Lori Wilson Park

Located in the city of Cocoa Beach, Lori Wilson Park is a 32-acre beach park that has a large unnamed white-sand beach. This beach is also named Lori Wilson Park Beach. Dunes and maritime hammock forests are present near the beach. The park is named after local politician and lawyer Lori Wilson. 

The beach and the area around it have many amenities including lifeguards, picnic areas, barbecue spots, a boardwalk, a playground, restrooms, showers, volleyball courts, drinking fountains, and biking paths. A Beach chair and umbrella rental facility are also present near the beach in Lori Wilson Park. Dogs are not allowed on the beach in Lori Wilson Park. 

Lori Wilson Park offers many fun activities including sunbathing, hiking, beachcombing, biking, picnicking, wildlife watching, volleyball, swimming, surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, bodyboarding, kayaking, paddle boarding, canoeing, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, boating, parasailing, fishing, and water-skiing. The water near Lori Wilson Park is usually shallow and it has mild yet consistent waves, which make it ideal for beginner swimmers and surfers. However, if you are planning to enter the water near Lori Wilson Park, we recommend being careful as the water here has unpredictable rip currents. Depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of animals in the water near Lori Wilson Park including dolphins and sea turtles. If you like birdwatching, you can view many kinds of shorebirds around the beach in Lori Wilson Park. If you are planning to fish in Lori Wilson Park, we recommend following the local fishing regulations. The beach in Lori Wilson Park is also a famous spot for organizing weddings. If you are planning to organize a wedding in Lori Wilson Park, you can visit Brevard County Parks and Recreation Department’s website for more information.

Lori Wilson Park’s beautiful coastal hammock forest can be explored by visitors via a boardwalk.  This coastal hammock forest is also a great bird-watching spot and you can view many kinds of birds here (especially during the spring migration season) including 15 species of warblers and many kinds of songbirds. Lori Wilson Park is also a part of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail due to its vivid array of avian residents. If you are visiting with your pet, Lori Wilson Park also has a designated grassy dog-friendly area where pet owners can have fun with their pets.

Getting to Lori Wilson Park is easy - the park is present near 1500 North Atlantic Avenue, and it also has two free parking lots. The park is open between 7 am and 7 pm.

There are many attractions near Lori Wilson Park.  Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier is an 800 feet-long pier which has interesting shops, restaurants, and bars. In addition, the pier offers excellent views of the Atlantic Ocean and occasionally offers live music performances. The pier is also a great fishing spot and you can catch many kinds of fish here. Golf N Gator offers two fun and challenging 18-hole mini-golf courses. Golf N Gator is also home to 30 alligators and visitors can hold and feed them during their time here. In addition, the amusement center’s premises also have a variety of interesting objects including fossils, antiques, and precious stones - you can search for these in the center and take your find home with you. If you are looking for another attraction near Lori Wilson Park, Florida Surf Museum has interesting exhibitions about the history of surfing and the surf culture in Florida.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Lori Wilson Park.  Gregory's Steak and Seafood Grille is an upscale restaurant which primarily serves excellent steaks and seafood. In addition, the restaurant also hosts stand-up comedy performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm. Coconuts on the Beach is a tiki-themed beach bar that offers amazing seafood, burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads, wraps, and pastas. In addition, this popular restaurant also hosts live music performances. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Lori Wilson Park, Sunrise Diner offers amazing American, Italian, and Greek dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner including eggs, pancakes, sandwiches, mousaka, souvlaki, meatloaf, and pastas.

If you are looking for a hotel near Lori Wilson Park, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront offers many amenities including a seafood restaurant, a lounge, a 24/7 fitness center, a deck with a pool, a tiki bar, a fire pit, surfing lessons, and bike and boogie board rentals. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Hampton Inn Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral offers many amenities including complimentary breakfast, takeout breakfast bags, a fitness center, and a pool. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Lori Wilson Park, the 2-Star Days Inn by Wyndham Cocoa Beach Port Canaveral offers many amenities including a restaurant, an exercise room, a pool, and complimentary breakfast.