The 15 Best Things To Do In Palm Bay, Florida

Florida is known for a lot of things—being home to Disney World, getting an average of 230 days of sun per year, and offering more than 1,300 miles of beaches to explore. The Coasts (Emerald, Forgotten, First, Treasure, Gold, the list goes on) are a big deal in Florida, and one of our favorites to explore is the Space Coast. While Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral claim most of the area’s vacationers, a lesser-known city in the area is receiving attention for its adventurous spirit and growing community.

Just about an hour southeast of Orlando, Palm Bay is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Its bodies of water include the Indian River Lagoon, Turkey Creek, and just beyond that the Atlantic Ocean; altogether offering dozens of opportunities to explore the magnificent natural beauty of central Florida. Whether you want to fish, kayak, hike, or just take a walk near the water, there’s something for everyone in Palm Bay. Factor in the city of nearly 130,000’s great restaurants and you’ve got everything you need for a great getaway. Here are the 15 best things to do in Palm Bay, Florida.

Get Your Fill Of Outdoor Adventure

Go Fishing

One of Palm Bay’s biggest draws is its incredibly robust fishing scene. World-class bass fishing happens at Stick Marsh, also known as Farm 13, a 6,500-acre impoundment where you can catch bass, bluegill, black catfish, black crappie, and readear sunfish. Take a guided fishing trip with an experienced captain, who will help you bring in the big stuff.

Explore Turkey Creek Sanctuary

This 130-acre nature preserve has been a favorite for residents and visitors alike since the early 1980s. Admission is free and guests are welcome to traverse trails through hammock and sand pine scrub habitats. In addition to a 1.85-mile boardwalk, 1.5 mile jogging trail, and 1 mile bike trail, you can also kayak or canoe on Turkey Creek or visit the Margaret Hames Nature Center to learn more about the preserve’s flora and fauna.

Take a Kayak Tour

To have the best experience and learn more about your beautiful natural surroundings, take a guided eco kayak tour with Paddling Paradise. With two to three tours going out each day (depending on the season)—there’s plenty of opportunity to burn some calories paddling while soaking up the magic of Turkey Creek. You can expect to see manatees, alligators, turtles, all kinds of birds, fern-covered oaks, and even native orchids.

Enjoy a Day in the Park

Spending time outside is a way of life in Palm Bay, and the city’s infrastructure is built to reflect that. Public parks are a boon of this community, and two to visit are Fred Poppe Regional Park and Castaways Point Park. At Castaways Point Park, walk the paved and shaded path along Indian Creek. Cast a line off the fishing pier, launch a canoe, or pack a picnic to enjoy under a pavilion. Fred Poppe Regional Park offers an expanded area (more than 200 acres) for all kinds of outdoor pursuits, from sports fields and a disc golf course to bike trails, a dog park, and lakes where you can fish.

Hit the Beach

Palm Bay doesn’t technically have its own beach, but with the city’s proximity to Melbourne Beach, a day of fun on sandy shores is just a quick 15-minute ride down the road. Public beach access at Coconut Point Park, Ocean Park, and Spessard Holland North or South Beach Park are good places to post up for the day.

Hike the Micro Scrub Sanctuary

There may not be any mountains in the area, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pack your hiking boots. Enjoy a Florida-style expedition at the 1,322-acre Micro Scrub Sanctuary, a natural scrubby flatwoods and mesic flatwoods habitat that includes miles of trails for hiking, biking, and wildlife spotting.

Grab A Great Meal

Enjoy Dinner with a View

A scenic vista is always prettier when accompanied by great food; likewise, a delicious meal always tastes better when enjoyed in a beautiful location. At The Shack Riverfront Restaurant & Tiki Bar you get both. Situated on the Indian River Lagoon, the waterfront restaurant is all about the views. Enjoy a cool breeze, a cold drink, live music, and everything from stuffed flounder to a NY strip. The adjoining Tiki bar offers a separate menu that includes weekday happy hour, and all-you-can-eat snow crab legs and all-you-can-eat fish fry on certain days of the week.

Chow Down on Pit Barbecue

The South wouldn’t be the South without our beloved regional cuisine, barbecue. Try Palm Bay’s version at Memaw’s Bar-B-Que, where the meats are cooked for hours over a hickory and oak hardwood firepit. Take your pick from several “secret” barbecue sauces to cover your barbecue ribs, turkey, pork, beef, or chicken in.

Head to Happy Hour

With a name like the Lazy Turtle, you’re guaranteed to have a good time. Like The Shack, this riverfront restaurant is also known for its adjoining tiki bar. Here, happy hour is several hours long (11 a.m. to 6 p.m on weekdays and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends) and includes 30% off beer, well drinks, and wine, plus special-priced appetizers. It’s a great place to watch the sunset while sipping on a rum drink out of a pineapple.

Sit Down to a Hearty Breakfast

The best place to start your day in Palm Bay is Dottie’s Restaurant, a local institution that serves up what they describe as “just good country cooking” in a no-frills dining room. The breakfast menu offers everything from omelets, skillets, and Belgium waffles to homemade biscuits and sausage gravy.

Get a Taste of Puerto Rico

Seafood and Southern restaurants are a dime a dozen in Palm Bay, but something a little less easy to find is Latin cuisine. At Ven Pa Ca Latin Food, you can get an authentic taste of Puerto Rico with dishes like mofongo, empanadas, chuleta kan kan (fried pork chops) even grilled lobster.

Explore Other Attractions

Spend an Afternoon on the Farm

Pick your own sunflowers and wildflowers, take a wagon ride, and meet farm animals at Harris Establishment Farms. If you visit the family-friendly adventure farm in fall, you can also expect a pumpkin patch and special seasonal offerings.

Visit the Ted Moorehead Lagoon House

Open to the public by appointment, Ted Moorehead Lagoon House is the place to go to learn more about the gorgeous natural ecosystem and lagoon in Palm Bay. See fish in the lagoon-species tank, watch on a movie on the history of the lagoon, enjoy the educational exhibits, and then head out to walk on the boardwalk and nature trail, where you can see dolphins, manatees, and birds in the wild.

Walk Around a Beautiful Garden

This tropical oasis on Florida Tech’s campus is free and open to the public. Walk under a hammock of dense palm trees alongside a burbling stream on the 15-acre Joy and Gordon Patterson Botanical Garden. It’s a great place to see and learn about Palm Bay’s plant life in a controlled environment.

Spend Some Time in Downtown Melbourne

Palm Bay may not have its own downtown but with Melbourne’s less than 10 minutes away, it’s a easy to spend an afternoon shopping, browsing, and sampling food and drinks. Walk around the waterfront parks, take in the colorful murals, and soak up all this vibrant and historic downtown has to offer.

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