The Intracoastal Waterway is 3,000 miles of inland waterway comprised of natural inlets, artificial canals, saltwater rivers, bays and sounds. Offering spectacular scenery rich with wildlife and much calmer waters than the open sea, it’s a remarkable route for pleasure boating.

Who wouldn’t want to cruise along the beautiful waterways along our coast? A trip from the New Smyrna Beach area down the Intracoastal Waterway toward Cape Canaveral is particularly interesting.  New Smyrna Beach is a charming seaside town filled with festivals, fun, plenty of great beachside shopping and delicious dining venues.

Then, before you reach Cape Canaveral, you will pass through Titusville, home to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge – a 140,000 acre host to over 20 threatened or endangered species including peregrine falcons, gopher turtles and many 2,000 pound manatees.

Cape Canaveral is just as spectacular in its own unique way. Space coast attractions such as Kennedy Space Center and Orlando theme parks just 45 miles east make Port Canaveral the world’s most popular cruise port with more recreational facilities than all other Florida ports combined! Amenities include an enormous harbor side dining and retail area; the brand new Exploration Tower with seven floors of interactive exhibits; and several parks with boat ramps, manatee viewing areas, fishing piers and more.

So, if you’ve got the itch to explore, think about trying it along Florida’s Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway from New Smyrna Beach down to Cape Canaveral. It’s a path that’s sure to please!