1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,840 Where can you go to experience rocket launches, beach and surf vibes, and a set sail on a cruise? 2 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:10,320 Legendary Cocoa Beach on Florida Space Coast, the closest beach to Orlando, 3 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:15,520 and a gateway to Port Canaveral. I traveled to Cocoa Beach to record these podcasts, 4 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:21,360 and meet both local experts and fellow travelers, many families, solo female adventures, 5 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:27,040 and groups experiencing Cocoa Beach before and after their epic cruise vacation. 6 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:31,760 In the next three podcasts, we're taking you on a trip with the locals to this family-friendly, 7 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:38,080 great American beach, and combining food, outdoor adventure, and top tips for your pre- and post-cruise 8 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:44,960 adventures. In this first podcast, we'll cover great food, hotels, and art, and beaches to discover, 9 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:50,880 of course, including where to see those rocket launches. So let's set sail for Cocoa Beach. 10 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:55,440 It's the Travels with Darley Podcast, where we take you on location to experience top 11 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:57,600 travels with the locals as our guides. 12 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:08,480 My adventure to Cocoa Beach started with a trip from the Orlando International Airport 13 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,160 to the Cocoa Beach area. My consulting producer, Evelyn Kwan Green, 14 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:16,320 traveled with me, and we hopped aboard the Cocoa Beach Express Shuttle bus. 15 00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:21,600 It was easy to find, and I'll cover that in depth in my third podcast in this series, 16 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:27,280 which covers lots of logistics and travel hacks for the Cocoa Beach area. The Cocoa Beach Express Shuttle bus 17 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:33,360 took us to our hotel, the Radisson Resort at the Port, located in Cape Canaveral, which is just 18 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:39,440 about a 10 to 15-minute drive from downtown Cocoa Beach. The shuttle works with a variety of hotels, 19 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:44,800 like Four Points Cocoa Beach Suites. It can also be booked individually too, so if it's not included 20 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:50,320 in your hotel or pre- or post-cruise package, you can book it on your own for more wallet-friendly 21 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:56,560 transfer. After arriving to the Radisson Resort at the Port, we got settled into the Tiki Bar 22 00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:04,400 and poolside vibes before heading to downtown Cocoa Beach to eat. With access to 72 miles of 23 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:11,600 shoreline and lots of powdery sand, Cocoa Beach offers diverse dining options, many of them right 24 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:18,400 along or steps away from the beach, places like Longboard's Tiki Beach Grille and Castaway Beach Bar 25 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:25,040 bring beachside tiki vibes and you can find lots of local seafood, craft beer haunts, wine bars, 26 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:31,600 and casual and upscale dining, along with long-time vocals favorites, like Coconuts on the Beach. 27 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:37,840 Most of all dining here, as most people on Cocoa Beach would describe the area, is comfortable. 28 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:43,680 A top locals hang out is 4th Street Fillin Station in Cocoa Beach, where you can find an extensive 29 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:50,480 craft beer menu alongside tacos, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes, a house-made ice cream bar, 30 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:56,400 an indoor and outdoor seating to fit every mood. As the name alludes, it's located in an old 31 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:01,520 Mobile Gas station. Well, this was an old gas station. Had a beautiful oak tree in the backyard and 32 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:07,040 we just decided to make it, you know, like it was our backyard at home, you know, super comfortable, 33 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:12,000 super enjoyable, a lot of landscaping, a lot of shade, get the ocean breeze so it stays cool most of 34 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:18,800 time. That's Daniel Todd, 4th Street's owner and a restaurant entrepreneur who sat down with me to 35 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:24,720 share the inspiration behind this innovative and popular restaurant and gastropub, which offers 36 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:30,720 breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert, just a block and a half from the ocean in downtown Coco Beach. 37 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:35,360 We had a bunch of tools that were left over at this place so we used that to make like tables and 38 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:40,480 used it in some of our like design and some of our detail work. We have shelves made of old tools 39 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:46,160 and car parts and a couple of the main tables in the dining room are made out of the car lifts 40 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:51,760 that were here that we modified and did some like custom art kind of customization to the inside of 41 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:58,240 the table. So we just tried to keep with the service gas station kind of theme. On my visit, 42 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:03,920 the staff is getting set up for a graduation party under the shade of the 100-year-old oak tree 43 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:09,520 outback. You know, the menu is set up so we can, you know, have a five-year-old's birthday party 44 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:13,440 and then literally we can have like a 75-year-old's birthday party. So we have, you know, something for 45 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:18,960 all the generations. So we're a big spot for celebrations and family gatherings, you know, when 46 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:24,480 there's kids and elders and young and old, so it's kind of neat. One of their best sellers is the 47 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:31,200 Mahi tacos, but many families with food sensitivities also flock to this Coco Beach establishment 48 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:36,640 because the menu caters to them. We smoke a lot of our own meat, so we smoke pork and our wings 49 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:42,400 We're known for our chicken wings. They're smoked and then grilled, so people love those, but we have a 50 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:47,440 big menu, diverse menu. It's, it's, we've tried to make it smaller, but people love it, so we just 51 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:52,160 started to get rid of items when people love everything. And you have plant-based stuff as well? Yeah, 52 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:57,920 yep. A lot of plant-based menus, probably 20% of our menus may be plant-based. How many beers do you have? 53 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:04,880 Usually around 120 and that fluctuates. A sweet gray hound dog is chilling by the 54 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:10,640 bar while his owner contemplates which beer to try. Dog friendly, yeah, we've had some people bring 55 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:16,880 chickens in and bunnies and pigs, so we kind of have to let dogs only typically. I had a, I saw a 56 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:21,200 chicken out on the road last night, yeah, like a guy with a chicken. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's 57 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:28,720 the same guy. Okay. Outside, I get to meet Daniel's daughter, who is definitely the apple of his eye, 58 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:35,760 before diving into a meal, and of course, a beer, so I can give a thorough review. The 4th Street 59 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:41,760 smash burger, chicken and waffles, corn on the cob, rolled in sriracha mayo and sprinkled with 60 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:47,680 chili powder cheese, cilantro, and lime. Are just a few of the specialties which catch my eye. 61 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:53,760 The chicken and waffles are super tasty. If you've ever been to Belgium or know about Leige, 62 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:59,440 you'll know that this style of Belgian waffle, which originates from the Leige area of Belgium, 63 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:04,240 comes encrusted in sugar, and I'm impressed that it's a Leige style of waffles, 64 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:10,480 topped with chicken here that makes the menu. It's complemented by spicy maple sriracha syrup, 65 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:15,280 cinnamon butter, and powdered sugar. As I look around the 4th Street Fillin Station, 66 00:06:15,280 --> 00:06:21,200 I see a variety of cool art on the walls. Looks like it's made from old pieces of plastic and other 67 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:27,120 items, sort of in a collage. Daniel tells me that this art is actually made from trash, recovered 68 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:32,320 from the beaches and area waterways. A local artist decided to make this trash into treasures. 69 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:38,720 That artist is Cory Redwine, who is my next stop on this adventure. Daniel makes a call and 70 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:44,800 we're often an Uber, not far from Cocoa Beach to Merritt Island. It's located between Cocoa and 71 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:50,480 Cocoa Beach on Florida's Central East Coast, and it's home to NASA's Kennedy Space Center, 72 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:55,760 a National Wildlife Refuge, and a place where people can take those nighttime bioluminescent 73 00:06:55,760 --> 00:07:01,920 kayaking tours. Cory Redwine has her home studio there. Corey started turning trash into art 74 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:08,960 a few years ago. Her home is eclectic with chickens, a pet pigeon, and a very cute dog. We head out back 75 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:14,560 by the water to a colorful picnic bench to hear more about her story. And where in Cocoa Beach, 76 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:22,000 you can find her art. I started with walking the beaches and my husband's a marine artist. I pick up 77 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:27,760 trash while we were getting our exercise in, and I started realizing that there were some fun 78 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:35,360 little plasticy pieces, so I'd wear a little belly bag and keep the good trash, if you will. And 79 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:41,760 Derrick one day was like, babe, why don't you make something with it instead of bringing it home 80 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:48,080 and putting it in the trash in the whole landfill? The pieces Cory collects end up being reused 81 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:52,400 and recycled, and you can find them in restaurants throughout the Cocoa Beach area, 82 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:58,960 including 4th Street Fillin Station. You can go to Rising Tide. I have a really nice piece in 83 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:07,120 their resties in the Port. I've got a piece in Grilles, and I'm going to be making a piece for 84 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:14,320 Sarah and Daniel's new place, Dirty Birds. We head into Cory's studio, but this is the she shed, 85 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:23,120 and here's some of some of my older fun art, right? Cory's holding up a large blue 86 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:29,520 work in the shape of a star with all blue tinted plastics from various time periods in history. 87 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:39,200 Used to be my husband's tackle room, not anymore. I've taken it over as you can see, but this is literally 88 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:45,600 all stuff I've found off the beach. Like look, tooth, tooth brushes. That's insane. She can literally make 89 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:52,320 anything look artistic. There are doll heads, combs, yellow plastic lemons and old ketch-up bottles, 90 00:08:52,320 --> 00:09:00,080 baby shoes, all being turned into art. For travelers seeking art or eco-adventures while in the 91 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:06,000 Cocoa Beach area, Merritt Island is home to the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands and the Merritt Island 92 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:12,720 National Wildlife Refuge, with over 50 miles of trails that can be hiked or biked, back in Cocoa Beach. 93 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:18,080 The Cocoa Beach Pier is another great place to take in ocean views and check out surfers. 94 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:23,600 You can rent fishing gear, beach rentals and surf gear right there. Another fun attraction with 95 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:30,240 a great pier is Jetty Park and it's where we're heading next. Jetty Park is one of the most popular 96 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:38,400 beaches in the Cocoa Beach area with an ADA accessible fishing pier and 4.5 acres of beach front to enjoy. 97 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:44,560 It's located in Cape Canaveral. Evelyn and I walk through a sandy stretch of dunes down a path 98 00:09:44,560 --> 00:09:50,240 to reach the beach. Now made it to Jetty Park checking out what the beaches at Cocoa Beach and 99 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:57,760 Port Canaveral are like and they're packed today because it's gorgeous out. You can go fishing here 100 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:06,240 on the pier. They've got boating, they've got bike rentals, you can do camping and the campsites 101 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:11,920 are right here right by the beach which is pretty awesome. There are lots of people out fishing from 102 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:18,320 the pier today along with people watching powerboats whiz by some of whom may be gearing up for Thunder 103 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:24,000 on Cocoa Beach. It's pretty cool to just across the water I spot one of the rocket launching pads. 104 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:30,720 Jetty Park is a great place to watch many launches. Travelers can plan to be here to watch 105 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:36,160 your rocket launch and then run a surfboard or perhaps grill out in the picnic area where I walk 106 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:43,440 over and also spot solar panels adding to an eco-friendly slant to Jetty Park. A campground nearby 107 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:48,080 seems to be a-buzz with campers and their RVs enjoying their own relaxed beach escape. 108 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:55,600 While many families seem to stay and play at Jetty Park, we also wanted to check out family 109 00:10:55,600 --> 00:11:00,720 friendly and still wallet friendly accommodations in the area. So in addition to our hotel, the 110 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:08,160 Radisson Resort at the Port, we went to another locally recommended hotel. Family friendly fun is on 111 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:14,560 tap at Beachside Hotel & Suites, located in Cocoa Beach across from the famous Ron Jon Surf Shop 112 00:11:14,560 --> 00:11:21,680 and Cocoa Beach Surf Company. I'm taking a tour with Suzanne McCarthy. Tall with long blonde hair and 113 00:11:21,680 --> 00:11:28,160 hot pink nails, she looks beachy cool when I meet her in the lobby of this retro hotel from the 1960s. 114 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:35,440 It's been remodeled with funky colors murals by local artists and 1960s decor. Tell us what makes 115 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:41,120 Beachside Hotel & Suites different. Well we are the funnest hotel in Cocoa Beach, 116 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:47,120 that's me throwing my hands up. As I love when a hotel throws it down to declare that they are the 117 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:53,840 most fun and Suzanne strives to make the experience even more fun. We need this in our lives, 118 00:11:53,840 --> 00:12:00,080 especially on vacation. We have a lazy river that we do dive-in movies in the evening with our big 119 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:07,120 projector TV. We also have all kinds of games for the kids on the weekends. Being Orlando's closest 120 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:12,160 beach, Cocoa Beach is a great destination for people to add on to the beginning or end of their 121 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:17,920 cruise and with many families hopping aboard Disney Cruise Lines from the Cocoa Beach area and Port 122 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:24,240 Canaveral, hotels like Beachside Hotel & Suites cater to these families with lots of activities. 123 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:29,680 16 different restaurants and shops that you can go to within walking distance from here. So it's a great 124 00:12:29,680 --> 00:12:36,160 central location. We also do a lot of the Fly, Snooze and Cruise and the parking cruise packages. 125 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:41,600 So typically on average weekend we'll have a hundred in hundred out rooms for all the cruisers. 126 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:47,200 And then we have a mermaid show today which will be starting in about 30 minutes. 127 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:52,880 I'm not exactly sure what the mermaid show entails but I'm all in. Suzanne takes me outside to the 128 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:59,120 lazy river where DJ is spinning beach boys hits and kids are playing a giant game of Tic Tac Toe. 129 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:05,360 The song reminds me of the pop culture fame that added to Coco Beach's legendary Surfers Paradise 130 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:12,400 status, including references in songs like the Beach Boys Surfin' USA and films like I Dream of Jeannie. 131 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:18,320 I see hula hoops, bright murals and lots of tropical flowers and greenery amid areas to play, 132 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:25,120 lounge by the lazy river and even a mini beach complete with sand. We step over to the Tiki bar area 133 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:29,920 and head inside the duck dive bar whose windows are lined with yellow duckies outfitted with 134 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:37,200 Hawaiian necklaces. Inside is a large black and white photo showing what the old 1965 motel used to look like. 135 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:43,200 And it's the perfect place for me to grab a tall frosty drink. I notice that it's not just families 136 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:49,600 here but other groups and even meetings staying at Beachside. With a very tall drink in hand I head out 137 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:55,520 to rest in one of the large orange red or teal Adirondack chairs amid the sand listening to 138 00:13:55,520 --> 00:14:02,320 the DJ spin tunes and literally taking a trip back in time. I awake from a mini rest to hear that 139 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:07,760 the mermaid is on her way to the pool. A man in a beach theme button down in sunglasses is wheeling 140 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:12,800 her over on a low cart, low enough so she could slide right from it into the pool water. 141 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:19,360 With her long blonde hair bright pink top and iridescent mermaid fins she's ready for her pool plunge. 142 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:25,200 About eight or so kids swim over to greet her relegating their innertubes to the wilds of the 143 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:30,320 lazy river. I can certainly see why families want to stay here pre or post-cruise. 144 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:38,320 Whether you stay and play at Jetty Park, the Radisson Resort at the Port, Beachside Hotel & 145 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:44,960 Suites or somewhere else, keep in mind that in the Cocoa beach area many hotels offer special rates 146 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:50,960 and packages year round to help families and groups save, whether you're seeking a budget friendly 147 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:57,920 or luxury property. If you're a veteran or AARP member or work through your travel advisor you can 148 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:03,920 also find special perks on amenities or other deals. The Snooze and Cruise package which includes a 149 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:08,720 one night stay and participating hotels and round trip transportation to the nearby Port 150 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:15,600 Canaveral for cruises is also popular for pre and post cruising adventures. Stay tuned for our next 151 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:21,040 legendary Cocoa Beach podcast where we're exploring downtown with the locals and other adventures 152 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:27,360 and events in the Cocoa Beach area and our final podcast will break down your best travel logistics 153 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:32,960 with travel hacks for pre and post cruising. Thanks for listening. Now it's time for me to get a 154 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:37,360 frosty coconut drink back at Coconuts on the Beach. I'll see you next time!