This is my second day trip to Melbourne, and just as before I found most of the activities and local spots on my list to be off the beaten path and not on the main drag of their downtown.

Breakfast at Oh Biscuit

Start at Oh Biscuit for a quick but filling breakfast biscuit sandwich. These biscuits and thick, buttery, and soft, and totally shareable if you don’t want to carb up too heavy at the beginning of the day. There is a small indoor seating area as well as tables outside.

Backwater

Another breakfast spot if you have a little more time is Backwater. Many come here to make their own pancakes on large griddles, but they have savory items continuing to spotlight Florida love with dishes like Okeechobee Ice Cream and Gator Gumbo. I enjoyed the Citrus Waffle which had both lemon and orange zest with candied orange slices on top. They are open everyday. but they close at 2PM.

Coffee at Apocalypse

Apocalypse is where I would recommend grabbing your iced latte for the day. The shop itself is spacious inside, and actually has local maker areas where you shop while you wait for your coffee. If you like your drink, you can also buy their beans to bring home.

America’s Antique Mall

This is a huge antique mall that can easily take over an hour or more to go through. There is a mixture of vintage, collectibles, furniture, clothing, and more.

Other thrift stores:

• Nana's House Thrift Cottage - 4490 S Babcock St, Melbourne, FL 32901

• RFM Thrifty Thrift Store - 757 S Apollo Blvd, Melbourne, FL 32901

• Babcock Thrift and Consignment - 108 S Babcock St, Melbourne, FL 32901

• Village Thrift - 830 N Apollo Blvd, Melbourne, FL 32935

Murals in the Eau Gallie Art District

This walkable arts district is home to several murals by artists that are mixed in between some local shops and art galleries.

Intracoastal Brewing Company

Intracostal has a large outdoor area (with shady spots) and the Bearded Chef food truck on site, making it a great spot to rest for lunch or dinner. Just make sure you check the food truck hours so you visit at the right time for eats.

Hell 'n Blazes Brewing Company

Known for having at least a dozen house beers on tap at all times, this is a wonderful spot to relax and try a flight of locally made brews in a comfortable environment. Several tables surround an expansive bar with a few cozy corners complete with leather sofas and chairs. Even this beer novice found some brews she could gulp down without too many sour faces.

Joan’s Perfect Pie

I had tried Joan’s Perfect Pies years ago during a visit to Melbourne and they were so good it stuck with me to absolutely go back if I was ever in the area again. The pie shop has since moved into a bigger space, and the pies were just as perfect as I remembered. I got the chocolate peanut butter pie.

Frida’s Plants + Vintage

The plant shop which was next to you Apocalypse coffee was very cute and had reasonably priced plants and plant accessories.

Crush XI

I wasn’t looking for a full dinner but I wanted to check out crush XI for at least drinks and an appetizer. The restaurant looked beautiful inside but of course we opted for outdoor patio seating. I had an espresso martini which was much better than I anticipated and the brûlée pimento cheese.

Famous Faces & Funnies

Despite searching for comic and collectible shops before we headed to Melbourne, this spot didn’t show up. We literally saw it as we were headed back to 95 to go home. We pulled over out of curiosity and couldn’t believe what we had found. When you enter it looks like a standard comic shop, but as you go deeper it feels more like a warehouse space packed with collectibles and figure. They were even live streaming an online auction selling some of their items. Needless to say, we ended up here for awhile, so it’s definitely worth a stop if comics or pop culture items interest you.