Last Updated on September 20, 2019 by Marybeth
And the beach is just a tiny drive away.
Stay and play in this shaded enclave of historic cottages, hip restaurants, galleries and shops, where a creative team of entrepreneurs are putting their energetic mark on a once-sleepy riverfront town. The lively downtown has a strong artistic presence and a core group of businesses, residents and volunteers who make up Egad Life have helped the town earn its Main Street America accreditation – and thirteen awards!
Walk around the Eau Gallie Arts District any morning and you’ll see old people jogging, moms pushing strollers and balancing cups of coffee-snob-quality coffee purchased from a family-owned local coffee shop; business owners turning the keys in their front doors and waving to passersby; and kids trundling off to the Verdi Eco-Urban farm school (I know! I want to go to school there too!)
Walk around in the afternoon and you’ll see fishermen and women setting up with their poles and tackle on the park piers; sailboats bobbing idyllically (as if the recent hurricane threat never happened and the predicted path never scared the life out of us) and drifts of live music coming from the waterfront beach bar, or the Irish pub around the corner.
Walk around in the early evening and you’ll see all ages gathering at the local brewery – and we mean all ages, because many bring their little children to roll around in the soft fake grass and pet the dogs (everyone is welcome) while the parents sample the local brews and chat at roomy picnic tables under string lights and shade, surrounded by a wall of tropical palms. You’ll see chilled-out yoga practitioners leaving a class, their mats rolled up under an arm and their faces soft and zen. In front of the shops you’ll be drawn to carefully curated displays of colorful art, furniture, crafts, or a beautiful dress floating in the breeze on a mannequin.
You know how some towns have all their coolness trotted out in front of you, look-at-me style, you can’t miss it and you’ve already heard so much about it and all the big magazines are writing about it and all the ‘influencers’ are homing in on it to have their photo taken there? Okay yes, New Orleans is so full of history and beauty and deserves to be talked about, a lot. Also Charleston, we agree. And Savannah! So much gorgeousness. But hey, you big magazines with 1.6 million followers on Instagram: look a little further. Drive south on Rt. 1 in Florida and take a left.
As a town that began back in the mid 1800s, Eau Gallie has some interesting backstories. History lovers will want to download the Florida Stories app created by the Florida Humanites Council and take a self-guided tour of Eau Gallie because there is so much more than we can tell you about here. Available on the App Store and Google Play. Here are a few cool facts before we move onto present-day Eau Gallie:
• John Carroll Houston, one of the earliest settlers who brought along his slaves to help build his house, operated a refuge and staging area for blockade runners transporting goods during the Civil War. His son, also named John, was captured in 1864 while running the blockade.
• The legendary Sailing Mailman – black freedman Peter Wright – sailed from Titusville to Malabar bringing news and mail, until steamboats and railroads became the mode of mail transportation in 1885 and Peter turned to fruit farming and then operating a livery stable.
• Henry Flagler brought his railroad through here in 1893 (we’ve found that Henry shows up in almost all Florida towns’ history at some point!) with plans and dreams to extend his East Coast Railway as far as Key West. He did live long enough to see that happen but died soon after.
• Not to skip way ahead but fast forward to 1969 when the town of Eau Gallie and the town of Melbourne voted to merge their governments, and the name Melbourne was chosen. Not all residents were happy about this outcome and there are still loyal Eau Gallie natives who, when asked if they live in Melbourne, insist they live in Eau Gallie.
And no wonder. Be proud, you Eau Gallians. There is so much fun going on here! The Eau Gallie Arts District – EGAD – organizes and hosts events like First Fridays – every first Friday come stroll the historic downtown and enjoy live entertainment, food trucks and more as the businesses all stay open late. Mark your calendar for these upcoming events:
SEPTEMBER 28: Space Coast Pride Parade & Festival
OCTOBER 19: Rocky Water Brewfest
NOVEMBER 5: Space Coast Music Fest
NOVEMBER 23-24: Eau Gallie Fine Arts Festival
Even when there isn’t a scheduled event, downtown Eau Gallie brims with creative businesses, art galleries, museums, art classes, dance classes, its own library and Civic Center, live theater, antique stores, boutique shops, restaurants and bars.
THE BEACH
While visiting Eau Gallie you may find yourself too happily busy exploring on this side of the Intracoastal Waterway but try to carve out some beach time, as Canova Beach Park is literally a straight shot east on Eau Gallie Blvd. Keep driving until you can’t go any further and turn right into the parking lot.
We should mention here, for all of you who are dog lovers and all of you who are not (??) this is the dog beach. Dogs are welcome on leashes and there is truly no happier place on earth than the dog beach. If you aren’t a dog lover (again, ??) another park, Irene H. Canova, is located 0.2 miles to the north.
PARK/WALK: Parking is free. The lot is a good size – we’ve never seen it completely full – but not the largest in the area. The walk from the lot to the beach is short, and one of the 3 crossovers is wheelchair accessible.
GO/RINSE: Restrooms, showers for guests and a separate hosing off station for your dog.
CROWD FACTOR: This beach can get a tiny bit crowded on the weekends, by Brevard County standards (which, honestly, is nothing compared to the more touristy Cocoa Beach) but there is plenty of room for all.
GUARDS: No lifeguards at this public beach.
IMBIBE: Alcohol is allowed in designated areas only.
WE LOVE: The conviviality, joy, and all the shapes and sizes of the dogs!
THE BAR
Squid Lips Overwater Bar & Grill
1477 Pineapple Ave.
Melbourne, FL 32935 • 321-259-3101
Open M-Th 11 am- 9 pm, Fri Sat 11 am-10 pm, Sun 9 am-9 pm
Squid Lips is almost a more definitive beach bar than some that overlook the ocean! And as you can see, they have their own beach. A delightful hodge-podge of historic buildings in multiple colors, Squid Lips welcomes beach bums and foodies of all ages.
VIBE: Upbeat and laid back at the same time. Groups of people relaxing, little kids playing, old and young couples dancing… a beach bar at its best.
ARRIVE: Come by foot, bike, car or boat – pull up to the pier next door or boat on in, anchor, and wade up to the beach.
SIT: Squid Lips offers multiple seating options and rooms, from more formal* dining indoors (*formal being relative in Florida; here you can still wear flip-flops, it’s just quieter inside) to the large cozy indoor bar, in front of the fireplace, or several options outdoors undercover, or on the beach.
SIP: Happy Hour is Mon-Fri 3-7 pm, Sat Sun 2-5 pm.
NOSH: Appetizers, baskets, sandwiches and wraps are offered outside, with even more serious entrees to choose from when dining indoors. Try their Coconut Onion Chips, Blue Cheese and Balsamic Tater Chips, famous Abaco Fish Sandwich, Oak Grilled Angus Beef Burger, or Key Largo Style Baked Fish. Creatures of habit, we almost always order their Coconut Shrimp appetizer and Fried Clam Basket. Yes, all fried, and to die for!
LISTEN: Live music every day, twice on Fridays and Saturdays and three times on Sundays; check their calendar.
WE LOVE: The festive Caribbean-style atmosphere and that view of the Intracoastal and the Eau Gallie bridge.
THE BUNGALOW
While there are a number of chain hotels in the area (which are fine when you’re on your way to somewhere fun and need a place to pull in for a quick overnight) if you chose a corporately owned cookie-cutter hotel you’d be missing out. Your choices of older homes and historic properties that have been refreshed and provide comfortable – and even luxurious – lodging within walking distance of everything are many. We’ve listed some below including the place we stayed.
Spacious Renovated Home – 8 Minutes From the Beach
4/2, 5 beds, 8 guests
Rates start at approximately $119/night
Florida Bungalow #1 RULE: DOGS TRAVEL FREE
1/1, 2 guests, studio
Rates start at approximately $55/night
Owned by the same people who offer the Charming Key West Retreat in Arts District, (4/3, 5 beds, 10 guests, approx. $99/night) pictured earlier, this old Florida home was built during the boom of NASA. And you read that right – your fur baby stays here free!
Private Oasis in Arts District Minutes to the Beach
2/1, 3 beds, 5 guests
Rates start at approximately $88/night
Put these visits and experiences on your to-do list while in Eau Gallie:
VISIT
Not Quite Right Improv Theater
SHOPS & SERVICES
Art Abilities, pottery and fused glass classes
Color Authority by Jen Christine
Intimate Images Photography Studio
Little Latitudes Florist, Gifts, Art
DINE IN OR CARRY OUT
Bonefish Willy’s Riverfront Grille
Oh Biscuit, breakfast & brunch
EAU GALLIE ART DISTRICT’S OUTDOOR MUSEUM
A large part of the fun of walking around downtown Eau Gallie are the multiple murals found almost everywhere. EGAD Life provides an interactive self-guided tour map on their website that you can also download and print. Or sign up for their guided tours offered the 3rd Saturday morning of every month, from October through June.
Not only are the artists, volunteers and visionaries putting this historic downtown on the map, but individuals and small businesses are steadily refreshing their properties. The pride of ownership is evident in the numbers of homes already renovated or undergoing total overhauls.
Wouldn’t you love to be a part of this vibrant small town? Come down for an event, or a beer, or an Improv show. Or perhaps that shop you’ve been dreaming about opening….
Eau Gallie is located 8 miles North and slightly West of Melbourne Beach, and 17 miles South and slightly West of Cocoa Beach.
