Meet me at the Pier

October 15, 12:04 AMSpace Exploration ExaminerMary Beth Ellis

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It's advertised itself as "the closest beach to Orlando," but oh, it's so much more. 

Even as Disney runs commercials promising affordable vacations, the real deal is at Cocoa Beach-- great for rocket and Shuttle launches, and even better for rest, recharging, and connecting to Florida at the apex of the Moon race.

Although Tom Wolfe offers a dim view of Cocoa Beach in The Right Stuff, its formerly packed-down surface, much like Daytona Beach's is today-- was replaced with lush, kicking-about sand which is perfect for play.  It's home to several festivals, and, yes, Ron Jon's Surf Shop, the roadside signs for which seem to start somewhere north of Maine. 

Cocoa Beach has changed with the economic times, reaching out to the cruise ship industry now that the gush of Apollo money is gone.  But it's a fantastic place for families and a true feeling of what the area must have been like during its heyday; when I lived there, area businesses still sent good wishes to crews and missions via A1A billboards.

The Cocoa Beach Pier is packed with photographs and newspaper clippings of various launches, and seafood is very much on the menu.  Yet for all the rumbings on Merritt Island on launch days, staying just a few miles down the road offers a a great deal of peace during the off-season.  I finished the final draft of my first book there in the course of three days, armed with a cooler of pre-made meals, my laptop, and a tiki hut outside my $49 a night hotel room. 

So don't just hit it during launch windows, for a Disney break, or for a quick overnight before you set off for the Carribbean.  Cocoa Beach bears the imprint of the very earliest days of the space program, but you'll make some pretty nice modern memories of your own.

Photo credit:  alwaysonvacation.com