I’m endlessly fascinated with seeing wildlife. From watching sea turtles lay eggs in the summer months, to admiring hundreds of manatees overwintering in the hot springs, to spotting dolphins swimming in both the ocean and the lagoon — there are so many opportunities to see marine life here in Florida.

But I’ve also discovered a love for admiring and identifying birds. Yeah… I’m not exactly sure how that suddenly became a thing, but here we are. ☺️ On my journeys, I’ve found a few “secret” spots where you can reliably see wildlife — birds included. This week’s adventure took me on a guaranteed wildlife-viewing experience (thanks to my son and his love), and I’m so excited to share it with you.

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Admission starting at:
Adult: $44.50
Children (3–13): $34.50

I’m a fan of boat tours. They’re such a fun way to see new places and learn from knowledgeable guides. On Florida’s East Coast, I’ve been on quite a few — and in my opinion, this one is the best so far.

We were gifted tickets to the Sunset Cruise, a 90-minute pontoon boat ride timed perfectly to end as the sun sets over the Banana River. The land is so flat here that you can watch the sunrise over the ocean in the morning and the sunset over the river that same evening if you’re staying on the barrier island. It’s pretty special.

Tickets are easy to purchase online. They offer both refundable and non-refundable options. If you’re booking the day of and the weather looks good, the non-refundable ticket works fine. If you’re booking in advance, I’d opt for refundable — just in case. They also have a weather guarantee, meaning you can reschedule due to inclement weather. We had to reschedule twice, and they were incredibly kind and accommodating.

After boarding, we headed out — and within 10 minutes, we spotted a dolphin. (Yay!) The guides told us that’s actually unusual on the sunset cruise, so we felt pretty lucky right away. I thought we’d mostly just sit back and enjoy the ride… but here’s where it got really interesting for me.

We glided past an osprey, spotted a few white ibis, and then the boat wound through islands full of roosting birds! Since it was nearing sunset, many of them were settling in for the evening. How cool is that? We passed several islands packed with pelicans. (Okay yes, the smell was a little… ripe.) But seeing that many pelicans in one place — and up fairly close — was incredible.

On some of the islands, anhingas and double-breasted cormorants mixed in with the pelicans. Many of the birds were in pairs, so you could clearly see the differences between male and female. And then — two baby birds! One nest belonged to a blue heron, and the other was originally a bald eagle’s nest… now home to a baby great horned owl. Apparently, great horned owls will take over bald eagle nests and chase them off. Not great for the eagles, but fascinating to learn — and seeing that baby owl was unforgettable. (The parents were away at the time.)

After all that birdwatching, we had a few more dolphin sightings before settling in to admire the sunset. Once the sun dipped below the horizon, we cruised back to the dock — and were treated to several dolphins swimming alongside the boat, almost as if they were escorting us home.

I’ll admit I don’t know much about birding, but for an amateur birder, this experience was pretty magical. I learned something new about each species, and I had a terrific time. If you’re planning to be in the Cocoa Beach area, I’d absolutely add this to your to-do list.

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We treated ourselves to “linner” (very late lunch/early dinner) here since it’s right where the boat docks. The river views are lovely, and the vibe is surf-casual. It wasn’t crowded, the servers were friendly and efficient, and the food was solid and reasonably priced for the area. If you’re looking for something convenient with a view, this fits the bill nicely.

I unexpectedly checked off a couple of bird bucket-list moments. Seeing that baby owl was absolutely the highlight — though I wish I’d captured a better photo. Even with my fancy Fuji H2, it came out blurry! Nature photography definitely takes practice. Still, there’s something joyful about being an amateur and catching a few good shots now and then.

Next up — two places to enjoy afternoon tea right here on the Space Coast. I can’t wait to share them with you.

As always, I’m so glad you’re along for the ride.

‘til next week, happy exploring!
Kathleen