Sunrise at Cocoa Beach – viewing & photography tips

I remember vividly the moment when I decided that the sunrise in Cocoa Beach, Florida, would be worth getting up for. We were leaving the Sandbar Sports Grill at sunset – the sky was on fire with colours. Then it occurred to me that because it is east facing, seeing the sunrise at Cocoa Beach would be perfection. So, at 5:30am the next morning, we fought our way from slumber, grabbed our cameras and headed down to the beach for the magical moment. I’ve included my viewing and photography tips below, so you can document your own sunrise at Cocoa Beach when you visit.

Cocoa Beach is located in Cape Canaveral, on the Atlantic coast of Florida.

Where is the best place to view the sunrise at Cocoa Beach?

My suggestion is to watch the sunrise near the Cocoa Beach pier. There are a few different parking locations nearby, and hotel options if you want to watch it from your room or balcony. This stretch of beach also offers various structures to utilise in your photos.

Accessibility

The beach is easily accessed over the dunes for those able to climb a few stairs, but is not suitable for those with accessibility issues. However there is accessible beach access and beach wheelchairs available at Jetty Park at the north end of Port Canaveral.

When to arrive

Check for the sunrise time during the time of your visit and aim to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the sunrise time listed. This time before sunrise is referred to as ‘Blue Hour’ because of the blue hues that are prominent during this time. The technical term for the pre-sunrise time is ‘civil twilight’, it is when the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon.

Where to park

At that time of the morning, parking is easy to come by. There are public parking areas at the pier (Meade Ave), and on Pulsipher Ave. They have pay and display parking meters, but check to see when the charging hours are.

Where to stay in Cocoa Beach

For a really well-positioned upper-mid-range hotel option near the Cocoa Beach Pier, I recommend the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Cocoa Beach Oceanfront. Their ocean view rooms have balconies overlooking the beach and are perfect for witnessing the beautiful Cocoa Beach sunrises.

A budget option is Ocean Landings Resort (900 North Atlantic Ave). This modest property offers apart-hotel facilities right near the beach.

Luxury isn’t really Cocoa Beach’s style, but the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront is a lovely 4-star spot further south. They have boardwalks right out onto the beach, so you wouldn’t have to travel far to enjoy the sunrise.

Photography tips for sunrise photos

Setting the scene

When you are taking sunrise or sunset photos on a beach, ideally you will want areas of punctuation in the photo, so that it is not just a flat vista and horizon line. A pier, some birds, silhouettes of people and rocks or other geographical features make for good focal points.

Camera tips

Shooting sunrises comes with unique photography challenges. Here are some tips:

• Always bracket (shoot a range of under, balanced, and over exposures). You can do this manually or via automatic bracketing on most cameras. For a sunset I almost always err towards under-exposure, this intensifies the colours and stops the direct sunlight washing out the photo.
• For the pre-sunrise time, use a tripod to utilise long exposures for atmospheric shots.
• Play with your aperture and explore depth of field.
• Enjoy the silhouettes created by shooting into the sun – birds, people and features will be silhouetted by the intense light of the sun.
• Keep shooting – the light will change quickly, so keep shooting. If you’re not into photography and just want to enjoy the sunset, then just keep watching!

Composition

Pretty please, make sure your horizon line is straight (it’s a bug-bear of mine). And remember to use the rule of thirds – imagine your viewfinder is split into 3 segments both horizontally and vertically (some camera viewfinders will have a setting to show this). Rather than having your horizon line sit in the centre, align it to the upper or lower vertical grid line. Placing any subject or feature to the left or right grid lines. This will draw the eye and make your composition more dynamic.

Other things to do while you’re in Cape Canaveral

You can’t visit Cocoa Beach and not visit the famous Ron Jons Surf Shop (N Atlantic Ave) – their flagship store remains the largest of all their shops. Enjoy dinner and live music at Sandbar Sports Grill – I recommend their taco salad. I would also highly recommend a drive through the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, and a visit to the Canaveral National Seashore. You can see the Kennedy Space Center from the beach!

Sunrise at Cocoa Beach – viewing & photography tips

Writing this reminded me of that feeling of calm that watching a sunrise brings. It is also a good reminder that getting up at 5:30am, even when you don’t feel like it, can be a wonderful thing! Watching the sunrise at Cocoa Beach, Florida, is truly a magical thing to do – especially if you combine it with a romantic walk on the beach with your lover. Enjoy!

Our adventures on Cumberland Island, Georgia, were equally magical. Don’t miss my Southern barbecue highlights too! Give me a shout if you think I can help you with your trip planning.

All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM; and an iPhoneX.