If you find yourself on a Caribbean cruise, there is a good chance you will start your journey or make a stop at Florida’s Port Canaveral, one of the busiest cruise ports in the world!
With upwards of 5 million travelers passing through every year, it’s important to know what to do nearby should you find yourself with a day to spend on Florida’s Space Coast. Lucky for you, there are plenty of exciting things to do near Port Canaveral.
Want to know a fun fact about me? I worked on one of the world’s biggest cruise ships as a singer for almost a year.. AND we ported at Port Canaveral more than a dozen times. Here’s a pic of yours truly in front of the beauty – Anthem of the Seas!
Needless to say, I have a thing or two to say about this port and what is a must-do and what you can skip out on. Get ready for my top 6 things to do near Port Canaveral, as well as a few “not-dos” in the mix.
This post is all about the best things to do near Port Canaveral.
Top 6 Exciting Things to do Near Port Canaveral
1. Kennedy Space Center
Whenever anybody asks me what to do near Port Canaveral, I always suggest the Kennedy Space Center as the #1 choice. Why? Well to put it plainly – it’s not overly expensive, you will get to experience everything without feeling rushed, and it’s exciting fun for all ages.
When it comes to planning your 6-8 hour stay in Port Canaveral, timing really is everything. Whether you are booking an excursion through your cruise line or plan on grabbing an uber once you disembark for the day, getting to your planned activities always seems to take longer than expected.
Located just 17 miles from Port Canaveral (about a 25 minute drive), you won’t feel rushed or stressed getting to the Kennedy Space Center – which a huge plus when you’re not trying to get left behind by your own cruise ship!
Tickets right now are about $80 per person. (Much cheaper than a day at Universal or Disney!) Once you’re in, it’s time to explore everything KSC has to offer!
Attractions include:
- U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame
- Rocket Garden – Guided Tours of Nasa Rockets
- Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour – (a great behind the scenes tour of restricted areas, including SpaceX’s launching area!)
- Apollo Treasures Gallery – see a real Apollo spacecraft and artifacts
- Space Shuttle Atlantis – interactive exhibit (this was my favorite!)
And sooo much more!
In short, in terms of the best things to do near Port Canaveral, this will always be my go-to. It’s the best bang for your buck, the best way to fill the day without worrying about time, and adults and kids alike will be amazed by the wonder of real-life rockets!
2. Cocoa Beach
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If you’re less of a space museum person and more of a sit on the beach with a cocktail person, then Cocoa Beach is the destination for you during your day at Port Canaveral.
Just about a 15 minute drive north of the port, you will find miles and miles of beach complete with restaurants, bars, hotels, and water sport activities. You’ll want to check out the Cocoa Beach Pier for beach rentals, fresh seafood, live entertainment, and even surfing lessons!
Near Cocoa Beach are must-stop destinations including the original Ron Jon Surf Shop as well as The Dinosaur Store! Whether you shop til you drop, take surfing lessons, or just find a nice spot on the beach, Cocoa Beach has all you could want for a perfect beach day near Port Canaveral.
3. Airboat Rides
If you’re the extra-adventurous type (and you’re not too scared of alligators), then an Airboat Ride is the perfect adventure for a thrill-seeker’s day in Port Canaveral.
Airboat Rides are a great way to explore the nearby rivers and wetlands of the Port Canaveral and Orlando area. There are lots of different Airboat Ride companies near the port, each offering great opportunities to see the natural beauty of Florida’s wetlands and wildlife.
Top Airboat Ride Excursions:
- Airboat Rides at Midway
- 30 minute drive from Port Canaveral
- Tours are guided by U.S. Coast Guard Captians
- After the boat ride, you are able to hold a real alligator and check out the gift shop
- 1 hour boat tours, tickets start at $50 per adult, $42.25 for kids
- Instagator Airboat Rides
- 23 minute drive from Port Canaveral
- Rides down St. John’s River in a 6-person tiered boat (guaranteed great view!)
- 1 hour tours start at $60 per person
- Capt. Duke’s Airboat Rides
- 30 minute drive from Port Canaveral
- 6-person boat
- 1 hour tours start at $55 per person – also offers 2 hour tours and sunset tours!
Check out any of these tours and be sure to book ahead of time to secure your spot to explore the rivers and wetlands of Florida!
4. Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge
If you’re more of the outdoorsy type, a day at Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge is the perfect choice for your time in Port Canaveral. Known for its fishing, birdwatching, hunting, hiking, and more, this 140,000 acre National Refuge is teeming with wildlife just waiting to be explored.
Located just 30 miles from Port Canaveral, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the refuge via any of the many hiking trails. Be sure to check out their most popular tour, the Black Point Wildlife Drive, a self-led tour by car that will expose you to all the wildlife that Merritt Island has to offer. There is even a Manatee Observation Deck where you can see Manatees in the wild.
Check out their website here to see all activities and special events they have to offer while your ported. This is definitely a great option when looking for the best things to do near Port Canaveral!
Hot Take: Don’t bother with Merritt Island Mall. There are not a lot of options and it is overall a bit disappointing. Check out the shops mentioned on Cocoa Beach instead. 😉
5. Cape Canaveral Lighthouse and Space Station Tours
The Canaveral Lighthouse and Space Station Tours is the absolute perfect thing to do if you’re looking to stay super close to the port. At just 1 mile from Port Canaveral (basically across the street!) this is a great activity if you’re looking to get back on the ship earlier in the day to enjoy some pool time.
The Cape Canaveral Lighthouse has been a fixture on Florida’s east coast for over 150 years. It has served as a guide for the US Coast Guard and been a premier witness to America’s most active launch site.
Located on (and owned by) the US Space Force Station, access to the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse is only available via a scheduled tour.
Tours are approximately 4 hours long. You will be driven to the Lighthouse, get a chance to climb the stairs, and visit the gift shop. Tours also include a stop at the Space Program Museums where you will see artifacts including real rockets!
Be sure to schedule your tour at least 2 days in advance. Check out their website here for more information as well as availability.
6. Disney World / Universal Studios
Last, but not least, is a more *controversial* suggestion. Not because Disney World and Universal aren’t awesome (because they are!) but because it’s debatable that this excursion is really worth your time when ported in Canaveral for the day.
When I was working on a ship, one of my cast mate’s mom took us to Universal for a day while she was cruising. It was a blast, but did leave me with some opinions on whether it’s really worth the time and money.
We booked our day at Universal through the cruise line, which is definitely the best way to plan your day. Disney and Universal are about 1 hour from the cruise port so you will definitely want to take advantage of the timely transportation included when you book through the cruise. Even if there is heavy traffic coming back, the ship will wait for you since it is a cruise excursion!
My cast mate’s mom treated us to Universal Studio’s Express Unlimited Tickets to both Universal Studios and Island of Adventure. This was extremely generous of her as these tickets are pricey.
Her intention was to make sure we would be able to get on as many rides as possible given park time dwindles to about 6 hours after transportation.
So… is it worth it?
Over those 6 hours we got on about 5 rides, had a Butter Beer at Hogwarts, and enjoyed a nice lunch at the CityWalk. All in all, it was a great day and so much fun! But that’s coming from a girl who was treated to the excursion.
With the add-on of the Universal Express Plus Passes for both parks and the transportation through the cruise line, the price comes to over $250 per person for just 6 hours of park time. In my opinion, that doesn’t sound worth the price.
What does sound worth the price is maybe purchasing regular tickets to just one of the Universal parks and enjoying as many rides as possible.
Another avenue would be to check out Disney World. Let me first say – Disney is usually more crowded than Universal, so it is possible you would have a tough time getting on lots of rides in just 6 hours. Personally, I think EPCOT would be your best pick. You could get on a ride first thing and then drink around the world until it’s time to go back out to sea!
The blog Eat Sleep Cruise has a great post about whether or not it’s worth it to go to Disney World as a cruise excursion. Head over to their post here to check it out!
So that rounds out the Top 6 Things to do near Port Canaveral. No matter what you choose to do, you will absolutely enjoy a memorable day on Florida’s Space Coast! Stay Fancy 🙂
