Kayak Rental Near Banana River Aquatic Preserve
Waterfront kayak and paddle board rentals at Veterans Memorial Park
Duration
2 or 12 hours
Includes
Kayak, Paddle board, Equipment
Highlights
Rent a kayak or paddle board in Merritt Island, about 4 miles from Cocoa Beach, and launch right from the waterfront at Brevard Veterans Memorial Park. Paddle quiet, shallow waters with private access to the Banana River Aquatic Preserve.
- Choose a 2-hour or 12-hour rental
- Launch directly behind the Veterans Memorial Museum building
- Park for free just steps from the water
- Use bathroom facilities inside the museum
- Mix and match kayaks and paddle boards for the same price
- Look for dolphins, manatees, fish, and sea birds in the preserve
What's Included
- Kayak or paddle board rental
- Equipment stored at the water’s edge
- High seat-back kayaks
Cancellation Policy
Full refund with 24 hours notice of cancellation. Full refund in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. No-shows will be charged the full price.
FAQs
Launch at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Park and Museum. The water launch sits just behind the Veteran’s Museum building—park close to the museum and walk around back.
Yes. You can park for free at the park, just steps from the water launch.
Yes. You can use the bathroom facilities inside the museum.
Meeting details
WATERFRONT LAUNCH AT BREVARD VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK and Museum, 400 S Sykes Creek Parkway, Merritt Island, Fl 32952
More about the Banana River Aquatic Preserve
The Banana River Aquatic Preserve is one of Florida's most rewarding stretches of protected water, a calm, shallow lagoon tucked between Merritt Island and Cape Canaveral where wildlife outnumbers boats and the horizon stays wide open. Paddling out from the Merritt Island waterfront places you right at the edge of this preserve, where seagrass beds shimmer beneath the surface and mangrove shorelines frame the view. Because the Banana River Aquatic Preserve sits within a federally protected zone, motorized traffic is limited, which makes it an unusually peaceful place to explore by kayak. The water is often glassy in the early morning, and the salty Atlantic breeze carries the scent of mangroves and warm tidal flats.
Once you launch your kayak and glide into the Banana River Aquatic Preserve, the pace slows immediately. Manatees are a common sight here, drifting just below the surface or rising for a slow breath beside your hull. Bottlenose dolphins patrol the deeper channels, and roseate spoonbills, ospreys, and great blue herons work the shallows. Paddlers can hug the mangrove tunnels, drift over seagrass meadows where rays and small sharks cruise past, or stroke out into open water for skyline views toward the Kennedy Space Center. The combination of stillness, wildlife, and uninterrupted sky gives the Banana River Aquatic Preserve a character that feels closer to wilderness than to a typical Florida coastline.
This self-guided kayak rental is ideal for couples wanting a quiet morning on the water, families with curious kids, photographers chasing wildlife, and active travelers looking for a low-key alternative to theme parks and crowded beaches. Beginners will appreciate the protected, shallow waters of the Banana River Aquatic Preserve, while more experienced paddlers can range farther into its hidden coves and grass flats. Whether you come for the manatees, the birdlife, or simply the calm of paddling somewhere genuinely wild, an afternoon on the Banana River Aquatic Preserve is one of the most authentic ways to experience Florida's Space Coast.
