What to do in Port Canaveral?

[bangzoom6877]

We are sailing on the Norwegian Jewel in July, out of NYC. One of the ports it goes to is Port Canaveral, FL.

 

We have eliminated a couple of different things to do. One is any of the Orlando area theme parks. We go to Disney World every other year for 10 nights (own a timeshare on property), so we know we will be back in 2012. The other is Kennedy Space Center. The excursion through the ship is 7 hours long (and you can't return to the ship earlier unless you get your own cab or rent a car). We don't want to spend 7 hours there (we have 2 small children).

 

Our boys will be 4 and 6 when we go. Is there anything else there to do that you would recommend? We also need to do something where there is easy access to a rest room. Thanks!

[Orlando Vic]

We are sailing on the Norwegian Jewel in July, out of NYC. One of the ports it goes to is Port Canaveral, FL.

 

We have eliminated a couple of different things to do. One is any of the Orlando area theme parks. We go to Disney World every other year for 10 nights (own a timeshare on property), so we know we will be back in 2012. The other is Kennedy Space Center. The excursion through the ship is 7 hours long (and you can't return to the ship earlier unless you get your own cab or rent a car). We don't want to spend 7 hours there (we have 2 small children).

 

Our boys will be 4 and 6 when we go. Is there anything else there to do that you would recommend? We also need to do something where there is easy access to a rest room. Thanks!

 

Two options:

Canaveral National Seashore http://www.nps.gov/cana/index.htm

Cocoa Beach (Lori Wilson Park) http://www.beachhunter.net/cocoa-beach/lori-wilson-park.htm

[Little Ann]

We just returned from a cruise that left from Baltimore and had a stop in Port Canaveral. Our group of 9 including 3 children and two strollers, wanted to go to Cocoa Beach. When we got off the ship we were accosted by the tour operators who warned us not to try to get transportation to Cocoa Beach on our own. We walked past them and found a complimentary shuttle bus with a wonderfully friendly driver who assured us that his bus was indeed totally free and also provided a compimentary ride back to the ship again. The bus dropped us off in front of the Cocoa Beach Surf Company (next door to Ron Jons Surf shop). Inside the Cocoa beach Surf company is a tank with some fish and a shark that our three year olds loved. It was a short half block walk to the beach. You can rent equipment at the surf shop or walk down the beach a short ways for chair and umbrella rentals. There's a large clean public restroom right where the bus drops you off. Across the street is a McDonalds with free wifi, shopping and a wonderful Crab restaurant called Crabs on the Beach. We had all you can eat Blue Crabs with old bay seasoning for 19.99. The excursion cost us next to nothing and it was an excellent day.

[psblin99]

We just returned from a cruise that left from Baltimore and had a stop in Port Canaveral. Our group of 9 including 3 children and two strollers, wanted to go to Cocoa Beach. When we got off the ship we were accosted by the tour operators who warned us not to try to get transportation to Cocoa Beach on our own. We walked past them and found a complimentary shuttle bus with a wonderfully friendly driver who assured us that his bus was indeed totally free and also provided a compimentary ride back to the ship again. The bus dropped us off in front of the Cocoa Beach Surf Company (next door to Ron Jons Surf shop). Inside the Cocoa beach Surf company is a tank with some fish and a shark that our three year olds loved. It was a short half block walk to the beach. You can rent equipment at the surf shop or walk down the beach a short ways for chair and umbrella rentals. There's a large clean public restroom right where the bus drops you off. Across the street is a McDonalds with free wifi, shopping and a wonderful Crab restaurant called Crabs on the Beach. We had all you can eat Blue Crabs with old bay seasoning for 19.99. The excursion cost us next to nothing and it was an excellent day.

 

Glad you loved our area!