Merritt Island Living · Space Coast, Florida
Your local guide to island life
Events, favorite spots, neighborhoods, waterways, and the practical resources that make Merritt Island worth coming home to.
Welcome
A community guide built by a neighbor, for the whole island
Merritt Island Living is your all-in-one community resource for Merritt Island, Florida: the events, locally loved businesses, neighborhoods, waterways, and practical homeowner guidance that shape island life. Curated locally and updated as organizers and the community share news, it is built for residents, visitors, and anyone considering making the move to Florida's Space Coast.
This is a community-first website, so the island and its people stay in the spotlight. Where facts are not yet verified, we say so plainly and update as we confirm them. Everything here is anchored in service to the place we call home.
34,500+
residents call the island home
46 miles
of peninsula from north to south
2 rivers
the Lagoon and the Banana River
1 space coast
home to NASA's Kennedy Space Center
One place, every corner of island life
Explore the resource hub
Community Events
Markets, festivals, boat parades, and family fun, kept current as organizers share dates.
ExploreLocal Favorites
Verified neighborhood picks: coffee, seafood on the water, and the businesses residents love.
ExploreExplore the Island
Neighborhoods, parks, waterways, schools, and the Space Coast attractions around them.
ExploreGuides & Resources
Seasonal plans, homeowner checklists, and practical guides, updated through the year.
ExploreLet It Glow 2026
The island's holiday lights contest, with homeowner entries and community voting.
ExploreHomeowner Resources
Clear, educational help with buying, selling, waterfront ownership, insurance, and taxes.
Explore
What's happening on the island
Community events, kept current
Farmers markets, festivals, boat parades, and holiday traditions across Merritt Island and the Space Coast. We list only events we can source or clearly flag as unconfirmed, so you can plan with trust.
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Farmers Market
Merritt Island Farmers Market at Crisafulli Groves
Saturdays, year round · Crisafulli Groves
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Festival & Fair
Space Coast State Fair
Late October through mid-November 2026 · Melbourne area (Space Coast)
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Holiday
Cocoa Beach Main Street WinterFest
Early December 2026 · Downtown Cocoa Beach Main Street
Local favorites
Where the island goes
Verified, locally loved businesses across the Space Coast. Every spot below is real and open today; we keep building the list as the community nominates more.
Waterfront & Seafood
Dolphins Waterfront Bar & Grill
Dockside dining right on the Merritt Island causeway, with boats on the water and an easy island-breeze feel.
Visit siteWaterfront & Seafood
Grills Seafood Deck & Tiki Bar
A lively tiki-deck favorite at the port, known for fresh seafood, sunset views, and a real Space Coast party atmosphere.
Visit siteWaterfront & Seafood
Fishlips Waterfront Bar & Grill
Cruise-watching waterfront dining at Port Canaveral with a huge seafood menu, live music, and open-air decks over the channel.
Visit siteWaterfront & Seafood
Florida's Seafood Bar & Grill
Family-owned and beloved across the island for its generous portions, raw bar, and classic Florida seafood.
Visit site
Explore Merritt Island
Two rivers, one island.
Waterways, parks, neighborhoods, schools, and the Space Coast attractions all within a short drive.
Start exploringFeatured campaign
Let It Glow, Merritt Island 2026
A true community holiday lights decorating contest. Enter your home for a chance to become the island's most glowed-up address, plan your family's lights route from the participating homes guide, then vote for the neighborhood's favorite display.
Enter your home
Homeowner entry form
Plan a lights route
Participating homes guide
Vote for a favorite
Community voting
Water on every side, and nowhere you have to be in a hurry.
Guides & resources
Seasonal plans and practical help
Seasonal
December on the Island
A local holiday planner for the Space Coast
Read the guide Seasonal
Holiday Lights & Family Fun Guide
Drive the lights, count the Santas, don't miss the season
Read the guide Lifestyle
First Timer's Guide to the Space Coast
Sunsets, launches, and a whole new pace
Read the guide
Curated by a neighbor
Anchored in service to this island
Merritt Island Living was built by Brianna Lalumiere, a longtime island-of-Space-Coast resident and broker with roughly 475 homes sold across her career. The community comes first here; Brianna's job is to help the people behind the guide find their own place in it.
Planning a visit or a move?
Consider this your island welcome
Whether you are looking for a weekend away, weekly markets, or a home to settle into, Merritt Island Living is here to help you belong. Ask a local question any time.
Send a note to the island
Questions for Brianna or the Merritt Island Living team? Drop us a line and we will reply personally.