Cocoa Beach, along Florida's Space Coast, makes for an out-of-this-world family vacation. Your group can ride some waves, check out Cocoa Beach's world-famous pier, marvel at Ron Jon's, the world's largest surf shop, hike through nature preserves, and explore mankind's greatest journey at the nearby Kennedy Space Center. NASA's launch headquarters is the only place on Earth where you can tour launch-pad areas, meet a veteran astronaut, see giant rockets, train in spaceflight simulators and – if your timing is just right – even view a launch. Don’t miss the historic Cocoa Village of Cocoa Beach, a revitalized, nostalgic riverside community with more than 50 shops, restaurants, galleries and artist studios. And remember this: Cocoa Beach is only an hour’s drive east of Orlando, making it a great day trip for theme park visitors.