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E.G.D.Get Away from the Crowds at Cocoa Beach, Florida
Posted by Jody on April 19, 2013
Today’s Featured Guest Post Writer is Bridget Sandorford:
Florida is known for its beautiful and diverse beaches, which offer a little bit of something for everyone, from families with small children to retirees to college students looking to have a fun vacation. Daytona Beach, Palm Beach and South Beach get some of the most attention with vacationers, but Cocoa Beach offers a much more relaxed experience for those interested in getting off the beaten path.
Empty Cocoa Beach on a Cloudy Day (Dennis Adams, Federal Highways Administration, PD-USGov via Wikipedia)
Cocoa Beach is located about an hour-and-a-half south of its more popular cousin, Daytona Beach. But when you drive up to the soft, white sandy shore of Cocoa Beach, you won’t be inundated by droves of college students and other partygoers. The vibe at Cocoa Beach is much more relaxed and peaceful — which makes sense considering that it’s a mecca for retirees. According to the 2010 census, the median age in Cocoa Beach is 54, with 62 percent of the population being older than 45.
That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a lot for families to enjoy at Cocoa Beach! There are a number of attractions in the area, including the Cocoa Beach Pier and the Alan Shepard Beachfront Park. Of course, the two most notable landmarks are Ron Jon’s Surf Shop, which receives 2 million visitors a year, and the Kennedy Space Center. Though you can no longer watch the space shuttle launches from the shores of Cocoa Beach – – something I enjoyed doing as a child growing up in Florida — you can still take your children to the space center and learn a lot about our explorations into the final frontier.
Cocoa Beach Pier, Cocoa Beach, Florida (Lane 4 Imaging via Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
If all that’s not enough for you, you can also check out the Thousand Islands Conservation Area and the Cocoa Beach Aquatic Center and Pool Complex. Of course, a drive down the scenic A1A — and enjoy sharing your love of “Ice, Ice Baby” with your kids (who just won’t get it).
With the summer months approaching, the beaches are bound to start getting crowded. If you want to get off the beaten path and enjoy a little slower pace that will allow you to truly enjoy your vacation and spend some quality time with your family, consider Cocoa Beach.
About the Author: Bridget Sandorford is a freelance food and culinary writer, where recently she’s been researching culinary school in Hawaii. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.
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Even more helpful links: Visit Cocoa Beach.com
*Bridget, you are so right! Cocoa Beach is a lovely place to visit. The girls and I once took a day trip to this area just because Major Nelson and Jeannie made their home in Cocoa Beach. It was a beautiful day on a very clean, uncrowded beach! Thanks so much for the wonderful post and for reminding me of a great day at the beach! ~Jody*
Maryanne said
I learned about Cocoa Beach from “I Dream of Jeannie.” It sounds wonderful 🙂
Jody said
Me too! I once took the girls there for just that reason. It’s such a beautiful beach!
E.G.D. said
I agree!
cindy knoke said
Great post….we’ll be there on Friday!!!
Jody said
Wonderful! I know you’ll come back and share. 🙂 We’ll be waiting to see your photos and to hear about your fun times. Safe travels!
adinparadise said
Cocoa Beach is lovely, and I adore browsing at Ron Jon’s. It’s a while since i was at the Space Centre, and will definitely go back there one day. Thanks for the other suggestions. 🙂
Jody said
Well, it certainly looks as if Cocoa Beach is a real favorite with beach lovers! I’ll be sure to stop in at Ron Jon’s on our next trip!
peaceloveandsandytoes said
We were only talking about Cocoa Beach this morning over coffee – how funny this post caught my eye this afternoon! We love Florida and in particular the area that includes Cocoa Beach (in fact next time we go we will probably stay there instead of Disney World) with Kennedy Space Centre and Ron Jons Surf Shop always our absolute must visits each time we go to Florida. Wish I’d seen the pier though it looks like a great place to explore. I too grew up with I dream of Jeanie, and just an aside – we are heading to Supanova tomorrow (the aussie version of comicon) and one of the guest speakers is Jeanie!
Jody said
How cool is that?! ! You’ll have a wonderful time. Safe travels!
eileensaunders said
We were just there. It is wide, wonderful and uncrowded. Loved it.
Jody said
Great! I’ll bet it was just as clean and peaceful as the last time we were there. Maybe we just let the big secret out!
iamforchange said
http://iamforchange.wordpress.com/awards-page-and-nominations-thank-you-i-am-so-honored-and-grateful/ I wanted to share with you and say thank you!
Jody said
Thank you and congratulations to you! I’m honored by your nomination!
Florida's Space Coast said
Thank you for the great write up! We strive to provide a clean, yet quiet and quaint environment for our visitors. Who wants to rub shoulders with someone on vacation;)
E.G.D. said
I’m on the other space coast! Houston-area gulf coast.