Canaveral National Seashore

CANAVERAL NATIONAL SEASHORE

Established on January 3, 1975, Canaveral National Seashore is one of ten National Seashores managed by the National Park Service. Located near Titusville and New Smyrna Beach in Florida’s Space Coast region, Canaveral National Seashore is situated on a barrier island and spans 7,662 acres and boasts 24 miles of beaches, dunes, mangrove wetlands, and a large portion of the Mosquito Lagoon. It’s known for being the longest stretch of undeveloped Atlantic coastline in Florida, and along with neighboring Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, this beautiful and biodiverse park is home to over 1,000 plant species, 310 bird species, and 15 species of federally-listed threatened or endangered animals such as the West Indian Manatee, Leatherback Sea Turtle, North Atlantic Right Whale, Wood Stork, and Bald Eagle.

Canaveral means “place of cane,” and is one of the oldest recorded geographical names in North America. Native American history can be traced at the oyster/clam shell heaps and mounds at Seminole Rest (site of a prehistoric first native mound that dates from about 4,000 to 5000 years ago), Turtle Mound, and Castle Windy. More human history of the region includes European explorers such as Ponce de Leon and Pedro Marratt, and later Douglas Dummett (or Dummitt) who planted an orange grove in th Merritt Island area that began the world-renowned Indian River citrus industry.

Canaveral National Seashore’s major beach areas include Playalinda Beach, Klondike Beach, and Apollo Beach. The John F. Kennedy Space Center is located at the southern end of the island, so access to the seashore can be restricted during launch-related activities. Playalinda is a popular spot to view launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.  The park uniquely has two clothing-optional beach areas. Along with bird and wildlife watching, and beach activities, Canaveral National Seashore is a popular fishing, boating, hiking, and kayaking destination.

Canaveral National Seashore (Apollo Visitor Center) is located at 7611 S Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169. For more information call (386) 428-3384 x0 or visit https://www.nps.gov/cana

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