Tips for Visiting the Closest Beach to Orlando

If you’re traveling to Disney World during the cold winter months, you might be wishing you could stop by a warm, sunny beach during your trip.

Sometimes there’s more to do outside Disney World!

Orlando, Florida, however, is located in Central Florida, which means getting to the Atlantic Ocean does take a bit of planning in advance. Thankfully there is a beach close to Disney World and we’re here with all the info you need for your Florida beach day!

What IS the closest beach to Orlando?

If you’re looking for the beach that’s closest to Disney World, Cocoa Beach is where you need to go! Located a little over an hour from Disney World, Cocoa Beach is easy to get to via the 528 Beachline Expressway Toll Road.

Cocoa Beach is located on Florida’s Space Coast, which means it’s much more than just ocean and sand. It’s home to tons of dining and shopping options and overall it features six miles of beaches, including three oceanfront parks.

Note that if you don’t want to drive to Cocoa Beach, there are several shuttle options you can look into! Many of these shuttles will pick you up from Disney World so you don’t have to worry about renting a car or finding a taxi/rideshare service that will drive you an hour.

And because it’s the closest beach to Orlando, Cocoa Beach can get crowded at times, so that’s something to consider if you’re picturing a peaceful beachside day. But there’s plenty to do!

What is there to do in Cocoa Beach?

There really is a lot more to do at Cocoa Beach than just relaxing on the sand (although that sounds amazing too!).

The Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier is home to tons of fun ways to spend the day at the beach, with 800 feet of shops, restaurants, bars, and even live entertainment. If you prefer to do more than just lie on the sand and frolic in the ocean, this might be a good spot to visit.

You can also visit the largest surf shop in the world at Cocoa Beach — the Ron Jon Surf Shop! Spanning 52,000 square feet, this store is open 24 hours a day and you can shop for clothing as well as surf and skate gear. Also located inside the shop is the Florida Surf Museum, which showcases the history of surfing at Cocoa Beach.

If you’re interested in going on an adventure, you can typically rent paddle boards and kayaks, and you can even take kitesurfing and surfing lessons! Cocoa Beach is known for having calm waves, which makes it a great place to learn how to surf. You may need to book any lessons ahead of time, so keep that in mind during the planning process.

With everything there is to do at Cocoa Beach plus the travel time, you could easily spend an entire day there.

Should I add a day to my trip?

While you can theoretically get to Cocoa Beach and back to Disney World in a little over two hours total, you might want to plan to spend a full day there. This means it’s a good idea to plan your beach day in advance, especially when buying your Disney World tickets.

©Brevard County Government | Lori Wilson Park

If you plan to rent a shuttle, you probably want to book it in advance and build in a full-day trip, considering the drop-off and pick-up times may be limited. You don’t want to get all the way to Disney World to find out there are no shuttles available!

And if you do decide to drive, be advised that many parking lots on Cocoa Beach will charge you between $15 to $20 for the day.

If you prefer to stay in Disney World but you’re still craving that beachy feel, you can choose to stay at hotels like Disney’s Beach Club or Caribbean Beach Resort, which have some of those beach vibes (without the Atlantic Ocean).