Canaveral National Seashore is a National Seashore in Florida. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 1 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Canaveral
We matched 1 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Canaveral. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Beaches (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Canaveral the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 85° in summer but only 38° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:48 PM | 246° | 10h 30m |
| February | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:14 PM | 256° | 11h 11m |
| March | 7:34 AM | 8:05 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:32 PM | 268° | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:49 PM | 282° | 12h 51m |
| May | 6:33 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:08 PM | 292° | 13h 35m |
| June | 6:25 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:23 PM | 297° | 13h 58m |
| July | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:24 PM | 295° | 13h 48m |
| August | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:04 PM | 287° | 13h 11m |
| September | 7:09 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:30 PM | 274° | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:24 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:54 PM | 261° | 11h 30m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:30 PM | 249° | 10h 43m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:29 PM | 244° | 10h 19m |
Computed for the park's reference point (28.7864, -80.7542); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Canaveral, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 32° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.0 | 19° |
| March | 3:50 AM – 6:10 AM | 2.3 | 29° |
| April | 1:41 AM – 5:31 AM | 3.8 | 32° |
| May | 11:47 PM – 4:57 AM | 5.2 | 32° |
| June | 9:58 PM – 4:48 AM | 6.8 | 32° |
| July | 9:56 PM – 3:26 AM | 5.5 | 32° |
| August | 9:29 PM – 1:19 AM | 3.8 | 32° |
| September | 8:49 PM – 11:19 PM | 2.5 | 29° |
| October | 8:13 PM – 9:23 PM | 1.2 | 21° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
4 Estimated Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon.
Weather & best time to visit
Summer: Hot & humid (Temperatures average in the 90's) Winter months: Temperatures in the 40–70-degree range, with a "cold spell" where temperatures lower to the mid-30's). Hurricane Season: June 1st through November 30th (most activity normally occurs in August through October)
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (58%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $20.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Sedan | $25.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Canaveral National Seashore is located along Florida's East coast in both Volusia & Brevard counties. To access Apollo Beach - take I-95 to exit 249, then go east until it turns into A1A. Follow A1A south to the park entrance. To access Playalinda Beach - take I-95 to exit 220. Go east through Titusville on Garden Street, continue east and follow the signs.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Boating
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Group Camping
- Fishing
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Paddling
- Junior Ranger Program
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Saltwater Swimming
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
