My home town... Cocoa Beach!

Welcome to Cocoa Beach, the Small Wave Capital of the World! If you enjoy surfing, this is the place for you. With the Cocoa Beach Surf Festival every year at Easter and Labor Day, this is a very popular location for great waves. Being from here, I can definitely recommend Cocoa Beach for any vacation. There is the famous Ron Jon Surf Shop, the largest surf shop in the world, Cocoa Beach Surf Company just next door, fantastic local and chain eateries, surf lessons, Kennedy Space Center a few miles away, and Port Canaveral as well. Enjoy live concerts or stroll the Cocoa Beach Pier.

Sitting on the beach, you can watch a launch from KSC or the Canaveral Air Force Station, watch a cruise ship depart or arrive from the Bahamas, or marvel in nature with pelicans, seagulls, and sea turtles.

Lodging in Cocoa Beach is quite affordable and plentiful. Your choices include anything from a budget-priced motel to the Hilton or Double Tree. There are also condos to rent, or even a local house.

Want a fantastic fireworks show on the 4th of July? Cocoa Beach offers a spectacular view of 4th of July fireworks from right on the beach! They float a barge out in the Atlantic Ocean just for this affair and it's all for free. And if you take a look up or down the coast, you may even catch other shows in Melbourne Beach or Indialantic to the South or Titusville to the North.

Need a mall fix? Merritt Square Mall is just across the Banana River on Merritt Island. Feel the need for culture? Cocoa Village offers antiquing, casual or fine dining, and the Cocoa Village Playhouse. At the Playhouse, take in a show or lecture. By the way, this is the theater that John Goodman's "Matinee" was filmed.

All in all, Cocoa Beach is a great place for any family or group vacation, even if you have no draw to surfing whatsoever. It's huge, wide beach and an array of activities offer full days for any interest at affordable prices - and sometimes for free!

Click HERE for a map.