Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is 140,000 acres of wildlife habitat surrounding the Kennedy Space Center on Florida's Atlantic coast. It's a popular place for birders with over 300 species viewed at various times of the year. Merritt Island NWR has the 7-mile Black Point Wildlife Drive, a manatee observation deck, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and hiking. The visitors center is about 9 miles east of I-95. The refuge is 135 miles south of Jacksonville, 52 miles east of Orlando and 225 miles north of Miami.