A Visit to Melbourne Beach on Florida’s Space Coast

As part of a family vacation to Disney World, we spent three days in Melbourne Beach, Florida. Located on Florida’s east coast, Melbourne Beach is a quiet, traditional beach town with amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean.

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Our family’s biggest draw for visiting Melbourne Beach was its proximity to Orlando and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Our trip included five days in Disney World, and we wanted to add a few days at the beach to the trip, including a stop at the Kennedy Space Center.

When researching the various beach options that makeup Florida’s Space Coast (the beaches surrounding The Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral), Melbourne Beach was recommended to be a quieter beach town with less crowded beaches. We found this to be true during our visit.

We began our trip by flying into the Orlando International Airport and then driving to The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Click here to read my blog post about visiting the center.

After spending about five hours at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, we drove approximately 45 minutes to our hotel, The Radisson Suite Hotel Oceanfront Melbourne Beach. This hotel is oceanfront on a private beach, making it quiet and uncrowded.

The hotel offers various amenities, including an outdoor pool with a poolside bar serving beverages and food, an onsite restaurant serving breakfast daily, a fitness center, meeting rooms, and onsite parking. There is also the option to rent beach umbrellas, lounge chairs, boogie boards, and kayaks on the beach at the hotel.

All of the rooms at The Radisson Suite Hotel Oceanfront Melbourne Beach are oceanfront. We stayed in a one-bedroom oceanfront suite with a king bed. The living area had a sleeper sofa and wet bar with a mini fridge. The room also had floor-to-ceiling windows, providing a breathtaking ocean view, and a balcony with two outdoor chairs to relax in. While the hotel is older, it is well-maintained and cared for.

We ate breakfast each day at the hotel’s restaurant, Lena’s Cafe, and lunch each day at the poolside bar, Canova Grille & Pool Bar. All food we had was delicious.

We also utilized the beach setup, renting two umbrellas, two lounge chairs, and a side table for a full day (9:00-5:00). The cost was $65.

The hotel’s location is extremely convenient, with a grocery store and Walmart located diagonally across the street. There are numerous restaurants located near the hotel as well. One of our favorites was Beachside Seafood. The food was excellent, and it was only a short drive down the street.

During our stay, we had the unforgettable experience of witnessing a launch of SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Although we were 32 miles south, the night sky still lit up like the sun was rising on the horizon. If you are lucky enough to visit during a launch, the hotel is in a perfect spot. We were able to see everything from our balcony.

Our hotel was located on a beautiful beach. The water was clear, and the sand was on the powdery side, making it comfortable on your feet while walking. Many small shells wash up along the shoreline, providing a variety to choose from as keepsakes or to decorate sandcastles.

The ocean’s waves were not too rough during our visit. The kids could boogie board, body surf, and jump waves without being overwhelmed. We saw many people kayaking, paddle boarding, and fishing. There are some rocks as you walk out past your thighs in the ocean. These rocks are to prevent erosion and can be hard on your feet, so be cautious as you make your way out into deeper water.

The beach was not crowded at all. We felt as if we had plenty of room to enjoy ourselves and never felt as if others were encroaching on our space.

Because we were only there for a few days and we knew we were headed to the hustle and bustle of Disney World, our stay in Melbourne Beach was fairly laidback. We mainly stayed at the hotel, enjoying the beach as a family. However, there is a plethora of things to do nearby.

Visit downtown Melbourne’s shops, restaurants, nightlife, and music.
Explore Eau Gallie Arts District’s art galleries, restaurants, shops, and murals.
Enjoy the water by fishing, boating, and kayaking.
Encounter animals and their habitats at The Brevard Zoo. The zoo also offers multiple add-on experiences such as giraffe feedings, rhino encounters, a kayaking tour, parrot feedings, and Treetop Trek.
Explore nature and the local wildlife at the Barrier Island Sanctuary and Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge.
Burn off energy at Rt 7 Adrenaline Warehouse, which has go-carts, axe throwing, a zip line, laser tag, a ninja warrior course, an arcade, mini bowling, and ballistics. Andretti Thrill Park is another option that has rides, bumper boats, multiple go-cart tracks, laser tag, batting cages, mini golf, a rock wall, and an arcade.
The Avenue Viara Shopping Center is a shopping center with restaurants and a movie theater.
Visit neighboring beaches that make up the Space Coast, including Cocoa Beach, Indialantic, and dog-friendly Canova Beach Park.
Drive to The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to experience the great unknown.