Things to Do in Rockledge

Cocoa Beach locals know that it's rare to spot Bill Kowalik on dry land. The Puerto Rico–born seafarer is at home on the water, constantly surfing, kayaking, or leading tours across the Florida Space Coast. Bill’s as passionate about the environment as he is about watersports, enthusiastically exploring the area's diverse waterways while taking pains to leave the least impact on the protected waters. Along with his team of trained instructors, he leads individuals, groups, and families on kayak tours through lush mangroves and island channels, pointing out dolphins, manatees, and exotic birds.

Space Coast Segway Tours' battery-operated two-wheeled segway machines turn palm-tree-lined pavement into a playground during guided trips through Port Canaveral and Cocoa Beach. Starting at the Ron Jon Cape Caribe resort, experienced segway savants lead upright wheelers on a voyage that explores the Port Canaveral cove, passing scores of envious segwayless humans along the way. Manatees and dolphins cheer on riders from the water as the group makes its way to Bluepoints Marina, stopping at Auddino’s Italian Bakery for a quick cookie refuel. Cocoa Beach trips leave from the Hilton and meander across the boardwalk, testing out wheel-legs as they pass by the Ron Jon Surf Shop and make the trek off the beaten path in Lori Wilson Park. Additionally, mini segway tours offer 20-minute footless treks that can be scheduled during your lunch hour or your boss's naptime.

The Indian River Queen is a 99-foot boat that can comfortably take on up to 230 people. It has played host to every kind of event, from weddings, field trips, cocktail parties, and eco-tours to the filming of the movie Out of Time starring Denzel Washington, as mentioned by PRWeb. After the boat’s film debut, Penny Sheridan Flaherty recognized the Southern-style paddle-wheel boat’s star power and took over ownership. Since then, both owner and boat have celebrated an array of special occasions from the Indian River Queen's decks.

The plush riverboat’s main deck comes equipped with all the amenities, including air conditioning and a full-service bar complete with Beck's Dark beer, Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, and Patrón tequila. Live music and the ship's second full-service bar are tucked onto the second deck. Though both the main and second deck are outfitted with large viewing windows, the top-level deck is where guests can truly soak in idyllic views of the Indian River and the Indian River Lagoon, along with their manatee and dolphin inhabitants.

On Friday nights and Sunday afternoons, public cruises ferry passengers lazily down the river as they dine on catered food from Black Tulip Restaurant. If needed, owner Penny is also the boat's party planner, and she can provide a comprehensive list of party services including videographers, fresh flower arrangements, and live music performed by steel-drum bands or the crew harmonizing on water jugs.

Aboard a 35-foot vessel, DolFun Tours' US Coast Guard master captain guides guests on treks along the Indian River. After passengers select their spots from the boat's indoor and outdoor seating areas, expeditions depart from Grills Riverside and traverse the river's diverse estuary, where more than 4,400 species of birds and fish dwell. As the ship drifts by, visitors can catch sight of manatees resting in their natural habitats and dolphins rehearsing lines before auditioning for the next Flipper remake. Along with daytime jaunts, DolFun Tours hosts sunset tours on select weekend evenings.

Beach breezes ruffle explorers’ hair as they wend their way through Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral, and Port Canaveral atop two-wheeled steeds from Beach Classic Scooter. Patrons can rent from the center and choose their own route or follow veteran guides to hidden local gems, such as the mayor’s underground office. Each tour comes with a free pickup service from local hotels, which ferries clients to the scooter center.

Somewhere along the line, a watersports enthusiast went a little crazy, in the best way possible. The result was the Flyboard, a single-person apparatus that combines the movements of a flying superhero with the underwater mobility of a dolphin. Jump Right In Flyboarding, a purveyor of such aqueous adventures, straps its patrons into one of their propulsion systems to levitate above water on columns of pressurized water and dive underwater upon command, making for an exhilarating ride.

During instruction sessions that last about 10 minutes, aspiring aquanauts learn to control the water-spewing nozzles. Two nozzles attach to the wearer's feet and supply 90% of the propulsion, while two more nozzles attach to the hands and help with stabilization in much the same manner that poles help with skiing or machetes help with sprinting.