When most tourists end up on a Florida Beach, they see a wide
stretch of sand, perfectly combed, not a piece of seaweed in sight.
There's just one problem: that's not a real Florida beach. If you'd
like to experience a more natural alternative, check out either
section of the Canaveral National Seashore.
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The upper portion of Canaveral National
Seashore (Apollo Beach) is accessible from New Smyrna Beach, via
Rte. A1A. The southern section is known as Playalinda Beach, and
can be found at the end of State Rte. 402 (From Titusville, take
Rte. 406 east, to Rte. 402, which ends at the beach entrance). |
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The southern part ranked
as most interesting to me, since it's very near the Merritt Island
National Wildlife Refuge, and because it sits in the shadow of the launchpads at Cape Canaveral.
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Watch your speed once you're on National Park property. NPS
police keep a close eye on the road, and are anxious to hand out
lectures (or tickets!). |
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After you pay your $3 per person fee (National Park annual passes
accepted!), and enter the park, you'll drive for a few miles through
a marshy area, then make a sharp left turn. Now, you're on the
beach, heading north. A giant sand dune separates you from the
water. There are several staircases which will take you up, over,
and down, to the beach.
Since you're not far from the wildlife refuge, expect to see a
wide variety of beautiful...
...and not-quite-so-beautiful birds in the area.
From the beach itself, you won't be able to see the Cape
Canaveral launchpads. But you can see them from the top of the dune.
It would be a great place to watch space shuttle launches, except
that the park often closes on launch days, for safety reasons. The
nearby wildlife refuge will also be off limits, just before a
launch.
You won't find much else here--no pier, no snack bar, no
beachfront hotels. That isolation is part of the beach's charm.
