The Easiest Cocoa Beach Afternoon With Kids: Ron Jon, Lunch, Beach + Mini Golf (🗺️Walking Map Included)
*Affiliate disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you book or buy through one, Around Port Canaveral may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.🙋‍♀️Who’s ready for an easy afternoon in Cocoa Beach with kids pre or post cruise?
The Map: Easy Afternoon In Cocoa Beach With Kids: Ron Jon Surf Shop, Poke Fin or Rock The Guac and Magic Smoothies, Public Beach, and Lighthouse Cove Mini Golf.
If Ron Jon is on your Cocoa Beach list, good news: you can turn one stop into an entire easy morning or afternoon with the kids. Park once, grab lunch, pick up something sweet, grab Cocoa Beach souvenirs, then head to the beach or mini golf all within a short walk. No driving around searching for another parking spot or trying to figure out what to do next. Here’s exactly how to do it.
Here’s where you’ll start: Ron Jon Surf Shop, Cocoa Beach
Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach, Florida.
First, grab souvenirs and obsess over all the gnarly beach and skater brand clothes at Ron Jon Surf Shop
Ron Jon is the anchor everybody already knows how to find and if you’re driving a car, there’s ample free parking for up to 90 minutes in their lot. From there it's a short walk to lunch, a short walk to something sweet, and a short walk to the beach and a family activity. No second parking spot unless you need to, no piling back into the car with sandy kids just to drive four minutes down the road.
Then walk to Rock the Guac, Poke Fin and Magic Smoothies for lunch
All three food spots are located in same building for a fast, easy lunch and something sweet, just a couple minutes' walk from Ron Jon's front door, and they offer free parking if you maxed out your free 90 minute parking at Ron Jon… it happens. They have a lot of cool stuff and it’s easy to lose track of time inside.
Poke Fin, Rock the Guac and Magic Smoothies maps:
Restaurants near Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach, Florida: Poke Fin, Magic Smoothies and Rock the Guac.
Local Tip: When you walk from Ron Jon Surf Shop to lunch, you’ll pass the Florida Key Lime Pie Company for a delish sweet treat option.
"Okay, now what? Beach or something else?"
Both are an easy call from here.
If it's a beach day, walk straight down Marion Lane right next to Ron Jon. It drops you at a public beach entrance. If you need to move the car, there’s paid parking right next to this entrance at the end of Marion Lane.
Public beach entrance at the end of Marion Lane in Cocoa Beach, Florida.
Or mini golf is a good family activity
If everybody's had enough sand and ocean already, Lighthouse Cove Adventure Golf is close by too, an easy backup plan for when the beach isn't calling. They have beers on tap, a place to cool off inside with snacks and ice-cream plus there’s free parking in their lot.
Either way, you loop back to the same spot you started, load up the car, and you're done.
Lighthouse Cove Mini Golf in Cocoa Beach, Florida.
“What makes this such an easy afternoon with kids?”
C’mon. Look at this itinerary. It doesn’t get any easier and fun than spending time in the world’s most iconic surf shops (I said it), eating beach food, walking to a beautiful ocean entrance and playing mini golf… the quintessential family vacation activity.
If you’re driving and need parking, this post told you exactly what to do.
If you need to rent a car because you love your freedom and being on your own schedule, plus a place to store your luggage because cruising! then we recommend renting a car in Port Canaveral using DiscoveryCars.com * Affiliate link.
Want an epic list of indoor and outdoor activities to do around Port Canaveral with kids? That has maps, pictures, and suggestions from us?
If you're building out a full day with kids around Port Canaveral and want more of these no-fuss plans, check out our Best Places For Kids Around Port Canaveral guide that has a ton of indoor and outdoor options.
Got a different question about your time on land before or after your cruise? Ask the locals: we live here and know all the ways to have an epic day.
Take it easy,
Ashley & Jeremy
P.S. We live here so we know what we’re talking about :)
