Florida Space Coast
January 26 to February 1, 2025Take advantage of Early Bird pricing and register ASAP!
Pricing is based on receipt of registration and deposit. Mail-in registration/payment must be postmarked by the stated early bird date. Online payment must be received before date the date stated.
At this boutique bed and breakfast, rooms only have one bed. If more than one person to the room, you will be sharing the same bed.
What’s Included:
Six nights lodging at one of Cocoa Beaches’ premier lodging locations, The Inn @ Cocoa Beach
Six freshly prepared breakfasts
Wine and Cheese reception daily before dinner
Six ridiculously fabulous dinners at the very best local restaurants (Do not come hoping to lose weight!)
SAG Stops with SAG Vehicles on the route
Daily Route Sheets
Uniquely different riding venues
Fun and interesting attractions along the way
The Florida Space Coast has graciously welcomed bicyclists for many years providing a diverse mixture of beautiful beaches, high-tech wizardry, and a surfer-dude atmosphere allowing you a chance to relax and let loose. Welcome to a vacation destination where natural wonders and exhilarating adventures walk hand in hand. Welcome to Florida’s Space Coast!
Just 35 miles east of Orlando, you will find 72 miles of picturesque Atlantic beaches known as Florida’s Space Coast. Along with the impressive stretches of coastline, unspoiled nature preserves exist in perfect harmony with the Space Age attraction of the Kennedy Space Center Complex.
Late January is a great time to visit! While it may be the coldest month of the year, temperatures still only range between 50 and 71 degrees, perfect for biking the trails and roads. Wildlife and nature watching are a highlight during this time of year. Over 300 species of birds make landfall on their migration as this is the perfect resting place in between the tropical and temperate climate zones. On one of the days, you will be riding through a remarkable wildlife refuge where you can see firsthand the beauty of the area.
The history of our area is on display throughout the county at early settlement homesteads like Field Manor and Sam’s House on Merritt Island or the Rossetter House in Melbourne. These depict life here as it was in the late 1800s as the area began to take shape. In the 1950s the federal government needed lots of room for its burgeoning rocket program and Cape Canaveral fit the bill. It was close to the equator, requiring less fuel to get into orbit and it was sparsely populated. Then as the space race got into full swing in the 1960s, the area grew along with our country’s effort to land a man on the moon and bring him back to Earth before the end of the decade. Florida’s Space Coast Tour will give you a chance to visit the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (by arriving early or extending your stay) to relive those tense moments of Russia’s Sputnik beeping overhead to landing on the moon to building the International Space Station. You can even have lunch with an astronaut!
While not riding, spend your time surfing, flying a kite, or just lie on the warm white sand of the many miles of pristine beaches Florida’s Space Coast offers while watching dolphins play tag in the water.
Where else can you watch the sunrise out of the Atlantic, cruise idyllic riverfront roads, enjoy dinner while cruise ships pass by and finish the day with a nightcap under the full moon and a sky filled with stars?
With all its diversity, the Florida Space Coast is the perfect bicycling vacation destination and Bubba’s Pampered Pedalers, Florida’s Space Coast Tour, is the perfect bicycling tour.
The itinerary will not only offer you a great variety of riding but also showcase Florida’s Space Coast. The tour is designed as a bicycling vacation. Low mileage, less than 35 miles per day, you will have time to explore each of the riding venues.
Six nights lodging at one of Cocoa Beach’s premier properties, the Inn at Cocoa Beach, is included in the registration fee as well as all breakfasts and dinners. That’s right. Unpack your bags and relax. You will be staying at the same location all six nights where the only thing separating you from the beach is the outdoor swimming pool and garden area.
Riding Itinerary
Itinerary subject to change due to conditions/circumstances beyond the control of the event.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge – 30 Miles
Cycling through the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge will be like nothing you have ever experienced from the seat of a bicycle. The 140,000 acres of marshes, hardwood hammocks, pine flat woods, scrub and coastal dunes provide habitat for over 500 species of wildlife including 21 federal and state-listed endangered and/or threatened species.
Manatees, sea turtles, bald eagles, otters, alligators, bobcats and dozens of species of beautiful wading birds and waterfowl make this their home. The refuge is a major stop during the great birding migration.
Blessed with a favorable coastal location and sub-tropic climate, this refuge shares a common boundary with the Kennedy Space Center proving nature and technology can not only coexist — both can thrive together!
You will have plenty of time to explore this one-of-a-kind wildlife refuge while bicycling the many miles of the friendly paved roads with limited vehicle traffic.
Make sure you pack a camera; you will want to capture the many wonderful wildlife sightings along the way.
River Road & Cocoa Village – 28 Miles
One of the Space Coast’s favorite cycling routes is ‘River Road’ which hugs the Indian River. The canopied road with limited vehicle traffic makes for the perfect ride as you watch dolphins cavort and ospreys soar while looking for lunch. Speaking of lunch, you will have a variety of great restaurants from which to choose that range from casual to elegant.
Cocoa Village is a quaint district with numerous unique shops and restaurants in a small-town atmosphere. ‘The Village’ is the nickname locals gave to the historic area. Whether dining or shopping, Cocoa Village will have something for you.
Cocoa was originally founded by fishermen on the banks of the Indian River, the same river you will be cycling next to. The commercial fishermen are long gone, but a great deal of the early twentieth-century architecture remains. Today, Cocoa Village’s most famous industry is its art galleries. Other businesses include retail stores such as antiques, home decor, gift shops, and other boutiques. But you won’t find a single chain store here. Be sure to stop at S. F. Travis Hardware. For 125 years, from the rise and fall of the river trade in the late 1800s to the birth of the Space Age, the S.F. Travis Company has been providing hardware and products in Cocoa, Florida. The Space Coast Department of Tourism is centrally located in the Village. Stop in to say “hi” and check out the tourist information brochures.
You will have plenty of time to shop at the local stores. If you see that ‘must-have’ item, the friendly SAG staff will be more than happy to transport your find back to the hotel.
This day of riding will be on well-maintained county roads with limited, slow-moving vehicle traffic. It will be very obvious why the ride is considered “Best in Class” by local riders.
Titusville Trail Tour – 30 Miles
You are in for a real treat! But, first, let us look at what this trail means to the Space Coast.
The City of Titusville was designated as Florida’s second Trail Town just a few short years ago on June 27, 2018. A Florida Trail Town is a community close to a long-distance non-motorized recreational trail and welcomes hikers, bicyclists, skaters and joggers with restaurants, shops and lodging.
The City of Titusville is becoming the hub of three converging multi-use trails: the Coast-to-Coast Trail a 250-mile 12 foot wide multi-purpose trail running from St. Petersburg through downtown Titusville. Eventually this trail will continue from Titusville through the Canaveral National Seashore to the beautiful natural Atlantic Ocean beaches; 2) the St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop a 260-mile loop encompasses five counties Volusia, Putnam, St. Johns, Flagler and Brevard that when complete runs from Titusville to St. Augustine along the Atlantic Coast and St. Johns River corridor; 3) the East Coast Greenway connecting Calais, Maine to Key West Florida that when complete, the 3,000-mile trail will become the nation’s longest connecting protected biking and walking route.
You will be cycling on the East Central Regional Trail segment. You will enjoy the mixed vegetation and animal life that flies overhead and scurries along the trail. Bring the sunscreen as this trail has a mix of sun and shade. Experience ‘Old Florida” as you make your way to Osteen.
Barrier Island Tour – 35 Miles
At the extreme southern end of the Space Coast, you will experience the flavor of the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon. Beginning at the Barrier Island Sanctuary you will cycle along a segment of the East Coast Greenway that connects 15 states and 450 cities and towns for 3,000 miles from Maine to Florida. Residential areas, nature reserves and plentiful wildlife coexist to offer non-stop scenery.
Non-Riding Day Options
Kennedy Space Center
Lone Cabbage Fish Camp
Another Option
Do nothing. Yes, just hang around the amazing lodging location, enjoying the pool and beach or take a short walk to the World-Famous Ron John’s Surf Shop.
Registration Fee:
Pricing is based on receipt of registration and deposit. Mail-in registration/payment must be postmarked on or before date. Online payment must be received on or before date.
Note: Double rate only available to those sharing a single room.
Questions and Answers
What are the dates for the tour?
2025 Dates to be Announced
Where will I be staying while on this tour?
The Inn at Cocoa Beach, 4300 Ocean Beach Blvd, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931
Are you saying I will be staying at the same place the entire tour?
Indeed. So, unpack, relax and enjoy this beautiful property. After all, it’s your vacation.
I understand it is my responsibility to get to the start of the tour, how is the best way?
If flying, you have two choices. Orlando International Airport is 48 miles from the Inn at Cocoa Beach. Orlando Melbourne International Airport is 24 miles from the Inn at Cocoa Beach.
How do I get from the airport to the Inn at Cocoa Beach?
Vehicle rentals are available at either airport which will allow you a vehicle the entire week. Commercial shuttle services are also available at either airport. Uber just might be the least expensive.
Can I bring a non-riding friend?
Florida’s Space Coast Tour is the perfect event for a non-rider with all the fun stuff to do daily besides riding. A non-rider is encouraged to ride along with a SAG member to enjoy each and every fun activity the riders will enjoy and enjoy them at the same time. If the non-rider would prefer to lounge around the pool or hit the beach instead, that works also. After all, it’s their vacation also.
It’s winter, what kind of weather can I expect?
It is winter but it is also Florida. Temperatures are typically in the 50—70 range. That said, occasionally it can be cooler or warmer so check the forecast before leaving and pack accordingly. I can promise you there will be no snow shoveling.
What is the best type of bicycle for this tour?
Will there be bicycle rental available?
Yes, Space Coast Recreational Rentals offers bike rentals including Ebikes. Call them directly at (321) 613-3327 for all needed information and to reserve. inform them you are on Bubba’s Space Coast Tour.
What if I choose to ship my bike?
No problem.
A1A Beach Rentals
(321) 505-7455
Tell them you are on Bubba’s Space Coast Tour.
What can I expect the riding to be? Mileage? Hills?
The roads and byways will be mostly flat. Daily mileage of about 30 will allow you to enjoy each day’s riding venue and allow time to relax and enjoy Cocoa Beach. After all, this is your vacation.
Besides riding, will there be other things to do along the way?
This tour is designed as a Bicycling Vacation which means there will be lots to see and do daily besides riding.
Here’s what riders are saying about Bubba’s Space Coast Tour…
Pat T, 2020 Tour:
What part of “Pampering” don’t you understand? Bubba understands it all. The entire week was amazing. Everything ran like clockwork thanks to Bubba’s staff planning and your execution. I had almost forgotten how great a Bubba tour can be.
Michele H, 2020 Tour:
My favorite tour EVER. OMG. The food!
Lois:
You and your staff do an “A+” job ensuring everyone is cared for and comfortable. Great group of riders, great staff and great ride. Hope our paths cross again!
Lora and Phil:
We had a GREAT tour and a nice introduction to the space coast. Loved the location of the hotel and the breakfasts were perfect. We got there the Thurs before the tour and walked up and down the beach for 5 miles in each direction, BEAUTIFUL, even got to see a small shark! (Got everyone out of the water in a hurry!) Dinners as always were superb – different and delicious. Space Center and tour of the cattle ranch are great destinations. Thanks! And the airboat ride was a blast. That was a lot of alligators on the “beaches”. We lived in Kenya for 3 years and never saw that many crocodiles congregated in one place. Rides were delightful, lovely scenery. Thanks again for a GREAT tour with other fun riders.
Andy:
I pass through this area regularly and have never stopped. This tour showed me what I have been missing. For sure I plan to revisit and do more exploring of the Space Coast.
Martha:
I’m ALWAYS grateful when I have no responsibility, thank you, it was great. With 30 riders, there had to be at least 60 opinions on every single detail. We all got there, we all got home safely. And we all learned something new about the Space Coast of Florida. Perfect. Keep up the good work.
Dan:
What I enjoyed most of the Space Coast Tour is visiting an area which normally I would not take time to visit on vacation. This tour opened my eyes to see the beauty of Florida differently.