Fodor's Expert Review Canaveral National Seashore

Miles of grassy, windswept dunes and a virtually empty beach await you at this remarkable 57,000-acre park on a barrier island with 24 miles of undeveloped coastline spanning from New Smyrna to Titusville. The unspoiled area of hilly sand dunes, grassy marshes, and seashell-sprinkled beaches is a large part of NASA's buffer zone and is home to more than 1,000 species of plants and 300 species of birds and other animals.

Surf and lagoon fishing are available, and a hiking trail leads to the top of a Native American shell mound, Turtle Mound. A visitor center is on Route A1A at Apollo Beach. The parks can get busy on weekends or when rocket launches are scheduled during park operating hours, as the park provides a spectacular viewing area for launches from Kennedy Space Center.