Broke Traveller Reports: South Brevard Beaches, a Beach Goer's Paradise!

If you enjoy the beach but want to avoid the crowds, I highly recommend driving just south of Melbourne Beach Florida, along A1A. South Brevard has several wonderful beach areas that are easily accessible, but just far enough away from the crowds, that you can enjoy a beach more to yourself. If you enjoy an uncrowded beach, don't mind driving for a little bit, here are my favorites for your consideration. I have ranked the beaches from crowded to less crowded and I have visited them all:

1. Spessard Holland North and South beach park- About a 5 minute drive south of Melbourne Beach on A1A is the twin parks Spessard Holland North and Spessard Holland South. The parks are divided by an Air Force tracking station (since removed) which is right in the middle of the two parks. These parks are very lovely, have full amenities and are free to get in. These parks can be somewhat crowded as they attract an overflow crowd from the Indialantic and Melbourne Beach beach crowds.

2. Coconut Point Park- About 15 minutes south of Melbourne Beach is the Coconut Point Park. This is a small park with full amenities and is again free to attend. This park has limited parking capacity, which when full, forces people to look elsewhere. If you get there early enough you can enjoy a uncrowded beach.

3. Juan Ponce De Leon Landing beach park- About 20 minutes south of Melbourne Beach. Juan Ponce De Leon landed in this area, and this beach is a monument to his achievement. There is a mural dedicated to him and signs with information about his life and adventures. This is a small park with full amenities and is also free to attend. This park also has limited parking, so the earlier you get there the better.

4. Archie Carr Barrier Island Sanctuary- About 25 minutes south of Melbourne Beach is the wonderful education center known as the Archie Carr Barrier Island Sanctuary Management and Education Center. This site does not offer all the amenities as the other parks; however they do have the all-important bathrooms. They have a wonderful educational facility so that you can enhance you knowledge of the wildlife in this area, and specifically that of the turtles that nest in this area. There is access to the beaches from here and on my visit in the middle of the day on a Saturday; I suspect maybe five cars were here for the beaches. This translates into a very uncrowded beach!

5. Unimproved beach accesses- As your traveling south along A1A you will see several unimproved beach accesses. These are nothing more than dirt lots. These are popular and can lead to very isolated sections of beaches. If you use these make sure you leave no valuables in your cars, the thieves have learned these are easy targets for car burglaries.