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Banana River Aquatic Preserve is nestled between Merritt Island on one side and a beach barrier island on the other. The 30,000-acre preserve has a number of parks and boat ramps that provide direct, easy access to visitors with their own or rented boats and kayaks. These include Banana River Park, Kiwanis Island Park, Cocoa Beach Recreational Complex, and Kelly Park, among others. The north end of Banana River is home to a large manatee population year-round, but visitors will also see a large pelican rookery and significant numbers of diamondback terrapin turtles and alligators. Ulumay Wildlife Sanctuary in the preserve is a bird watcher’s paradise.

Address: US Highway A1A, Merritt Island, FL, Phone: 772-429-2995

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Visit the pelican rookery at Banana River Aquatic Preserve Go fishing at the famous Cocoa Beach Pier See local history exhibits at Exploration Tower Learn about East Coast surfing at Florida Surf Museum Walk the mile-long nature trail at the Helen & Allan Cruickshank Sanctuary Go shopping at Historic Cocoa Village Take a guided tour with an astronaut at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Have a picnic in Lori Wilson Park Enjoy exhilarating birds-eye view with Cocoa Beach and Thousand Islands Helicopter Tour Tour Sands Space & History Center Watch Cape Canaveral launches from Shepard Park Have lunch at The Fat Snook, a casual beachside restaurant Take the kids to The Dinosaur Store & Museum Go kiteboarding with 321 Kiteboarding and Watersports Go kayaking with Adventure Kayak of Cocoa Beach Book a trip with Fin and Fly Fishing Charters See dolphins and manatees with Fin Expeditions Take a lesson at Ron Jon Surf School Take the kids to Lighthouse Cove Mini Golf

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