Day Trips from Orlando to the Beach
Last checked: October 25, 2026. Rules, fees and dates change, so confirm on the official sites linked below before you go.
The short answer: the closest Atlantic beaches to Orlando are about an hour to an hour and a quarter away without traffic. Pick Cocoa Beach for the shortest drive and a classic surf-town day. Pick Daytona Beach if you want to drive and park right on the sand. Pick New Smyrna Beach for a quieter, more laid-back beach. Pick Canaveral National Seashore for undeveloped coastline.
Drive times at a glance
These are approximate times from downtown Orlando without traffic. Weekend, holiday and event traffic can add a lot.
| Beach | Distance | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa Beach | about 56–65 mi | about 1 hr to 1 hr 10 min |
| Daytona Beach | about 54–58 mi | about 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min |
| New Smyrna Beach | about 57 mi | about 1 hr 10 min |
| Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (not a beach, but on the way to one) | about 47 mi | about 1 hr 10 min |
Distances and times combine official visitor-bureau estimates (daytonabeach.com and VISIT FLORIDA) with routing estimates. Your times will vary.
Option 1: Cocoa Beach (Space Coast)
Best for: the quickest beach day, surf culture, and pairing with a Space Coast visit.
- Parking: city-run beach parking in Cocoa Beach is $6 per hour (1-hour minimum) or $25 per day, paid through the Passport Parking app, and enforced 7 a.m.–7 p.m. daily, according to the City of Cocoa Beach.
- A free-parking option: Lori Wilson Park, a Brevard County park in Cocoa Beach, has free parking, restrooms, a playground, a boardwalk and seasonal lifeguards.
- Pair it with: the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. It opens at 9 a.m. and is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Plan for at least half a day, and check the official site for tickets.
Option 2: Daytona Beach
Best for: driving on the beach, a lively boardwalk-and-pier scene, and families who like to keep their gear in the car.
- Beach driving: allowed in designated areas through official ramps. Visitors pay $30 per vehicle per day, the speed limit is 10 mph, and hours are sunrise to sunset from November 1 to April 30 and 8 a.m.–7 p.m. or sundown (whichever is earlier) from May 1 to October 31, depending on the tide. Full beach driving rules →
- Off-beach county lots: $20 per day.
- Rules: no alcohol or glass on the beach.
- Pair it with: the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, Florida’s tallest at 175 feet, and the Marine Science Center next door (closed Mondays).
Option 3: New Smyrna Beach
Best for: a calmer beach day, surfing, and the shops and restaurants on Flagler Avenue and Canal Street.
- Beach driving is allowed in designated areas, but some parts of NSB are non-driving zones. County fees are the same as in Daytona. Some city-run lots near Flagler Avenue have their own fees, and county passes aren’t valid there.
- Pair it with: Smyrna Dunes Park, which has a 2-mile-plus boardwalk through the dunes. Entry is $10 per vehicle, a separate county inlet-park fee. Or visit the free Sugar Mill Ruins, open sunrise to sunset.
Option 4: Canaveral National Seashore
Best for: wild, undeveloped beach with no high-rises. It has two separate entrances. Reach Apollo Beach by following A1A south from New Smyrna Beach, and Playalinda Beach through Titusville. Pick one for the day.
- Fees (National Park Service): $25 per private vehicle, good for 7 days. The system is cashless.
- Hours: 6 a.m.–6 p.m. from November 1 (6 a.m.–8 p.m. during daylight saving time). Last entry is earlier than closing, so check nps.gov/cana.
- Bring water, food and shade. It’s a natural beach, not a resort strip.
Tips for an easy beach day trip
- Leave early. Morning drives beat beach traffic and the afternoon thunderstorms common in summer.
- Check beach warning flags and swim near a lifeguard when you can.
- Pack a cooler without glass. Glass isn’t allowed on Volusia County beaches.
- Watch the tide if you plan to drive on the beach. Ramps can close at high tide.
- Add a springs stop. From mid-November through March, Blue Spring State Park in Orange City is about an hour from Orlando and is the area’s best manatee-viewing spot. Book a reservation first.
Plan your Orlando + beach trip
Our Central Florida Vacation Planner ($6.99, 28-page printable PDF) includes a beach-day add-on with drive times from Orlando to Daytona, New Smyrna and Cocoa Beach, beach rules and safety, a springs-and-nature day, a Space Coast day, rainy-day ideas and 7 itinerary pages. Staying at the beach instead? Try the Daytona Beach Trip Planner.
FAQ
What is the closest beach to Orlando? Cocoa Beach and Daytona Beach are both roughly an hour from downtown Orlando without traffic. Cocoa Beach is usually a little quicker.
Can you drive on the beach near Orlando? Yes, in Volusia County, at designated areas of Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach. Visitors pay $30 per vehicle per day.
How much is parking in Cocoa Beach? City beach parking is $6 per hour (1-hour minimum) or $25 per day, enforced 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Lori Wilson Park has free parking.
Is New Smyrna Beach or Daytona Beach better for a day trip? New Smyrna is generally quieter. Daytona has more going on, with a boardwalk, pier and more beach driving. Both are about the same drive from Orlando.
How much does Canaveral National Seashore cost? $25 per private vehicle, good for 7 days, according to the National Park Service.
Get Florida This Month free. One short email a month with what’s happening around Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Central Florida, plus seasonal tips that save you time and money. Sign up and get the November 2026 issue as a free printable PDF.
Sources: Daytona Beach Area CVB · VISIT FLORIDA · City of Cocoa Beach · Brevard County Parks · Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex · Volusia County / ParkVolusia · National Park Service (Canaveral National Seashore) · Florida State Parks · OSRM routing (estimates). Full links on our Sources page.
