Cocoa Beach &
Cape Canaveral beaches
Find your stretch of sand. Compare beach parks, neighborhood entrances and oceanfront landmarks—with parking, facilities and directions in one place.
What does your beach day look like?
Nine ways to reach the ocean
These parks and access areas share the Atlantic shoreline, but offer different parking, facilities and surroundings. Pick the entrance that fits your day.
Jetty Park Beach & Pier
Best for: Cruise ships + a beach day
Watch ships move through the port, then settle in on the Atlantic shoreline. This is a beach-and-pier outing with a distinctly Space Coast backdrop.
Find it
9035 Campground Circle, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
Facilities
Restrooms · beach access · fishing pier · beach wheelchairs
Directions & local tips
From SR 528, follow signs toward the port’s south-side recreation area and Jetty Park. Use the park address rather than a cruise-terminal address.
Buy your vehicle pass online before arriving; the entrance gate does not take cash or card payments. The park lists daily hours of 7 a.m.–9 p.m.
The fishing pier stretches about 1,200 feet. Launch visibility depends on the launch pad, trajectory and weather.
Cherie Down Park
Best for: A neighborhood beach picnic
A smaller neighborhood park with the essentials for a simple beach day. Bring a picnic and use the designated crossovers to reach the sand.
Find it
8330 Ridgewood Avenue, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
Facilities
Restrooms · outdoor showers · picnic shelters · dune boardwalk
Directions & local tips
From A1A in Cape Canaveral, head east toward Ridgewood Avenue and follow it to the signed park entrance.
The county lists two beach crossovers, including one ADA-accessible crossover. Parking can fill, so have a backup beach in mind.
Its roughly seven acres include a 320-foot boardwalk along the dunes.
Cape Canaveral Beach Crossovers
Best for: Walking from a nearby stay
Choose a signed neighborhood entrance when you are staying nearby or only need straightforward access to the sand. Facilities and legal parking vary by street.
Find it
Monroe Avenue Beach Access, Cape Canaveral, FL
Facilities
Public dune crossovers · selected Mobi-Mat access
Directions & local tips
Use Ridgewood Avenue to reach the signed beach ends. Monroe Avenue is the directions-button example; see the full city access list for other entrances.
The city identifies Mobi-Mats at Monroe, Polk, Buchanan and the Ridgewood crossover north of Cherie Down Park. Check the route’s current condition.
The city’s access list includes Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson, Harrison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan, Lincoln, Johnson and Ridgewood.
Cocoa Beach Pier
Best for: Beach time + dining
Choose the beach beside the pier when you want food, rentals and an energetic setting close to the sand. It is one of the area’s most recognizable oceanfront landmarks.
Find it
401 Meade Avenue, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931
Facilities
Dining · rentals · showers · volleyball · nearby lifeguard tower
Directions & local tips
Turn east from A1A onto Meade Avenue and continue toward the ocean. Use the pier’s designated lot or signed public parking nearby.
Pier parking and city parking are separate. Read the price and terms for the lot you actually use; restaurant and pier hours can differ from beach access.
The pier extends 800 feet over the Atlantic. Brevard lists a full-time lifeguard tower at the beach here; verify it is staffed before swimming.
Alan Shepard Park
Best for: An easy first beach stop
An oceanfront park near the east end of SR 520, with shops and places to eat nearby. A practical choice when you want a beach entrance with several facilities.
Find it
Alan Shepard Park, East Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach, FL
Facilities
Restrooms · showers · picnic pavilions · beach rentals
Directions & local tips
Follow SR 520 east across A1A toward the ocean, then use the signed Alan Shepard Park parking entrance.
The city uses different street numbers on its park and parking pages; navigate by the park name. Pay for the signed parking zone when you arrive.
The five-acre park is named for astronaut Alan Shepard. Its location pairs beach time with the area’s surf-shop district.
Sidney Fischer Park
Best for: Playground + picnic time
A ten-acre oceanfront park that works well for families who want a playground and picnic space alongside their time at the beach.
Find it
2200 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931
Facilities
Playground · restrooms · showers · picnic shelters · volleyball
Directions & local tips
Follow A1A / North Atlantic Avenue to 2200 N. Atlantic Avenue and turn into the signed park entrance on the ocean side.
Do not assume a lifeguard is on duty here. For a staffed swim area, check the county’s current tower list and the conditions on arrival.
The park honors Sidney Fischer, who served as Cocoa Beach mayor from 1956 to 1960.
Lori Wilson Park
Best for: Free parking + nature
A beach day with a little more room to explore: ocean access, picnic areas and a maritime hammock in one county park.
Find it
1500 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931
Facilities
Restrooms · showers · playground · picnic areas · nature boardwalk
Directions & local tips
Use A1A / North Atlantic Avenue to reach the park at 1500 N. Atlantic Avenue. Follow the signs for the north or south parking area and public dune crossovers.
The county lists six dune crossovers, four ADA accessible. The off-leash dog park is separate from the ocean beach; beach pet rules still apply.
The park covers about 32 acres and includes a 3,155-foot nature boardwalk. Check posted access notices before using trails or crossovers.
Downtown / Minutemen Causeway Beach
Best for: Sand + a walkable meal
Step from downtown onto the oceanfront, then walk back for lunch or a browse around local businesses. This is an access area, rather than a separate named beach park.
Find it
Minutemen Causeway Beach Access, Cocoa Beach, FL
Facilities
Nearby restaurants · downtown parking · lifeguard tower
Directions & local tips
Head to the ocean end of Minutemen Causeway. For the city garage, navigate to 25 S. Orlando Avenue and walk east to the beach.
Park only in signed public spaces or a lot you are authorized to use. The city garage has a 7 ft 2 in clearance; do not assume every nearby business lot is public.
Brevard lists Minutemen Causeway among its full-time lifeguard-tower locations.
Robert P. Murkshe Memorial Park
Best for: A smaller south-end stop
A compact county park at 16th Street South. Consider it when you want a smaller beach entrance with basic facilities away from the main shopping district.
Find it
1600 South Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931
Facilities
Restroom · outdoor shower · picnic pavilion · dune crossover
Directions & local tips
Follow South Atlantic Avenue to 16th Street South and the signed park entrance. Use the public crossover from the parking area.
The lot is small. Arrive with a backup option and follow signs around the designated dog-beach boundary north of the park.
The county describes a 2.5-acre park with a paved path from the restrooms to the dune crossover.
Getting here & getting onto the sand
From Orlando or I-95
SR 528 east is the main route from the Orlando airport area toward Cape Canaveral and A1A. For central Cocoa Beach, SR 520 heads east across the lagoon to A1A near Alan Shepard Park. From I-95, exit 205 connects to SR 528 and exit 201 to SR 520.
Allow extra time around cruise departures, launch days and busy weekends. Use the directions button for your actual beach entrance, rather than a general “Cocoa Beach” pin.
Neighborhood beach access
Cocoa Beach also has public street-end entrances east of A1A, including the north and south numbered streets. Cape Canaveral has a network of dune crossovers along Ridgewood Avenue. Use designated paths and obey parking signs.
For an easier route over the dunes, check the official accessibility information. An accessible crossover does not guarantee a firm route all the way to the water.
Cocoa Beach access parks ↗
Cape Canaveral crossovers & Mobi-Mats ↗
Good to know for a better beach day
Where is parking free, and where do I pay?
Lori Wilson, Cherie Down and Robert P. Murkshe parks offer free parking. Most Cape Canaveral street ends are free where signed parking is available. Cocoa Beach city spaces, including Shepard and Fischer parks and downtown, are paid. Jetty Park requires a parking pass purchased online before arrival; the pier lot has its own terms. Read the signs at your exact space.
Which beaches have lifeguards?
Brevard lists full-time towers at Cocoa Beach Pier, Alan Shepard Park, Lori Wilson Park and Minutemen Causeway. Jetty Park has its own lifeguard service. Staffing and conditions can change: choose an area with a staffed tower, check flags and speak with the lifeguard before entering the water.
Can I bring a dog to the beach?
Cocoa Beach permits leashed dogs only in its designated stretch from 4th Street South to the north side of Murkshe Park, during specified morning and evening hours. Hours change with daylight saving time. Lori Wilson’s off-leash dog park is separate from the ocean beach. Cape Canaveral and Jetty Park have their own rules.
How can I help protect the dunes and sea turtles?
Stay on designated crossovers, keep away from marked nests, fill holes and remove your belongings before leaving. Sea-turtle nesting season runs March 1–October 31; avoid lights on the beach at night and give wildlife space.
Is Playalinda Beach in Cape Canaveral?
Playalinda is part of Canaveral National Seashore, reached via the Titusville area. It is a separate trip from the Cape Canaveral city beaches and Jetty Park in this guide. Check National Park Service access and closure notices before planning that outing.
Updated October 2026 using city, county, port and park information. Prices, access, facilities and conditions can change; official links and posted signs provide the latest details.
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