Discover Merritt Island

There are several themes to consider when planning a stay in Merritt Island: nature trails and wildlife watching, a windsurfing area, local history, and space exploration. If you’re looking for accommodation, it can help to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip. Would you mainly like to hike, explore different landscapes, or visit exhibits and historic sites? Each of the destinations mentioned offers a different focus.

Nature Trails and Landscapes

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge generally offers flat walking and hiking trails. Ulumay Sanctuary also offers opportunities for hiking. At Pine Island Conservation Area, trail distances are linked to different activities: there are more than 7 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, as well as about 3 miles of kayak trails with access to the Indian River Lagoon. These figures therefore do not describe the same route or type of use.

The trails at Pine Island Conservation Area pass through pine flatwoods, cabbage palm hammocks, mangrove swamps, freshwater wetlands, and salt marshes. The trail description thus covers both wooded areas and different types of wetlands. The distinction between activities is also useful when planning: the more than 7 miles refers to hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, while the approximately 3 miles refers to kayak trails.

Another kind of nature route is Black Point Wildlife Drive. It is 7 miles long, one-way only, and located within Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. It follows a causeway around shallow marsh waters and through pine flatwoods. The route description thus combines a set direction of travel with landscapes also mentioned in connection with the trails at Pine Island Conservation Area.

Windsurfing and Nature in the Surrounding Area

Kelly Park East is an internationally recognized windsurfing area on the Banana River. Nearby, Playalinda Beach offers opportunities for beach visits, wildlife watching, and viewing rocket launches. The destinations therefore differ both in their designation as a windsurfing area and in the activities mentioned for Playalinda Beach.

The southern part of Canaveral National Seashore is also part of the wider regional context: it is jointly managed by the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. This regional management adds context to the specific nature and trail themes without equating them with a single route.

History, Exhibits, and Space Exploration

Rotary Park Nature Center offers exhibits, tours, and classes. At Sams House at Pine Island, the history of the home takes center stage: it includes the 1875 Sams family cabin, described as the oldest standing residence in Brevard County. A nature center with a variety of offerings and a historic building with a specific date thus represent different cultural focuses.

Veterans Memorial Center Museum displays exhibits and artifacts relating to U.S. military history, with a particular focus on veterans from Brevard County. This adds a clearly defined regional focus to the local history. Space exploration is a different case: the Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour is the only way to access restricted areas of NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center.

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex features Space Shuttle Atlantis® and the Shuttle Launch Experience®. Which offerings are included with admission may change, so check what is currently included before your visit. Together, nature trails, historic sites, museum themes, and space exploration offer different points of reference for choosing the focus of your stay.

Explore more destinations: Indialantic, June Park, Satellite Beach, West Melbourne, Melbourne, Cocoa, Rockledge, South Patrick Shores

For the broader travel overview: Brevard.