Indialantic Boardwalk:
Indialantic’s Boardwalk resides halfway to Sebastian Inlet from Cocoa Beach, at the end of the SR 192, one of the east-to-west arteries that connects Central Florida. The boardwalk is easy to find, thanks to a stoplight perched on A1A at the north end of the beach park. The Boardwalk is Indialantic’s center for summertime beach activity, a buzzing swarm of screaming kids, sweating parents, slow-moving old folks, sunning lovelies and, of course, surfers of every breed. You must pay to park, and the meter maid is a respected Boardwalk icon for good reason, so feed the meter, then feed your face with a stromboli or extra-large slice from Bizarro’s Pizzeria.
Other than a calzone, shorebreak is the Boardwalk’s real claim to fame; it’s the place to go when the tide gets too high for Sebastian Inlet. The outside sandbar can be fun on a medium tide, but is best when linking all the way inside. Clearly, the formidable coquina shelves that begin somewhere south of Patrick’s finally end just north of the Boardwalk as the shorebreak spits and explodes over sand and sharp shells covered only by inches of water. Rippers and leashless groms alike charge carelessly into the tubes and high over sections, putting on a show for photographers and spectators just feet away. In fact, this happening spot is the homebreak of former WCT pros Bryan Hewitson and Danny Melhado, as well as mid-’80s aerial acrobat Jon Holeman. It’s also ground zero for tons of anonymous groms and teenagers, but there’s a lot of beach and plenty of sandbars. Don’t be afraid to seek out your own peak.
The Radisson:
The Radisson hotel sits just south of Eau Gallie Boulevard on A1A. The access lot is marked by a minor traffic light, which makes it an easy spot to get in and out of, though the parking slips are limited. More than the parking or shower facilities, the break out front is frequented for its high concentration of coquina shelves, which hold sand in place. Unlike most of the area’s rocky breaks, where the exposed parts remain limited to the first 20 feet of shoreline, the Radisson has a longer, more treacherous stretch of outcroppings. While this feature can be an asset during bomb swells — especially strong norths — it also makes the Radisson a trickier spot to navigate when getting in and out of the water. At low tide you can see where you’re going, but at high tide it becomes a toe-mangling mine field, so step carefully and watch your shins, feet and fins. Furthermore, the rocks allow for strange currents that can hold paddlers stationary on surprisingly small days.