Outdoor Adventures at Canaveral National Seashore
Buddy Bison and I just returned from a visit to Canaveral National Seashore in Florida. We spent the whole day building sandcastles, playing in the ocean, and enjoying the view.
The site is massive! It has 58,000 acres of land and offshore waters. With all that room, there were plenty of places for Buddy and me to explore!
If you are in the area, you should check out Canaveral National Seashore! Here are just a few highlights that are worth checking out:
Visit the Beach – There are 25 miles of beach to choose from! You can visit the seashore in two areas; these are called the Apollo Beach District or Playalinda Beach District. The visitor’s center is at the Apollo Beach District.
Buddy and I visited the Playalinda Beach District. There were 13 piers to choose from. We picked pier #7 and walked along a wooden boardwalk to the sandy beach. With so many piers, it wasn’t crowded at all. The piers next to us had no people in sight. Our pier just had a couple of surfers who were battling rip tides.
Because of the ferocious waves that day, my sister and I didn’t venture too far into the water. Instead, we had a lot of fun sitting next to the ocean’s edge and bracing for the waves to crash over us. I tried to get Buddy to build a sandcastle with me, but he just rolled in the sand.
Watch a Kennedy Space Center Launch – Canaveral National Seashore is located next to the Kennedy Space Center. Fun fact: about two-thirds of the park is overseen by NASA.
Canaveral has a great view for rocket launches! If a rocket launch is scheduled when the park is open, be sure to check here to see if there is any road closings or important alerts: https://www.nps.gov/cana/index.htm. If you are planning to head to Canaveral for a launch, get there early. The park may fill to capacity and incoming traffic will be restricted. Buddy Bison’s tip is to bring a chair!
Watch for Nesting Turtles –Canaveral National Seashore is a vital nesting area for four types of sea turtles. The four types of turtles that nest there are the loggerhead, green, leatherback and Kemp’s Ridley.
spotted nesting at the Apollo and Playalinda beaches! The cost is $14 per person 16 years or older. Kids under 16 years old are free. Just like some of my favorite activities at DisneyWorld, reservations are required. Reservations can be made starting May 15th for June; and starting June 15th for July. To take part, call 386-428-3384 ext. 0.
Buddy and I won’t be able to make it back for the summer. But we can still take part in Turtle Watch by going online and watching the Turtle Nest Cam! The camera will show live video from dusk to dawn during the months of June through November. I hope I get a chance to see a turtle when I tune in! Here is the link: https://www.nps.gov/cana/learn/nature/turtle-nest-cam.htm
Explore Mosquito Lagoon And Camp On an Island – Visitors can take a guided canoe tour of Mosquito Lagoon. The Lagoon makes up over two-thirds of the park and is a part of the 156-mile long Indian River Lagoon.
Camping is available on 14 island campsites (how cool is that?!) Reservations for island camping can be made by calling 877-444-6777. A boat or canoe is required to travel to the island. To rent a canoe, contact the Visitor Center at (386) 428-3384 ext. 0.
Well, I hope this article has convinced you to spend a day or more at Canaveral National Seashore. If you visit, don’t forget to post about it on social media! #BuddyBison and I look forward to seeing your posts!
