The Best Hotels to Book Near Port Canaveral, Florida

Staying in one of these upscale townhomes gives you a delicious taste of life along the Indian River Lagoon. These three-bedroom units really are homes from home, and then some: they come with dedicated garages, dining areas, kitchens and living rooms. Resort amenities including a pool, fitness center and sauna are yours to enjoy all day and night. Of course, it wouldn’t quite be a Florida vacation without a little time spent topside. Take advantage of the boat rentals at the marina, and cruise a few miles off of the coast for fishing, snorkeling or some much-needed serenity between the sea and sun.

You’ll flip into vacation mode the minute you walk into Beachside Hotel & Suite, leaving normal life buried in the sand. This colorful Cocoa Beach favorite is one block from the shore and Atlantic Avenue. Spend time here whichever way suits you best – there are complimentary beach cruisers, boogie boards, beach wagons and surfboards. Get your fill of food and drink with buckets of beer and baskets of wings at Duck Dive Bar, the retro-flavored pool bar back at Beachside. As for us, we’ll be floating around the lazy river.

Oceanfront rooms, freshly baked breakfasts and even a complimentary wine-and-cheese social every evening – you’ll leave Florida with a stack of beach vacation memories if you book into the Inn at Cocoa Beach. It’s fun, fun, fun, from sunup to sundown: hit the pier, have a go on the miniature golf, and crack open a few beers at some of the countless beach bars, all within walking distance. Night swims in the pool, ice cream on the pier and building sandcastles on the shore are all unforgettable experiences – and did we mention the thrill of watching a space shuttle launch into the sky?

Good thing you packed a range of swimsuits – you’re going to need them at Westgate. Not only will you be slipping into your water shoes for a trip to the beach, but you’ll also be taking advantage of the Wakulla Falls Water Park on the property. The whole place is aqua-crazy, from the 335ft-long (102m) lazy river and kids’ splash pad to the sparkling pool, where you’ll perfect tan lines your friends will never forgive you for. An added perk? Ron Jon Surf Shop is a few doors down.

Here’s how to keep it cool in Cocoa: sure, the surf capital of the Atlantic may be close, but, staying here in this quiet spot, you can catch as many Zzzzs as you do waves. The king-sized bed in your suite is mighty comfortable, but days are made for spending horizontally, too – find your own little patch of shade under the sun, under a beach umbrella, in a hammock, or stretch out on a beach chair, and drift off to the whisper of those ocean waves.

The cinematically famous South Beach in Miami may be 200mi (322km) further down the coast, but this homely hotel delivers the quintessential Florida beach experience – minus the prices you’ll pay for Miami’s art deco check-ins. Extending a warm welcome to pets and kids alongside the usual clientele – surfers and sunseekers – South Beach Inn fits the bill for any traveler. Hang out on the hammocks or with cuba libres at the tiki bar. Cook up burgers on the grill while the gang plays horseshoes. And keep one eye open and trained on the horizon, for any rocket launches blasting up into the sky.

Family-owned and -run, this friendly Cocoa Beach classic is the business, with the beach right outside your door – since that’s why you’re here, you can book a standard room rather than shell out on an apartment. You’ll be so busy swimming, surfing and fishing under the Florida sun, you probably won’t even notice the heated pool on site. It’s easy to sort watersport-gear rental – or drive over to local-hero Ron Jon Surf Shop, and buy yourself a snazzy new surfboard: the ultimate Cocoa Beach souvenir.

Full of that ol’ Florida charm, this place is your holiday home away from home. Tuckaway’s beachy suites with kitchenettes are steps from the sand and a hop away from a heated pool. It’s by a quiet stretch of Melbourne Beach, which will seduce you from your balcony, with brilliant sunrises waking you up each morning. Less than an hour from Port Canaveral, this gets our vote as the serene beach retreat – with Cape Canaveral’s out-of-this-world sites as good as ensuite.