If there’s one clear advantage to living in an area for most of your life, it’s knowing where the real hidden gems are in your area, those places that really give you a sense of place, that remind you why you love living where you are. and with a simple detour off a road less traveled, you can turn a mundane and routine errand trip into a mini trip of discovery and relaxation, and as such, on a recent trip to Cocoa Village on business, I opted to return to Titusville on one of those roads, Indian River Drive, which begins in town on the westbound lane of State Road 520, just west of the bridge.
Time seemed to slow down to Florida time almost immediately. Speed limits are slow and a sign tells you you’ll be sharing the road with bikes, and it’s understandably a great bike ride.
To your left will be an architectural display of beautiful homes, with styles ranging from Spanish Villa to Victorian, Neoclassical, Bungalow and more interspersed with historic homes from the early settlements in this area. Many of these have beautiful extensive gardens, while some maintain beautiful tropical gardens. Compare this to the view to the right and you’ll be amazed at the expansive views of the Indian River Lagoon. As you slowly head north you will find yourself gaining altitude and in places you will find yourself on a ledge overlooking the lagoon which appears to be about 100 feet almost down.
Further on you will find beautiful houses by the lagoon that seem to be built on a cliff, with very steep paths that go down into the lagoon. These homes don’t have patios to speak of, but the pride of these owners is clearly evident in the displays of tropical flowers that line the driveway.
About 2.3 miles north of 520 you’ll find the entrance to McFarland Park, a 1-acre shaded view of the lagoon with a viewing and fishing pier, and a great place to step outside for a minute and enjoy the lagoon. From there, the drive and spectacular views continue north under the State Road 528 bridge for a few more miles, until the westbound curve meets US-1 at Sharps, south of Port St. John and Titusville.
Indian River Drive is approximately 7 miles long with frequent stops at 3-way intersections. Most of these will take you to US-1 if you choose not to take the entire scenic drive. To start at the south end heading north, take 520 east to Delannoy Avenue, which will be the last left you can take before you cross the 520 Causeway, and go 1 block north to the light, which will be the intersection of the westbound lane of 520. This is a one-way street, so keep to the right so you can turn left into the far right lane of 520 when the light changes. Indian River Drive will be the next on the right.
To start at the north end, the drive will meet directly across US-1 from Corky Bell’s Seafood Restaurant in Sharps, just south of Port St. John.
Editor’s note; If you’re traveling to Cocoa Village from the north for its great restaurants and shopping, this is a great scenic drive to take on your way to get into that more “Florida state of mind” when you hit State Road 520 in the south at the end, across is Brevard Avenue (one way, south) into the heart of Cocoa Village.