Cocoa Beach (1 hour, 5 minutes/70 miles)

Probably one of the most popular beaches near Orlando is the Alan Shepard Beach Park at Cocoa beach. It has long been a popular place for amateur surfers and casual beach goers alike. It’s also close to all kinds of stores, eateries and beach-bum retail shops. Facilities also include a 300-space parking lot, large picnic pavilions, showers and restrooms. In addition, there are also seasonal lifeguards on duty giving visiting families added peace of mind.

Daytona Beach (1 hour, 7 minutes/76 miles)

Comparing all the beaches near Orlando, Daytona Beach remains one of the Florida’s favorite destinations. You can drive the minivan onto the sand, park it and unload for an easy family day in the sun on lifeguard-patrolled beaches. Most noteworthy, this Florida vacation favorite also boasts a boardwalk and pier. There’s natural wonders and kid-friendly attractions like a beachfront park, water park and family entertainment center just blocks off the beach.

New Smyrna Beach (1 hour, 8 minutes/75 miles)

Quiet New Smyrna beach has 13 miles of sandy white shores and nearby nature preserves for your family to enjoy. Its offshore rock ledges create excellent wave breaks that, as a result, attract surfers from around the country. Surfboards and boogie boards can be rented at nearby shops so the whole family can get in on the fun.

Canaveral National Seashore (1 hour, 9 minutes/77 miles)

In state that’s surrounded by water on three sides, this beach truly stands apart from the crowd. Because there are no cars on the beach, no places to rent rafts or buy sodas, no pier parties, condos, or surf shops, no motels and no lights – it’s pristine. But all these “nos” probably make for a beach that looks exactly like it did 100 years ago. It’s full of large-grained sand heaped into big dunes and untouched by bulldozers or cars. Maybe it’s a little less “convenient” than other ocean-side spots, but most of all, this preserved beach is truly a can’t-miss for any Florida vacationer.

Melbourne Beach ( 1 hour, 24 minutes/85 miles)

It seems like Melbourne beach is almost always a Florida favorite because of its history. In 1715, a hurricane sank 11 Spanish ships just off Melbourne’s shores near Sebastian Inlet State Park. The McLarty Treasure Museum, just a few miles south, is said to be the site of a camp made by the Spanish survivors who worked for months to salvage gold and jewels from the reef that sank their ships. While they were there, they were attacked by the pirate Henry Jennings. Along with his larger crew he stole nearly 300,000 pieces of gold from the Spanish. You can visit the McLarty Treasure Museum with the family and learn more about Florida’s interesting history.

Times and distances are from the VillaDirect office, which is centrally located to all of our available rental homes at: 1420 Celebration Boulevard, Suite 200, Celebration, FL 34747