of the Orlando theme parks (yes, I think going to Orlando is a waste of time, too, but...).

[hrhdhd]

2 hours ago, Langoustine said:

It's for people who want to visit the Kennedy Space Center or one of the Orlando theme parks (yes, I think going to Orlando is a waste of time, too, but...).

A 1-9 port stop makes both of those ideas less than ideal. KSC needs a day, and it closes at 5 or 6. Orlando needs an hour on each end for travel, so that leaves maybe 6 hours for a theme park--also not enough time.

[NJsharon]

I was going to ask this same question.  We will be leaving from NY & first stop is Port Canaveral/Orlando.  Is there anything to do, slightly less active within a short drive?
Disney is too rushed, not interested in KSC, will do beaches on other ports so really don't want that, definitely no helicopter tours (afraid of heights!).
Anything nature themed, possibly kayaking, some tour bus etc?
I will be traveling with my 19yr old daughter.

[bajathree]

1 hour ago, NJsharon said:

I was going to ask this same question.  We will be leaving from NY & first stop is Port Canaveral/Orlando.  Is there anything to do, slightly less active within a short drive?
Disney is too rushed, not interested in KSC, will do beaches on other ports so really don't want that, definitely no helicopter tours (afraid of heights!).
Anything nature themed, possibly kayaking, some tour bus etc?
I will be traveling with my 19yr old daughter.

Other than KSC or going to Disney or Universal (which I think is crazy rushed to try to do while in port) there isn't much other than beach or maybe a stop at the tourist trap call Ron Jon's.....lol

Stay on the ship and enjoy....unless you boarding a cruise going out of Port Canaveral, it's a terrible port stop.

[EatonDoolittle]

4 hours ago, NJsharon said:

I was going to ask this same question.  We will be leaving from NY & first stop is Port Canaveral/Orlando.  Is there anything to do, slightly less active within a short drive?
Disney is too rushed, not interested in KSC, will do beaches on other ports so really don't want that, definitely no helicopter tours (afraid of heights!).
Anything nature themed, possibly kayaking, some tour bus etc?
I will be traveling with my 19yr old daughter.

 

Melbourne has a very nice zoo - you could Uber or maybe rent a car for the day. 

 

https://brevardzoo.org/

[NJsharon]

1 hour ago, EatonDoolittle said:

 

Melbourne has a very nice zoo - you could Uber or maybe rent a car for the day. 

 

https://brevardzoo.org/

 

That sounds fun, but looking online it is at least $46 for uber one way (without tip), then $33 admission each.  Still a maybe though, as it looks like a great zoo!  Thanks.

[Anita Latte]

If you’re interested in kayaking, there are many kayak rentals in and around the Indian River Lagoon. A great place to kayak is Thousand Islands in Cocoa Beach. I know there are tours there but not sure if the timing works but I imagine you could arrange something. The main issue with PC as a port stop is that to truly enjoy the area, you need a vehicle.

 

Merritt Island around KSC is a wildlife refuge and there are many nature related things to see. Again, if you have a vehicle, you could do the Black Pointe Wilderness Drive which is a one way car trail, if you will, through many different habitats for birds especially. If you’re a bird watcher it’s a wonderful drive. There is also a nature center/visitor center that is undergoing reconstruction after the hurricane damage to the boardwalks but if it were finished, it’s pleasant to walk and see more of “natural Florida”. Driving out to Haulover…there’s a Manatee Observation Deck…went out this weekend and saw a couple manatees…as the weather/water warms, there will be more. I usually see dolphins etc around too.

 

There’s are quite a number of conservation lands and properties around. Enchanted Forest in Titusville is lovely and takes you through 5 distinct ecosystems. There’s Sam’s house at Pine Island. Sometimes there are events at such places.

 

IDK if the Canaveral Lighthouse has tours that late in the day. That must be set up in advance because you have to be cleared to go onto the base 48 hours before the tour. Maybe contact them and see if they have started trying to get the PC as a port crowd. Maybe if you can get a minimum number on your roll call or something, they’ll do a tour for your group. If you could do that, it would be such an interesting thing to do. I loved it. Ask if you’d be able to see inside Terminal B (or whatever they call it) where all the historic rockets are. 
 

And speaking of rockets, have you checked the launch schedule? The ship itself, top deck would be a good launch viewing location.

 

Out towards Christmas, FL there are more walking/hiking opportunities. Fort Christmas Historical Park is great if you’re a history buff…there’s a reconstruction of part of the old supply fort that was built during the Seminole Wars. There are several historic cabins that you can tour. There’s are collections of things…one house has kitchen appliances and tools from way back in the day. The Orlando Wetlands is out there too…that’s basically a man made area that helps naturally filter water before it hits the St John. There are trails woven all throughout and sometimes there’s a tour shuttle that goes around.

 

At the St John’s on highway 50, there are airboat tours. 
 

You do really need a vehicle to properly enjoy the area though.

 

 

[Capt_BJ]

note zoo closes at 5 (actually some things close b4 that). You'd be hard pressed to get there b4 2 ....

[ajoneen]

I’ve enjoyed renting bikes. Wondering around and riding on the beach. 
Kayak tours also. 
Have to uber/lyft to/from as Nothing is walkable from ships

[Vagabond Knight]

• Go to the beach. Look around online to see which area/park suits you best. You may consider Lori Wilson Park (which has a nature hammock walk, as well as restrooms), or the area by the Cocoa Beach Pier (where there are a couple of restaurants), or Jetty Park (which is on the outside edge of the port), or Cherie Down Park (in a quieter area in north Cape Canaveral, restrooms available here too). 

 

• Eat some seafood, have some drinks and watch the fishing and pleasure boats and cruise ships come and go at one of the waterside restaurants at the port.  Use Google to check out Gator's Dockside, Fishlips, Grills Seafood, Seafood Atlantic, and Rusty's Seafood and Oyster Bar.

 

• Visit the Dinosaur Store and Museum in Cocoa Beach.

 

• Visit Ron John's Surf Shop if you haven't been there yet.

 

• Take a Canaveral Wildlife Tour (https://www.canaveralwildlife.tours/).

 

• Get THE BEST key lime pie at the Florida Key Lime Pie Company in Cocoa Beach (just to the north of Ron Jon's).

 

• Get your grind on at the Cocoa Beach Skate Park.

 

• Go over to the mainland and visit historic Cocoa Village (Cocoa is on the mainland, Cocoa Beach is on the ocean, Merritt Island is between them with a river on each side). Cocoa village has boutique type shopping, cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars, and the Dirty Oar Brewing Company microbrewery. There are often arts & craft shows and sometimes entertainment or festivals in the park on the weekends.

 

• Visit the Caribe Brewing tasting room in Port Canaveral, just outside the port.

 

• There are paddleboard rentals, kayak rentals/tours, putt-putt golf, boat tours, surfing lessons, an aerial adventures park, a Wizard of Oz Museum, Segway tours, pedal cruises, dolphin tours, etc.  Just google what interests you.

 

• If you rent a car for the day, there are several airboat ride options about a half hour away, in west Cocoa and in Christmas: Twister Airboat Rides, Grasshopper Airboat EcoTours, Airboat Rides at Midway, Capt Dukes Airboat Rides, Backwoods Airboat Adventures, St John's Airboat Tour.

[Capt_BJ]

this is something different ..... https://www.spacecoastslingshot.com/

 

altho once again the problem is they close at 5pm .....

 

This rest' in Cocoa Village just won a big national award ..... http://margaux.com/

 

Florida Today: Café Margaux in Cocoa Village is only one of only 16 restaurants across North America - and the only one in Florida - to earn the 2024 Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRōNA) Gold Award of Excellence.

[MAMA "B"]

Vagabond Knight

Do you know if Caribe Brewing Co. is still open for operation?

If so, what times and do they offer tours or just tastings?

[Vagabond Knight]

13 minutes ago, MAMA "B" said:

Vagabond Knight

Do you know if Caribe Brewing Co. is still open for operation?

If so, what times and do they offer tours or just tastings?

Visit https://caribbreweryusa.com/.  Under "Visit the taproom," you'll find the hours, a button that goes to the calendar of events, and a button that takes you to the sign-up for the tours.

The taproom's Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/321LimeHouse 

[MAMA "B"]

Vagabond Knight-

Thank you for all the information!!