Florida’s Space Coast got its moniker for being close to the Kennedy Space Center.
It offers people the best view of the epic space shuttle launching, making this region popular across the United States.
However, there’s more to Space Coast than meets the eye.
This region in Florida is abundant in natural beauty, seen through its long winding coastlines of white-sand beaches.
It’s a haven for beach lovers who want to soak under the sun and a place for people looking for hidden gems.
You will find Space Coast’s real beauty in its towns and cities that thrive along its scenic coastlines.
One great example is Satellite Beach, a small coastal city nestled in the middle of this region.
Incorporated into cityhood in 1957, this relatively young city boasts white-sand beaches and crystal-clear turquoise waters.
Satellite Beach offers a wide array of outdoor activities, historical sites, a vibrant community, and of course, natural attractions.
So, what awaits you in this charming small coastal city on Space Coast?
Check out the 15 best things to do in Satellite Beach and its nearby places.
The most popular outdoor activity in Satellite Beach is swimming on its crystal-clear water beaches.
So, it’s a no-brainer that your visit there will mostly center on beaches.
Its most popular beach destination is the Pelican Beach Park along the 1525 Florida A1A.
It’s a great place to visit to start your Satellite Beach travel adventure.
This natural attraction in the city is an excellent place to host family bonding or picnic with friends, as it is equipped with spacious pavilions that you can rent.
In addition, it has picnic tables, barbeque grills, and other park amenities that make your visit there extra convenient.
Furthermore, Pelican Beach Park is near restaurants, hotels, and shops.
Aside from swimming on the beach, you can also do sunbathing, surfing, or playing outdoor sports.
You and your loved ones will have an epic time at Pelican Beach Park.
The Samsons Island Nature Preserve is an excellent natural attraction known for its exciting outdoor activities.
It is nestled along the Banana River that is part of the vast Indian River Lagoon.
You can enjoy hiking, fishing, bird watching, and biking at Samsons Island Nature Preserve.
In addition, you can enjoy wildlife viewing and get to see more than 30 different animal species thriving on the island.
Furthermore, the park has a camping site which allows visitors to stay the night there.
For an excellent way to enjoy Satellite Beach’s natural attractions while learning about its unique beach system, head to the Hightower Beach Park, located north of Pelican Beach Park.
Compared to Pelican Beach Park, Hightower Beach Park is best known for its unique beach and dune system known for its unspoiled and beautiful terrain.
There are signs located throughout Hightower Beach Park, making it a convenient beach destination for everyone.
The entire beach park covers more than 18 acres of dunes, while it has 2,800 feet of white sand beachfront where many turtles nest seasonally.
In addition, there is a wooden boardwalk spanning 560-foot that gives visitors a nice view of the beach.
The Satellite Beach Tennis Court is considered one of the busiest tennis complexes in the United States.
It is equipped with eight lighted tennis courts inside the DeSoto Recreation Complex.
This sports attraction in Satellite Beach is widely known for its tennis lessons for all ages and skill levels.
Its youth program is widely-recognized across Florida, with more than a hundred young tennis players taking part every summer.
If you’re up for a game of tennis, Satellite Beach Tennis Court is the best place you can play this sport.
Or perhaps enroll in its tennis program to uncover your huge potential in this exciting sport.
Compared to the Pelican Beach Park and Hightower Beach Park that’s frequently visited by many, the Gemini Beach Park offers a quieter environment.
It is best known to be less crowded, perfect for relaxing under the sun.
If you’re looking for a beach in Satellite Park with an unspoiled terrain, Gemini Beach Park is your go-to place.
The entire beach park is undeveloped, maintaining the unspoiled beauty of the native beaches of Space Coast.
This beach park is situated along with AIA between Park Avenue and Ellwood and accessed through biking or walking.
Since it’s undeveloped, there are no parking spaces in the area and amenities.
But the great thing is, you have the entire beach all for yourself.
In addition, Gemini Beach Park has dense green vegetation and vast dunes that make the area look more natural.
Even if it’s undeveloped, there are many outdoor activities to enjoy at Gemini Beach Park.
You can enjoy swimming, kitesurfing, surfing, skimboarding, windsurfing, sunbathing, kayaking, boating, etc.
One of the amazing things you can find in Satellite Beach is the Manatee Cove.
It’s where dozens of manatees or sea cows gather to stay warm.
It is located in a wide canal along DeSoto Parkway.
It’s where these manatees spend their time to stay warm, especially during the cold months.
It’s a popular tourist attraction that people often visit to watch these manatees squeeze themselves beside each other to stay warm.
People can watch the manatees but are prohibited from touching them to avoid these animals from being spooked out.
If you’re interested in manatees, it’s your perfect chance to catch a closer glimpse of them at the DeSoto Parkway’s canals.
But make sure to visit them during the cold months since they only swim there during this period.
The Atlantic Plaza is a popular shopping destination within Satellite Beach.
Built back in 1962, this shopping center spans about 14 acres featuring 20 stores ranging from clothing, cosmetics, services, and restaurants.
In addition, it has a fitness center where you can enroll for a few sessions during your visit to Satellite Beach.
If you’re looking for a place to shop for souvenirs or perhaps buy your essentials during your visit to Satellite Beach, Atlantic Plaza has virtually everything you want.
Atlantic Plaza is situated along Florida A1A.
S.P.R.A Park (short for South Patrick Residents Association) is a great place to bring your family for exciting outdoor activities by the beach.
This association came together to put up their neighborhood park, complete with all excellent amenities for everyone to enjoy.
Although the S.P.R.A Park is relatively small, about 0.83 acres, you may do outdoor activities such as surf fishing, swimming, and sports.
It has a dune crossover for surf-fishers and beachgoers who want to enjoy the beach park.
If you’re looking for a different place to swim or have a picnic and enjoy the fresh sea breeze, S.P.R.A Park is a great place to visit in Satellite Beach.
Satellite Beach’s coastline is filled with restaurants of all sizes, making this small city an ideal food destination.
With that in mind, set out on a food trip and try different cuisines, ranging from Italian to American classics.
If you’re craving Italian food, you can head to Puzino’s Pizza along S Patrick Dr #B.
This pizzeria is known for its authentic Italian pizza and dishes.
For those who want to eat classic American comfort food, they can head to Long Doggers, a popular diner that serves burgers, wings, seafood, salads, bowls, and their famous all-beef hotdog.
If you’re looking for more cuisines, you can continue your restaurant hopping.
These restaurants are also worth checking out: Banana River Cafe, Whiskey Beach Pub, Sun on the Beach, Da Kine Diego’s Insane Burrito, the Wicked Pineapple, Little Dos Mexican Cantina, Salty Bagel & Grill, and Surfin’ Turtle Ice Cream Shop, all located along Florida A1A.
Playgrounds are always fun to visit, especially if you bring your kids while touring around Satellite Beach.
With that in mind, Satellite Beach city has numerous playgrounds where kids can have an awesome time.
These playgrounds are located at Pelican Beach Park, Sports and Recreation Park, Cinnamon Park, and DeSoto Recreation Park.
These playgrounds are open for kids ages five to 12 years old.
Visiting these playgrounds somehow gives your kids or child the chance to tour the city.
If you’re an avid skateboarder, you can try out new tricks at the Satellite Beach Skate Park’s Street course.
This 12,000-square-foot skate park is a popular spot for skaters across Space Coast.
In addition, BMX riders can also use this skatepark, while those who want to enjoy this facility need to wear protective gear the entire time.
It is a great place to have a skate session and meet locals along the way.
Leonard J. DeFrancisci, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A 22-minute drive or 13 miles north of Satellite Beach takes you to the neighboring city of Cocoa Beach, where you can visit the Florida Surf Museum.
Florida’s Atlantic coast, including Space Coast, is considered a world-class surfing destination.
With that in mind, this region has an interesting history of the sport dating back to the mid-20th century.
Leonard J. DeFrancisci, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The museum’s exhibits display various surfboards, old photos, first-hand interviews, and memorabilia from famous surfers.
The Florida Surf Museum located along North Atlantic Avenue has a separate section dedicated to the world-famous surfers.
Even if you’re not a fan of surfing, the Florida Surf Museum is a place worth a visit.
Leonard J. DeFrancisci, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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A 19-minute drive or 12 miles northwest of Satellite Beach takes you to Brevard Zoo in Melbourne.
This local zoo is a popular tourist destination for its vast facility that houses exotic animals from rhinos, monkeys, and tigers.
There are many great things to experience at Brevard Zoo, especially when you’re bringing your kids.
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Instead of the common enclosures, the animals housed in this zoo have open-air habitats, giving you a more immersive experience.
There are more than 900 animals at Brevard Zoo to check out.
To level up your experience at the zoo, try joining the animal feeding sessions, riding its train tours, kayak tours, and aerial adventures.
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A 27-minute drive or 16-miles north of Satellite Beach takes you to Cape Canaveral, where you can see manatees up close at the Manatee Sanctuary Park.
This 10-acre sanctuary park is situated along the Banana River, where visitors are guaranteed to see the gentle sea cows or manatees freely roaming in this protected area.
The Manatee Sanctuary Park also serves as their breeding ground to grow their numbers.
It’s a fun place to visit to take a closer look at manatees commonly seen along the sanctuary’s boardwalk to feed on seagrass.
In addition, the sanctuary park has nice park amenities such as trails, picnic tables, covered pavilions, and grills.
Leonard J. DeFrancisci, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A 36-minute drive or 25.7-miles south of Satellite Beach takes you to McLarty Treasure Museum in Vero Beach.
Until today, modern-day treasure hunters are still searching for the remains of the 11 Spanish galleons carrying silver, gold, and copper treasures that were lost off the Florida coast in 1715 due to a storm.
The museum is situated along Orchid Island in Vero Beach.
Leonard J. DeFrancisci, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
It features a wide array of exhibits featuring the history of the ill-fated fleet through replicas and artifacts.
In addition, there’s an observation deck that has a nice view of the Atlantic Ocean.
Visiting this museum in Vero Beach is a one-of-a-kind experience, and there is much interesting historical information to learn there.
Jkmscott, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Satellite Beach is no doubt a beach lover’s destination.
However, there are many things and activities worthy of discovering.
Its location being in the middle of Space Coast makes it an excellent jumping point to explore the entire region in Florida.
If you’re looking for a less-crowded top-notch beach destination, it would be great to consider Satellite Beach.
Lastly, don’t forget to bookmark this post for an instant itinerary when you’re ready to travel to Satellite Beach.
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