The 1960s television comedy “I Dream of Jeannie” made the area famous, as Cocoa Beach was home to Jeannie (Barbara Eden) and her astronaut “teacher” (Larry Hagman). “Drive twenty minutes in either direction from downtown Cocoa Beach and you can bask in the sun on beautiful beaches, parasail 800 feet above the water, fish in coastal rivers, or glide through quiet wetlands on an airboat. Cocoa Beach is the secret. Best kept off the Florida coast.
The world famous Cocoa Beach Pier, built in 1962, is a historic landmark that stretches 250 meters above the Atlantic Ocean. It is not just a fishing pier, but a place of adventure. The pier has four restaurants, at least two of them offer fine seafood. It is home to five bars that hop on weekends with bands playing intoxicating beats. The pier also has a clothing store, a bait and tackle shop, as well as the necessary gift and souvenir shops.
I would recommend staying at any hotel or motel facing the pier and the ocean. One of my favorite activities during my stay at Cocoa Beach was a nice walk on the beach or to the pier. I felt safe walking late into the night. The Holiday Inn Express, Best Western, and Days Inn are practically across the street from the pier. For those who want to be closer to the action in downtown Cocoa Beach, there is the Four Points Sheraton Hotel. Their pool is small, but it’s on the beach with the Ron Jon surf shop right next door, not to mention a Starbucks in the lobby. For those who want the downtown scene on a budget, try the Wakulla Suites, a good value for the family. Jetty Park offers RV travelers and campers a great place to enjoy the beach.
Cocoa Beach is obsessed with surfing and has been called “the surf capital of the east coast.” Our family was there last October. We were surprised by how many surfers we saw riding the waves at this time of year. We stayed for ten days and were able to swim in an unheated pool for four of those days. It is true that we are Yankees and we came from a much colder climate, but there were other people swimming in the hotel pool. So we weren’t the only ones to find that the water temperature was fine. My husband and kids were able to swim in the ocean, something I decided to pass up. They swore the water wasn’t cold, but I don’t know. Fall at Cocoa Beach also means there will be a game of volleyball on the beach.
In the spring, the place is packed with surfers, as Cocoa Beach Pier sponsors the annual Easter Surf Festival. The pier also sponsors a warm-weather concert series that recently featured the Beach Boys as headliners. Summer brings bikini contests, some very small, but from what I can gather, no thongs. In January is the battle of the professional surfers, for $ 85,000 in contest money. Spectators can bring a picnic lunch, relax on the beach, and watch this death-defying competition.
For those who want to combine sea, surf and nature, why not try the guided nature kayak excursions at Cocoa Beach? You can paddle through the Indian River Lagoon, a mangrove estuary that is home to bottlenose dolphins and the endangered Florida manatee, as well as all kinds of exotic birds. A little-known gem is the Cocoa Beach Manatee Sanctuary Park, off North Atlantic Avenue. Get up close and personal with Florida’s gentle giant at this beautiful, clean park. Bring your lunch. Picnic tables are provided in a protected area. Great family fun and you can’t beat the price. Admission is free.
There are more restaurants in Cocoa Beach than you can imagine. We loved the Atlantic Ocean Grill on the pier for Sunday brunch, where everything revolves around the view. The atmosphere is both beachy and romantic and the complementary champagne flows. There was something delicious for everyone in our family of four as we sat on the ocean waves enjoying a very good buffet. Be careful, there is a dress code. Men must wear a shirt and bare feet are not allowed. If you want to disconnect from Chinese, head to Yen Yen, in the center of Cocoa Beach, for incredible food and an extensive menu. You won’t expect Chinese cuisine of this quality in a beach resort area. We ate at the Pig and Whistle for lunch, although I wouldn’t recommend it for dinner if you’re eating with kids. It looks like the “Cheers” bar and gets loud after dark.
The fish’n chips were amazing and the staff was extremely friendly. Our ten year old son said the chicken wings were great! Our family of four ran into the Wahoo Coffee Company during a short storm. The coffee was wonderful, as were the baked goods. They have a variety of not-so-current magazine issues to read while sipping their beer. The ladies behind the counter overheard my husband and I daydreaming aloud about moving to the area and insisted that I take some old issues of “Coastal Living” with me. Really, incredibly nice staff! For a night out on the beach, drive a little north to Grills Seafood Deck & Tiki Bar in Cape Canaveral. My childhood friend who lives in the area claims that it has been a local haven for years and has a reputation for being the coolest nightspot. Our family went to dinner late and saw many other families there with children. The meal was excellent. I had coconut shrimp that were out of this world. After dinner, our family hung out on the restaurant dock and listened to a vocalist play classic rock tunes on his keyboard as the crowd at the tiki bar sang along with him.
If you absolutely have to, Orlando is just an hour away. With two children, we decided to spend a day at Sea World and another at Disney. I was disappointed in Sea World. It cost an arm and a leg to enter and then all the shows had an additional price. However, the Sea World water park, Aquatica, was fabulous (absolutely fabulous). Disney is great. You knew it well! We did The Magic Kingdom. One tip, if you don’t want to eat fast food all day, you should make a dinner reservation at a park restaurant a day or more in advance. Just call Disney customer service and they will help you. Believe me, this is a must.
