Cocoa Beach makes up a 6 mile stretch of Brevard County and the Space Coast. It is easily accessible from Orlando via SR 528, also known as the Beachline. At less than an hour drive from Orlando, it is the closest beach to Orlando International Airport (MCO), Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando and more!
It is situated 10 minutes from Port Canaveral where cruise ships set sail and less than 30 minutes to Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex.
In our opinion, it is recommended you have a car for your Cocoa Beach trip however, it isn’t completely necessary depending on what you plan to do when in town.
Special Note from us Locals: Cocoa is NOT Cocoa Beach. These are actually 2 very different cities each with their own distinct vibes and activities. Most notably, only Cocoa Beach has a beach. 🙂
Driving to Cocoa Beach:
- Sometimes flying is just HARD and you have a stricter limit on what can and cannot come. Driving from your destination is always an option. Not only can you save money by driving, it’s nice to have your own vehicle.
- Our central, East Coast location makes most drives an easy one. Major Interstates 75 and 95 both connect to SR 528 or SR520 that will bring you directly into Cocoa Beach.
- For specific, step by step directions, we suggest Google Maps.
Airports:
There are 2 airports within a 1-hour drive to Cocoa Beach.
Orlando International Airport (airport code MCO):
- This is approximately 25 miles from Cocoa Beach and about a 45-minute drive depending on the time of day.
- Pros: This is a large airport with a variety of airlines, flight schedules and often direct flight options. You can often find great low cost options flying into this airport. The “Beach Line” (aka SR528) makes it a literal straight shot to the beach from the airport to A1A which is the main road in Cocoa Beach that any home or hotel will be located off of. Two turns after a flight to get to your destination is a win in our opinion!
- Cons: It is a larger airport and very busy. It can be a bit more difficult to navigate so you have to pay close attention to signage when traveling.
Melbourne Orlando International Airport (airport code MLB):
- This is approximately 25 miles from Cocoa Beach and about a 45-minute drive depending on the time of day.
- Pros: As a regional airport, it is quick and easy to fly into and out of. Security lines are usually fast moving and since it’s smaller, there is a lot less to navigate.
- Cons: There are less airlines and therefore It is typically harder to find direct flights into Melbourne. We find it is often more expensive than flying to/ from Orlando as well. Because of traffic we find it can sometimes even take longer driving from Melbourne to Cocoa Beach versus Orlando to Cocoa Beach.
Airport Shuttles/ Rideshare Options:
- Cocoa Beach Shuttle: This is a reliable, local to Cocoa Beach service that has been around for as long as we can remember. They offer solo and group options to/ from the airport and will pick up and drop off directly to your door (or ours). 🙂 They offer shared services or private shuttles and operate around the clock.
- If you’re traveling with little ones, the do offer toddler car seats and booster seats for a minimal, additional fee. NOTE: They do NOT offer infant seats, though.
- Uber or Lyft are both options from the Orlando airport (Uber tends to be more readily available). They can be costly and vary dramatically based on the time of day, day of week, whether there is surge pricing, etc.
- First time Uber users enter code uv5yr for FREE ride credit
- First time Lyft users enter code N1021 for FREE ride credit
- PLEASE DO NOT ACCEPT RIDES FROM DRIVERS THAT ARE NOT PRE-SCHEDULED & SOLICITING RIDES AT THE AIRPORT!
Rental Vehicle Options:
- If you plan to get a rental vehicle, it is easiest to pick it up directly at the airport when you land and drive it into Cocoa Beach.
- We personally prefer using Enterprise Rent a Car or Turo Rental Car.
Car Seat Options:
- If possible, we always suggest traveling with your own car seats. However, we know that is not always an option.
- We suggest BabyQuip and as long as you schedule it accordingly, they’ll have it at the airport for you. We find this to be far more reliable and safer than renting a car seat from the rental car companies (where in our experience, we have seen non functional car seats, expired seats and more).
- Keep in mind that BabyQuip is a network of independently owned and operated individuals renting their gear. Experiences can differ from person to person so check reviews closely! If meeting at the airport, we suggest using the Orlando or Melbourne region for your search (i.e. by the airport you’re flying into) to save on mileage/ distance fees.
- If you need a stroller or any other baby gear that you’re not bringing (or if you’re staying at Southbound Stays, that isn’t supplied by us), they offer a lot of that, too.
If you’re looking for a place to stay on your Visit to Cocoa Beach, check out our Cocoa Beach vacation rentals, Visit Cocoa Beach and what to do in Cocoa Beach pages.