Shepard Park — Attraction in Sebastian

ALAN SHEPHARD PARK: Of the two Atlantic Ocean parks, Wilson & Shephard, I recommend Shephard hands-down over the perfectly nice Wilson.

NOTE CAREFULLY: Virtually ALL condo bldgs / hotels on ocean side of Cocoa Bch restrict ocean access to their guests and threaten towing. Forget trying to park at any of them. Use the paid beach parking.

In addition to paid parking access, clean restrooms, showers, Shephard has, among other features, two excellent restaurant/bars: the Sandbar and Twisted Tides right there--and many other nearby shops.

Sandbar is a family-friendly "sports bar." Flat screens everywhere. "Seat yourself" In-door / patio seating. Serves unusual food (try fish tacos). Often live music and karaoke. Locals hang here, giving it an interesting "raffish" vibe.

Twisted Tides next door is more conventional. Nice Sky Deck w/ocean views. Excellent food.

ROCKET LAUNCHES: Shepard Park & beach is a good place to watch Cape Canaveral launches.

After ocean-ing, drive 2 minutes over to Ron Jon Surf Shop w/free parking (if full, there's a clearly signed lot off west side of A1A.) Ron Jon is vast! Every type of beach apparel and beach accessory. Surf & bogie boards, touristy knick-knacks. You can easily spend an hour or more at RR.

In Shepard Pk vicinity are virtually all the establishments needed for a comfortable day-at-the-beach. McDonald’s, Winn-Dixie Market, CVS and Walgreens. Key Lime Pie shop.

MEDICAL CARE / EMERGENCIES: Medfast Urgent Care--Hours: 7:30AM-7:00PM, 7 Days a Week. Medfast is in strip mall beside 520 Causeway, 5 minute walk west from Shepard Park. I've been there 3 times. Excellent, professional medical attention.

Across 520 from Medfast is, of all things, a Dinosaur museum. Intriguing! Cocoa Bch also has a "Wizard of Oz Museum!" (??) I've not been there. Why are they at CB? Don't know. But "off-beat."

COCOA BEACH PIER: 1 mile north of Shephard Pk is very popular Cocoa Beach Pier. Parking varies from free to expensive, depending on...I can never figure out! Demand, I suppose.

An excellent Publix Market is short drive west of pier on A1A.

Being high and long, pier has BEST VIEW of rocket launches anywhere in Cocoa Beach. And you can eat / drink while watching.

The beach below pier is usually crowded. However, a short walk down beach provides vast open spaces. A successful "beach sand replenishment operation" by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2025 increased beach width considerably.

So, while Lori Wilson is an excellent "basic" park with its park facilities, it is...just that. Alan Shepherd provides far more with its nearby establishments.

Mid-March to end of May is a great time to visit Cocoa Beach. The weather has stabilized into uniformly 80+- degree days and yet isn't blazing hot. Avoid disappointing weather December to February. Grim 50 deg days are common. Beach is virtually deserted.

Also in mid-March, the World Surfing League has a Board / Beach fest surf riding contest attracting pro surfers from all over.

During WSL fest, Shepherd Pk has food trucks for every conceivable taste. And a large skateboard half-pipe to keep young skater / surfers busy.

Cocoa Beach, one hour drive east of Orlando International Airport / Disney / Universal, is an excellent beach town to visit. It's minutes south of the cruise ship mecca Port Canaveral.

Shephard Park a good place for your beach HQ if you're not staying right on the beach. Friendly locals. All the shops one could want, Not overly built-up. Just be careful: stay away Dec - Feb when grim cold north wind weather can really dampen a...

Terrible app has been installed for parking. We're regular visitors to Florida and Cocoa Beach and have experienced several payment methods over the years with success,but this new one at Shepherds Park is awful! App down loads everything works up until confirm payment. Says's try again as there's a connection issue'. Several people,mostly tourists, were experiencing the same problem. Many drove off in distress and upset,fearing a fine if they stayed too long. I found a friendly American who had successfully paid his parking by giving him the cash as he then paid it for me on the app. On speaking to the parking inspector, they acknowledged tourists are struggling to use the app successfully ( British,Irish,Germans,French, Italians) to park to use and enjoy the beach. Several Americans are struggling with the app payment, too! Please change the payment system.... Local businesses must be suffering a loss...

Only about an hour away, it's a great place to take a day trip from Orlando.

The beach is clean and people are friendly. The water was perfect. The public outdoor showers allowed us to wash off all the sand before we packed up to go back. Makes for a much more comfortable ride back. The parking area was ample and secure. Umbrellas and beach chairs are available for rent for the day too. Plenty of places within walking distance to grab a mid-day bite to eat or bring back and picnic on the beach. Beer is allowed on the beach (Nice!).

Although we didn't get a chance to explore Cocoa Beach the city itself, it looks like a fun & interesting place. Rustic and bummy (in a good way).

Final note: I read a lot of reviews with complaints about "drunks" (I assume locals) lurking on the beach. We didn't encounter, nor did I see any on the...