Cocoa Beach past & present
Past and present; A short history of Cocoa beach and the Florida Space Coast
Where is the Florida Space Coast and Why is it called that.
Cocoa Beach and the Florida Space Coast is the east central coast of Florida begins just north of the Kennedy Space Center Complex home of NASA, SpaceX, Blue Origin and US Space Force Command. The area continues south down the coast to Sebastian Inlet and encompasses towns like Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Cocoa and Melbourne.
Around the State of Florida sections of the coast have become known by different names such as Gold Coast and Treasure Coast. In our little piece of paradise we are refed to as the Space Coast as a homage to our long history with the space program.
History of the Space Coast
Cocoa Beach is a small Beach community located in Brevard County, Florida, known for its beautiful beaches and proximity to the Kennedy Space Center and the setting of classic TV series I Dream of Genie.
The early Inhabitants of the area before European settlers arrived were Native American tribes, including the Ais and Timucua. To this day Ais Indian mounds can be found in the area. In the 1500’s Europeans arrive, Spanish explorers, including Juan Ponce de León, explored the Florida coast in the early 16th century. However, permanent European settlement did not occur until much later.
The town was incorporated as a city in 1925. However, significant growth didn’t occur until after World War II. The establishment of the Kennedy Space Center in 1962 played a crucial role in shaping Cocoa Beach’s identity. Many workers involved in the space program settled in the area, and the city became known as the “Space Coast.”
In the 1960s, the small beach town gained popularity as a tourist destination, attracting visitors with its beaches and surfing opportunities. It became a hotspot for surf culture, and Ron Jon Surf Shop, one of the world’s largest surf shops, was founded in Cocoa Beach in 1959.
Cocoa Beach and the Space coast today
A small beach community situated in Brevard County, Florida. It’s famous for its beautiful beaches, parks such as Lori Wilson Park, as well as the iconic Cocoa Beach Pier. The area offers a range of water sports and outdoor recreational activities, including surfing, fishing, and birdwatching. Additionally, Cocoa Beach features diverse dining options, local shops, and a vibrant atmosphere.
The city of Cocoa beach has a total area of 15.0 square miles, 4.9 square miles of it is land and 10.1 square miles is water. The town has a population of around 11,000 residents who love living and working on Florida’s space coast and love to share that with visitors.
The town is still deeply rooted in the space program and surfing. If you chat up some locals you may meet folks that worked on the Saturn or Shuttle projects as well as working currently at places like NASA, SpaceX, and Blue Origin. As far as Surfing goes it may not be the biggest wave but some great surfing can be had year round for beginners and pros. In fact Cocoa Beach is the hometown of 11 time world champion surfer Kelly Slater and a statue for him stands on A1A near 4th street north.
A fairly quiet beach community that has managed to maintain its small town vibe compared to many Florida beach communities. The town has two distinct zones, on the north end around Ron Jons and Cocoa beach pier you have the more touristy zone. South a short bit is downtown, the more local area with bars, restaurants, coffee shops and shopping. Transportation around town is easy, whether it be by bike, uber, the beach trolley or driving everything is close and easy to get to. The city has been doing some updates to the downtown area which includes a new parking deck and all the beach access streets have parking meters that are paid on a phone app. Cocoa beach is also a very safe town so feel free to explore day or night without worry.
Bordering the city on the north is Cape Canaveral, which is in between Port Canaveral and Cocoa Beach. Cape Canaveral is even more quiet than Cocoa Beach. This area is a great option to stay if you would like a less busy beach but still close enough to grab a uber to downtown Cocoa beach for a night out. On the south is Patrick AFB followed by Satellite beach. On the east is the Atlantic Ocean and on the west is the Banana River. located in south Cocoa Beach along the Banana River Lagoon lies the Thousand Islands, a maze of mangrove islands that provide an amazing opportunity for kayaking and opportunities to see some of our native wildlife including dolphins and manatee. The 1000 Islands is a truly special place.
Check out the rest of the Cocoabeachbuzz.com and get some great local tips on dining, nightlife and activities. Remember, beach it like a local.
“Still I search the constellations, for the tiny grains of sand, where the sand of the ocean, meets the salty piece of land.”
Jimmy Buffet