Living in Florida's Space Coast
Holiday Cove
Holiday Cove is the canal neighborhood on the west side of North Banana River Drive, laid out starting in 1963 and finished in phases through the 1970s. There is no association of any kind. More than half the homes sit on a canal, the back edge of the plat looks into the Ulumay Sanctuary, and Kelly Park's ramp is a few minutes north.
Holiday Cove In Merritt Island, Florida
Holiday Boulevard is the spine. Girard Boulevard, Windsor Drive, Martin Boulevard, Capeview, Sunrise Drive and Phillips Court branch off it, and a canal system threads between them. The plat was recorded in numbered units beginning in 1963, and the last of the houses went up around 1979. What you find today is a mid century block neighborhood that has been quietly updated house by house rather than redeveloped all at once.
The water is the reason people buy here. Better than half the homes carry canal frontage, most with a seawall, many with a dock. Several of the canals are deep and run wide enough to hold a real boat. The canal system feeds east to the Banana River, and from the river you have open water south toward Cocoa Beach and north toward the barge canal and the lock.
There is no homeowners association. None. No dues, no architectural review, no rental rules coming from a board. That cuts both ways and you should know it going in. It means you can park a boat trailer in your driveway and paint the house what you want. It also means the condition of the street varies house to house, and nobody is enforcing a standard on your neighbor.
Homes run from about 1,445 to 2,304 square feet, with roughly 1,619 in the middle, mostly three bedroom two bath block and stucco under shingle. Lots are consistent at about a fifth of an acre. Around half the neighborhood has a pool. Water and sewer are both public here. Storm shutters are widespread and several homes have been through full window replacement.
Pricing has run from the high 250s for a dry interior home to the low 800s for a renovated deep water house. The middle sits near 470,000. Homes here take longer to trade than the island average, closer to fifty days, and sellers have typically given up more ground from their opening number than in tighter neighborhoods. Patience works in a buyer's favor on this street.
Holiday Cove At A Glance
The practical facts on Holiday Cove, in one place.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Location | West side of North Banana River Drive, north of the triangle, Merritt Island 32952 |
| Built | 1963 through 1979, most homes around 1967 |
| Home size | 1,445 to 2,304 square feet, about 1,619 in the middle |
| Bedrooms | Mostly three bedroom, some four and five bedroom conversions |
| Lot size | 0.18 to 0.26 acre, most right around a fifth of an acre |
| Construction | Concrete block and stucco, shingle roofs, single story |
| Association | None. No association, no dues, no architectural review |
| Utilities | Public water and public sewer |
| Price range | About 259,000 to 829,000, middle near 470,000 |
| Price per square foot | Around 303 dollars |
| Water frontage | More than half the homes are canal front, with Banana River frontage on a few |
| Docks and seawalls | Seawalls common on the canal lots, docks on many |
| Pools | Roughly half the homes have an in ground pool |
| Garage | Two car on nearly every home |
| Streets | Holiday Boulevard, Windsor Drive, Girard Boulevard, Martin Boulevard, Capeview, Sunrise Drive, Phillips Court |
| Backing | The western edge of the plat adjoins the Ulumay Sanctuary |
| Gated | No |
| Typical time to sell | About fifty days |
Holiday Cove Details
Zero Association Overhead
There is no HOA here at all. No annual dues, no assessment history to review, no board approval on a paint color or a fence. For a boat owner or anyone who dislikes covenants, that is the headline feature of Holiday Cove.
Deep Canal Frontage
Several of the canals hold real depth and width. Homes with 120 to 160 feet of canal footage are not unusual. Seawall condition varies by vintage, so make the seawall a specific inspection item rather than an assumption.
The Ulumay Sanctuary Behind You
Brevard County's Environmentally Endangered Lands program manages the 600 acre Ulumay Sanctuary at 805 Sykes Creek Parkway. Some Holiday Cove lots look straight into it. That means birds, sunsets and no future neighbor on that side.
Kelly Park Is Minutes Away
Kelly Park East at 2550 North Banana River Drive is the county ramp on the Banana River, a short run north on the same road you live on. Even if your lot is dry, launching is a five minute tow, not a project.
Mid Century Block, Modernized One At A Time
These are 1960s and 1970s concrete block homes, and the good ones have had roofs, windows, seawalls and kitchens redone. Because there is no board, the updating happened at each owner's pace. Judge every house on its own record.
Room To Negotiate
Homes here tend to sit longer than the island average and sellers have generally moved further off their opening price. If you are willing to wait for the right canal and write a considered offer, this is a neighborhood where that approach still works.
Homes For Sale In Holiday Cove
Current homes for sale in and around Holiday Cove are below. Canal frontage, seawall condition and clearance out to the river drive most of the price spread, so read the water before you read the finishes.
Holiday Cove Frequently Asked Questions
Does Holiday Cove have a homeowners association?
No. There is no association, no dues and no architectural review in Holiday Cove. Nothing is collected at closing for a board and there are no covenants being enforced by an organization. County code governs, since Merritt Island is unincorporated Brevard County.
Can I keep a boat behind the house?
On the canal lots, yes, and most already have a seawall with a dock. Depth and width vary by canal, so measure for your specific hull. Check clearance where the canal passes under the road crossing out to the river before you buy a boat with a tall tower.
How do I get from the canal to open water?
The canal system drains east to the Banana River. From the Banana River you can run north toward the Canaveral Barge Canal and the lock into Port Canaveral, or south into open water. Confirm the specific route from the exact lot with the seller.
Are these homes on septic or sewer?
Public sewer serves nearly the entire plat, along with public water. That is a real difference from the acreage neighborhoods in South Merritt Island, where septic is standard and drainfield age becomes part of every negotiation.
What is the flood picture here?
Canal front property in Brevard County frequently sits in a mapped flood zone. The FEMA flood map panels are held by Brevard County Public Works, Floodplain Administration, reachable at (321) 617-7340, and that office will put a determination and an elevation certificate in writing for you.
What is the triangle people mention in directions?
Locals call the junction where North Sykes Creek Parkway and North Banana River Drive come together the triangle. Keeping left there and continuing north on North Banana River Drive puts you at the Holiday Cove entrances within a minute or two.
Do I need a permit to rebuild a seawall?
Yes. Brevard County Planning and Development issues a Residential Marine Construction permit for seawall, dock and lift work. Shoreline work triggers a Natural Resources review as well, and you will need a survey dated within the last 180 days.
Is Holiday Cove age restricted?
No. There is no age restriction in Holiday Cove and no community that governs one. Ownership and occupancy are subject only to county code and whatever is recorded on the individual deed.
Holiday Boulevard off North Banana River Drive, Merritt Island 32952
Holiday Cove occupies the west side of North Banana River Drive between the triangle and the State Road 528 interchange. Coming from State Road 520, you head north on North Sykes Creek Parkway, keep left at the triangle, continue on North Banana River Drive and turn in at Holiday Boulevard, Martin Boulevard or Sunrise Drive. Coming from the Beachline, take the Banana River Drive exit and head south.
You are roughly ten minutes from the State Road 520 corridor and about fifteen from Cocoa Beach across the causeway. State Road 528 sits at the north end of the road, which puts Port Canaveral around ten to fifteen minutes out and Orlando International near the fifty minute mark. Kennedy Space Center is a straight run north on Courtenay Parkway.
Near Holiday Cove In Merritt Island
Considering Holiday Cove?
Not every canal in Holiday Cove is the same canal. Depth, width, seawall age and the run out to the river vary block by block, and with no association there is nobody keeping a record of any of it. My partner Nichole and I have walked these seawalls and can tell you which streets hold water and which ones do not. Call or text (321) 212-7676 before you make an offer.
