Cocoa Beach - First Beach, Fun Beach

Our family enjoys spending time browsing around the Cocoa Beach Surf Company.

The first time our family went to Cocoa Beach was several years before we moved here.  When we first visited Cocoa, I kept thinking, "I want to retire here!"  But, we never made any plans to do so.  We just ended up here on a job offer that my husband was recruited too, and now here we are!

Cocoa Beach was the first place that I had gone to in Florida that made me realize why people retire to Florida.  

My youngest resting up after playing in the water all day.

On subsequent trips to visit Walt Disney World, we went to Cocoa Beach two more times. Since moving here, we've been there a couple of more times.

It is convenient to get to Cocoa Beach from Walt Disney World, and going there makes a great day trip if you need to spend time a way from the parks.

It's easy to get there from Walt Disney World.  Take highway 535 from Hotel Plaza Dr.  Then go north on I-4, and hop on the toll road 528. Stay on 528, called the Central Florida Beach Line, until you get as far east as you can go.  It takes about 45 minutes from Hotel Plaza Dr. to get there.

When you get to the coast, you will have a choice to go right or left.  Right takes you to Cocoa Beach, and left takes you to Cape Canaveral, the area where NASA is. 

You can park in the public paid parking at Cocoa Beach Pier.  You can park in the covered parking for free at the Cocoa Beach Surf Company (customers only), or you can park in one of the small parking lots for free along the beach on North Atlantic Avenue.  In all cases, you will have little bit of a walk to the beach.

One of our teenagers (I can't tell which from looking at this) carries a load to the beach from the CBSC Parking lot.

Our favorite place to park is at the Cocoa Beach Surf Company parking lot.  It's located south of Ron Jon's, but many people would not want to park here.  Of all of the options mentioned above, it is the longest walk.

Cocoa Beach Surf Company Beach Rentals is where we rent our surfing gear.  It is on the corner of Marion Ln. and North Atlantic Avenue.

Surfboard rentals are usually about $15 for four hours, and wet suite rentals are around $8 for four hours.  We have never needed more than four hours for our rentals.  The staff at CBSC is excellent and very patient with tourists and new surfers.

When we considered the cost of surfing for an afternoon at the beach, it was a pretty good deal because it was a fraction of the cost for our whole family to spend another day at the parks, and the boys, well, they'd rather be at the beach.  

Mom leans towards being at the parks, but who can complain?

It is very convenient to park in the covered parking and it's probably about a one block walk to the beach.  

Another nice thing about parking at CBSC is access to modern restrooms. 

My oldest son was just getting ready to report on a mission for our church to Tallahassee, FL.  We were just in Florida on vacation and a few weeks later he learned he would be coming back to Florida for two years.  Here he is in the parking lot getting ready to make the trek down to the beach.

I am not a surfer, so I can't comment on the surfing, but my boys really enjoy it, and the younger kids and visitors that we take, who are not into surfing, enjoy the boogie boarding. 

Second oldest son paddling out, or in.  Looks like in.

 

The little one tries boogie boarding for the first time.

Cocoa is not an ugly beach, but it's also not the most beautiful beach in Central Florida.  But, as you can see by the pictures, it's actually gorgeous.

Who wouldn't want to live here forever?

I remember the first time I went to Cocoa Beach, I was in awe.  Used to the California beaches, which have their own type of beauty with their majestic cliffs and beautiful beach cities, I was in awe of Florida's blue sky, the white-ish sands (compared to California's sands), and the turquoise blue water.  Both coasts have their virtues.

You can't beat Florida blue.

Having now visited other Florida beaches, I realize that it's not the most beautiful, but it is still gorgeous to the Florida visitor and it will be a feast for a first time visitor's eyes.

In addition to the beauty, what makes Cocoa such a nice beach is the fact that there are so many amenities in the area that it makes for a really fun day away from the parks.

Dad and five of the six boys.  Our 4th oldest child was in the parking structure. He had beat us, but I still needed a picture with at least some of them with their wet suits on. 

My local friends who visit Cocoa beach regularly have given me ideas on other things to do there.  We definitely have to go back for more than just surfing, so I am sure this is not my last Cocoa Beach post.  
The pictures below, I'm mainly posting for my kids to look back on, but I hope you enjoy them too!

Getting ready to go in.  All six boys are in the water, with the most adventuresome already out there.

The approach to CSBC

I'm always nervous when my kids go out there, but they handle it just fine.

Most Central Florida Beaches have boardwalks.

Rinsing off before changing back into street clothing.

Cocoa Beach Pier

We visited the pier after playing at the beach all day.  Much different than California piers, not as fancy, probably due to lower taxes.

Look how the wet sand reflects the sky and the people.

Done swimming and surfing for the day and taking turns rinsing off.

Why a people retire here.

My 3rd and 4th oldest children having a chat in the ocean. 

And they are paddling out while my oldest son watches over the youngest.

This one is serving a mission in Utah right now.  I miss him.  Take pictures.  They are worth more than gold after they grow up.

My husband wasn't feeling well on this trip.  He was tired and thought he had the flu.  It turned out to be severely blocked arteries.  He's well now, and this photo always reminds me to be grateful for your youth, your health, and your family.  I'm so glad that we feel young enough to keep going on these trips.

My 6th child watches older brothers carry the stuff to the beach while waiting back with Mom.

He was pulling the little one around on the boogie board.  He's telling him to hop back on.

Rest time means time for playing in the sand.

He was so little and was just content to play in the water.  Not anymore! 

First time boogie surfing.

How you know when you are driving in a beach town.

My 4th child is the surfer, and has mastered it quite well but I could rarely get my camera to get a good picture. I have good California surfing pictures but none in Florida. Boo hoo.

Thank you to guest photographer, Cory Hadden, who took most of these photos in 2012 and 2016.