8 Best Engagement Session Beach Locations Near Melbourne Florida

I photograph a lot of engagement sessions on the beaches near Melbourne, Florida. A common question that I get asked a lot is ..”what is my favorite or best beach to have our pictures at”. In all honesty.. this is such a hard question. I don’t have a favorite “go to” spot for your engagement session at the beach. Trust me when I say… the beaches vary in what they look like each day. For real! Winds, tides, seaweed, season, turtle nests….are just a few factors that enter into the variability of the beach. The landscape of the beach literally ebbs and flows (no pun intended!). It changes by season, by month, by the week…heck…even by the day.

There are so Many things to consider when picking the perfect beach for your Engagement Session

First and foremost…f you want the best engagement session at the beach be sure to trust your photographer when they make suggestions.

Another huge consideration for which beach you choose for your engagement session is the tide. Melbourne Beach, a pristine stretch of beach inside the Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge, is insanely beautiful, quiet and free of huge condos. However, Melbourne beach can be very narrow in spots. This is particularly evident during periods of high tide. Combine that with a full moon (spring tide) or a stormy windy day then you could be faced with VERY little beach.

Despite tidal concerns Melbourne Beach does hold a treasure trove of my favorite spots. Some include Ocean Ave, Spessard Holland, Floridana Beach and Sebastian Inlet. Let’s take a closer look at each location!

Let’s dive in and check out some of the best beach locations for engagement sessions near Melbourne, Florida! (I may even add a few bonus beach locations for you to check out!)

If you need tips on how to prepare for your beach engagement check out this post.

Ocean Ave Melbourne Beach – A Fantastic location for a Beach Engagement Session

I love this location because it is gorgeous and pratical. Some of the pros include a large public parking lot, public restrooms and showers. However, because of these amenities it does make it a more popular beach destination for families. I also suggest having your engagement session during a weekday to cut down on the amount of people at the beach.

Ocean Ave beach park also boasts lovely dunes complete with sea oats and other native plants. It is a dream location.

Liz Cowie Photography (www.lizcowiephotography.com)

Spessard Holland Beach Park South

As you drive farther south down A1A you will find numerous beach access. Spessard Holland Beach Park South is a great place to shoot your engagement session as it also offers easy parking and restrooms. It is a long beach access so it makes it easy to get away from any crowds. The beach here tends to be very narrow though (even at low tide). I highly recommend only shooting here at high tide or you will be literally in the water. Hey.. that could be really fun too! Moral of the story…do your research before you choose this beach location.

Check out these beach engagement images during low tide at Spessard Holland.

Jetty Park

If you are up for traveling north to Jetty Park you won’t be disappointed! Located in Cape Canaveral, in the heart of the space coast, Jetty park is a fabulous location for an engagement session. Some pros.. very large parking lot, concessions, restrooms, pier, dunes and wide flat beach. In addition… you may even get to see a cruise ship heading out to sea!

Cons… because it is a park a ton of people go there and you have to pay to get in (even if you are Brevard County resident). On a weekend in the summer, holidays and during rocket launches this beach can be insanely crowded. However, if you play your cards right and choose your day wisely Jetty park can be the most fantastic location. A vast dune area as well as a rocky Jetty really can add variety to your engagement session gallery. Again.. hit this spot at low tide and some soft sun you just can’t go wrong. What a treat!

High winds and storms can bring in seaweed

Another quick real tip about all Central Florida beaches near Melbourne…there may be seaweed. And sometimes there is A LOT of it. I mean a ton! Winter storms or Hurricanes have a bad habit of carrying in mounds of sargassum and depositing it on the beach. Jetty Park (at low tide) is usually wide enough to “cut out” the seaweed.

16^th Street Cocoa Beach

This location ranks really high for me! Parking and restrooms available but you don’t have to pay any fees. The parking lot is small so at times you may run into parking issues. However, the wide beach with picturesque dunes makes up for the parking issues. This is also a super easy beach to access if you are coming over from Orlando. You still get the gorgeous beach yet don’t have to make the drive all the way down to Melbourne Beach.

Floridana Beach

Floridana Beach is a little hidden gem in South Melbourne Beach, Florida. This is my hood..my beach. You could even park at my home and we could head over to the beach together! Now… when the weather, tides and sun are all in concert with each other you can achieve perfection. But I must warn you this beach is super narrow and there aren’t a lot of public access spots.

6^th Ave Beach Access Melbourne Beach, Florida

6^th Ave Beach Access is a tiny hidden gem in Melbourne Beach. Be forewarned that this access only supports parking for a few cars so again.. don’t try it on the weekends. Do you see a theme here? Photographing your engagement session on the weekdays really is the best option! Central Florida beaches are crowded on the weekends! Strategically choosing a time when there are less people on the beach watching you also means less people for your photographer to photoshop out!

The perfect beach for a proposal!

Sebastian Inlet

I love Sebastian Inlet! So much variety! You have the beach, a pier, a tidepool area, secret mangrove trails and a bit of green space. Sebastian Inlet is a State Park so please remember that you will have to pay to get in. Again.. a busy summer weekend day this place is going to be bustling! Contact me today if you are ready to have an engagement session at this awesome location!