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Trav L. Moore
Trav L. Moore and his priceLESS peeps are eager to offer you their two cents on where to go and what to do to find the most fun for the least funds.
Moore Shore Things to Do on the Cheap in Cocoa Beach
Looking forward to time on the water with the kids but don’t want to sink your budget? Here are some tips from Trav on what not to miss.
H2-OH Wow
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Here's a natural choice. Head to the Barrier Island Sanctuary and Education Center. Nowhere else do you have access to the ocean, lagoon, and everything in between for free. You’ll find the observation deck, boardwalk, and overlook ideal for soaking up ocean views. The one-mile hiking trail of island sand dunes, forested mangroves, and restored habitat is both invigorating and inspiring. And the oceanfront coastal biology center in the middle of it all, with its aquariums, exhibits, eco-themed movies, and nature programs, is richly informative and well worth the trip.
Don’t miss the boat. Book your kiddos on a two-hour Sail Cocoa Beach cruise aboard one of the only 35-foot Lagoon catamarans in the world. The captain and his crew will take you on a memorable journey past Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach to the open ocean and back. Along the way, your kids will have a chance to see dolphins, enjoy drinks and light snacks, and even color if they want (no kidding, these guys have coloring books onboard). But here’s the best part. KIDS SAIL FREE if you buy an adult ticket. Catch some waves while you reel in some great memories.
Visit the Florida Surf Museum with the kiddos and let the cool factor of this recently completed exhibit space wash over you. From rare boards to vintage DSPs (short for decals, stickers, and patches), hall of famers to big-wave pioneers, surf music to throwback photos—there are tons of things to check out. Documents, videos, special recordings, and colorful displays chronicle the history and lore of Florida’s wave culture. After all that, you can’t help but be stoked. A $2 donation is requested in exchange for admission.
Sky’s The Limit
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Time to travel back in time. Grab your crew and head to the American Space Museum. Located less than 15 miles from the Kennedy Space Center launchpads, this collection of historic artifacts shared by the people intimately involved in the country’s Space Race, Space Shuttle program, and Apollo missions includes things you won’t see or experience anywhere else. There are actual working consoles from 1962 that were used to send satellites into orbit and audio tapes of the launches to help you experience the moment of liftoff. You’ll find space suits, flight manuals, flown-in-space gear, ground support equipment, and more, along with a made-to-scale space shuttle launch control center, a launch pad, and a sequencer. All of it is designed to leave you over the moon. Admission is free for kids aged 12 and under and $5 for visitors aged 13-18.
Ready for a celestial treat? Discover Frosty-Nauts, the rolled ice cream sensation that’s simply "out of this world." Your kids will go crazy over this heavenly concoction, and not just because it’s fun to eat. Kids love watching their liquid ice cream being poured on a super-cold metal surface and rolled up with tasty mix-ins before it lands in a taco shell-shaped, brightly colored waffle cone. Pop on the garnish and goodies and they'll be on cloud nine. Cool, huh? Note: Like the planets, Frosty-Nauts is on the move. To get your fix, check their mobile location.
If you're in the mood to make a splash, head to Cape Canaveral Beach Resort and take the family floating down the lazy river or end the day with a stroll along the beach.
History Lesson
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Follow the yellow brick road to the Wizard of Oz Museum. Like the twister that transported Dorothy and Toto, this hidden gem takes you to the world of "oohs" and "ahhs." There are dolls, comics, toys, maps, original 1939 movie props and costumes, collectible figurines, posters, and fine first editions (including the earliest recorded copy of the book from 1900), plus plenty of surprises (and photo ops) along the way. During your visit, don't miss the fully immersive trip to Oz complete with munchkins, poppy fields, and the infamous yellow brick road, an interactive animal scavenger hunt for kids with prizes and, of course, those magical ruby slippers. Admission is $14.99 for kids.
Bring the kiddos out of their shells on a Turtle Night Walk. These educational turtle watches are an experience you and your family will never forget. You’ll get the chance to witness a loggerhead sea turtle lay her eggs, cover and disguise her nest, crawl down the beach, and swim away into the Atlantic Ocean. While there are no guarantees that you’ll see actual nesting (it's up to Mother Nature and the sea turtles, after all), you are in the right place (the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge is the second-largest loggerhead nesting site in the world) at the right time (June through July). Reservations for these guided walks are required. Make yours soon, as they fill up fast. Walks range in price from $15-$20. Make reservations for 2024 via the links below. The Sea Turtle Conservancy (https://conserveturtles.org/barrier-island-center-educational-programs/), Friends of the Carr Refuge (https://www.carrrefuge.org/nighttime-turtle-walks), Friends of Sebastian Inlet State Park (http://www.fsispturtlewalk.org/)
There’s little doubt your kids will dig a trip to the Museum of Dinosaurs and Ancient Cultures. This amazing spot inside Cocoa Beach’s Dinosaur Store will take you back in time thanks to one of the most incredible collections of fossils and minerals in the world. At the Hall of Dinos, you’ll find some 80 taxidermy specimens alongside larger-than-life prehistoric skeletons. There are even dinosaur eggs, teeth, and claws to see. And that’s just on one floor. Head upstairs and you’ll be wowed by 5,000 years of cultural history from Egypt, Mesoamerica, China, and Africa that’s been unearthed. Kids can keep the fun going in the museum's digging area in the Adventure Zone, where they can uncover fossils in the Egyptian ruins or pan for minerals. General admission is $12 for kids. Access to the museum and the Adventure Zone is $22.
There you have it. Proof big fun doesn’t have to come with a big price tag. But make no mistake—this is only a start. There are plenty more ways to make priceLESS vacation memories along Florida’s Space Coast.
Any information provided is solely as a courtesy and is not due to compensation or business partnerships with Holiday Inn Club Vacations. Prices subject to change.