Cape Canaveral, Florida
Cape Canaveral is a city of 10,006 people in Brevard County, Florida, founded in 1963.
Why visit Cape Canaveral
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails, 35 places to eat, 15 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Sands Space History Center, Museum of Dinosaurs and Ancient Cultures and Jetty Park.
Weather in Cape Canaveral
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral is a city in Brevard County, Florida. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9,912 at the 2020 US census.
From the Wikipedia article Cape Canaveral, Florida (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks5
Sands Space History Center
Museum · 1.7 mi
The Sands Space History Center (formerly known as the United States Air Force Space and Missile History Center) is an extension of the...
100 Spaceport Way, Cape Canaveral
Tu-Fr 09:00-14:00; Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 12:00-16:00
Museum of Dinosaurs and Ancient Cultures
Museum · 2.5 mi
The dinosaur museum
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Wizard of Oz Museum
Museum · 2.4 mi
Museum in Cape Canaveral, Florida
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Restaurants and cafes35
Bajas Tavern And Eats
Restaurant · Regional · 1.3 mi
626 Glen Cheek Dr, Port Canaveral
Mo-Fr 09:00-22:00
Grills
Restaurant · Seafood · 1.2 mi
505 Glen Cheek Drive, Port Canaveral
Su-Th 07:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 07:00-23:00
Thai Thai III Sushi, Thai, Japanese Restaurant
Restaurant · Asian, Japanese, Thai · 0.4 mi
8660 Astronaut Boulevard
Tu-Su 11:00-14:30, 16:30-22:00
Larry's Shack
Restaurant · Chicken · 1.0 mi
102 Christopher Columbus Road, Cape Canaveral
11:00-02:00
Ale House
Bar and pub · American, Burger, Pizza, Sandwich, Wings · 1.7 mi
5590 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach
23 more on the map.
History
After the establishment of a lighthouse in 1848, a few families moved into the area and a small but stable settlement was born. As the threat of Seminole Indian attacks became increasingly unlikely, other settlers began to move into the area around the Indian River. Post offices and small community stores with postal facilities were established at Canaveral, Canaveral Harbor and Artesia. It is thought the Artesia post office was so named for the ground water of artesian springs that are prevalent in the area.
In 1890, a group of alumni from Harvard University students established a hunters gun club called the Canaveral Harvard Club with a holding of over 18,000 acres (7,300 ha). Their game hunts helped clear the wilderness for other settlers to move into the area.
In the early 1920s, a group of Orlando journalists invested more than $150,000 in the beach acreage that now encompasses the area of presidentially named streets in Cape Canaveral. They called their development Journalista (now Avon-by-the-Sea) in honor of their trade. A wooden bridge linking Merritt Island with the area had just been constructed. The developers anticipated a growing number of seasonal visitors.
At that time, fishermen, retirees, and descendants of Captain Mills Burnham —the original official keeper of the Cape Canaveral Light—resided in the northern part of the present city.
From the History section of Cape Canaveral, Florida on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay15
Best Western Cocoa Beach Hotel & Suites
Motel and hotel · 1.7 mi
5600 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach
British Swim School of Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Cocoa Beach
Motel and hotel · 1.7 mi
5575 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach
Hampton Inn & Suites Cape Canaveral Cruise Port
Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi
9004 Astronaut Boulevard, Cape Canaveral
Home2 Suites by Hilton Cape Canaveral Cruise Port
Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi
9004 Astronaut Boulevard, Cape Canaveral
Homewood Suites by Hilton Cape Canaveral-Cocoa Beach
Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi
9000 Astronaut Boulevard, Cape Canaveral
Residence Inn Cape Canaveral Cocoa Beach
Motel and hotel · 0.8 mi
8959 Astronaut Boulevard, Cape Canaveral
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Cocoa Beach Junior/Senior High School
School · 5.4 mi
1500 Minutemen Cswy, Cocoa Beach
Freedom 7 Elementary School of International Studies
School · 5.7 mi
400 S 4Th St, Cocoa Beach
Robert L. Stevenson Elementary School
School · 4.0 mi
1450 Martin Blvd, Merritt Island
Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School
School · 5.4 mi
1400 Minutemen Cswy, Cocoa Beach
Healthcare1
Map of Cape Canaveral
86 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Brevard County has had 31 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-10-11: Hurricane Milton (Hurricane)
- 2024-10-07: Hurricane Milton (Hurricane)
- 2024-08-10: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-03: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2023-08-31: Hurricane Idalia (Hurricane)
- 2023-08-28: Tropical Storm Idalia (Tropical Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Merritt Island Airport (COI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- Cocoa Beach 5 mi south, about 7 min by car
- Tropical Park 6 mi west, about 10 min by car
- Merritt Island 7 mi southwest, about 12 min by car
- North Merritt Island 8 mi northwest, about 13 min by car
- Rockledge 9 mi southwest, about 15 min by car
- Cocoa 10 mi west, about 16 min by car
- Cocoa West 10 mi west, about 17 min by car
- Sharpes 10 mi west, about 16 min by car
- Viera East 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- Patrick AFB 11 mi south, about 18 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Cape Canaveral City Hall, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cape Canaveral rockets, October 1980, Barry Lewis, CC BY 2.0
- Titan III launch- Cape Canaveral, Florida (4034958390), NASA, Public domain
- Cape Canaveral Veterans Memorial Park b, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cape Canaveral public library, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cape Canaveral Veterans Memorial Park a, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Obelisk, Cape Canaveral Veterans Memorial Park, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Taylor Ave beach entrance, Cape Canaveral, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cape Winds Resort, Cape Canaveral, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- WizardofOzMuseum, 13avery, CC0
- Cadillac For Sale - Cocoa Beach, FLA, USA (44831219325), Pom' from France, European Union, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Cadillac 1965 - Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA (31879897498), Pom' from France, European Union, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA (43911656640), Pom' from France, European Union, CC BY-SA 2.0
- LanceringJUNO, JosvanE, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ISS018-E-46261 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS018-E-45430 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS018-E-46260 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Carnival Glory Departs Port Canaveral (February 2026), Jack Adamenko, CC0
- Fed-5 (8621083958), E Magnuson, CC BY 2.0
- Canaveral Towers Condominiums, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Voyager photo, Kirbyj7887, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cruise Ship on the horizion - panoramio, James Roberts (Jampp…, CC BY-SA 3.0
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