Canaveral National Seashore

Canaveral National Seashore and Wildlife Refuge (CANA) is a national park located on a Barrier Island off the East Coast of Florida, about 50 miles East of Orlando.

The island, which has a 24 mile long beach, divides the Atlantic Ocean from an estuary known as Mosquito Lagoon.

Visitors to Canaveral National Seashore can go camping, hiking, fishing, swimming, surfing or sunbathing while observing Florida wildlife.

Manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, storks, oysters and clams can be found in Mosquito Lagoon, where mangrove trees provide shelter for many different animals.

Yuccas, saw palmettos, prickly pear cacti and other plants grow on a 12 foot high sand dune.

Between May and August, thousands of sea turtles lay eggs on the beach.

Canaveral National Seashore plays an important role in conservation. It is the home of 14 threatened or endangered species, including the right whale, the bald eagle and the loggerhead sea turtle.

History buffs will enjoy a trip to Canaveral National Seashore. It was one of the first places in North America to be found by Europeans in the 16th century.

Seminole Rest is a group of prehistoric Native American shell mounds that range from about 450 to about 4000 years old.

The Eldora Statehouse, also known as the Moulton-Wells House can be found along Mosquito Lagoon. Built in 1913, the Eldora Statehouse was part of the post-Civil War settlement village of Eldora.

The barrier island is home to John F. Kennedy Space Center. Some parts of the seashore may be closed when launches are taking place.