Nice clean beach. Coming from California, I loved how so many seashells were in good condition. read more

Cocoa Beach - Beaches Near Me - Cocoa Beach, Florida

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Went here on the 4th of July weekend, and it was packed. But honestly, it feels like a normal beach to me. Nothing romantic or spectacular about it. The locals celebrated the 4th of July with fireworks over the local area, and it created a traffic nightmare beyond Uncle Sam's belief. It's no Hawaii, but I've seen a lot worse beaches. read more

This is where everyone (tourists, spring breakers, surfers) come to visit the infamous Cocoa Beach. They have a plethora of bars and restaurants along the beachside; you are unable to drive on the beach so you will most likely have to pay for parking unless you are lucky to grab a few free spaces down some of the parallel side roads or few public parking areas. NOTE: I would strongly advise not parking in local business parking lots and then just walk over to the beach to get out of paying for parking; they strictly enforce unauthorized parking by having cars towed or ticketed at the owners expense. Unfortunately had to learn this the hard way, lol. The beach itself is beautiful to look at and watch (as is with most beaches) but to be honest it is not very clean. The water isn't clear light blue - more like dark blues, greens and blacks. With all the heavy traffic the beach sands are filled with various trash and cigarette butts and more. As mentioned earlier this is not a secluded beach with all the hotels, condos, bars/restaurants and tourist shops that literally line the entire beach coast. I'm not saying this beach is awful, it just depends on your personal preference and what amenities you enjoy when you plan YOUR beach day. Public restrooms are not provided unless you are lucky to grab a spot in one of the few public parks with beach access. Personally, I enjoy quiet & relaxing beaches. If you like a lot of people and families, tourists, tourist traps/stores, bars and the hustle and bustle of a typical small beach town then you should have a nice time. Enjoy the pics. As I said the water is beautiful to look at, but IMO there are surrounding beaches that I much more prefer. read more

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We have always enjoyed this beach in the past and now being back on the East Coast it was good to find it was just as we remembered. Plenty of parking to be found and good places to shop and eat. They do a good job keep the beach areas clean and safe. read more

What a dump! Ever wonder what happened to your high school classmate that would go smoke behind the cafeteria dumpster between classes? Well go to Cocoa Beach and you can stop wondering. They are all living in Cocoa Beach. If you're staying in Orlando and want to take a break from the parks with a one day trip to the beach go west to Clearwater beach! read more

Cocoa beach is an all around great place. We live in Orlando and mainly make day trips here, but we like it for long weekends as well. It has a small town vibe that is very enjoyable. It is rare to encounter major crowds or traffic problems here, which is a big plus. The beach is very well maintained, the parking is easy, and there are many nice places to get food and drinks. read more

If you don't bring an umbrella you will get a sun burn or sun poisoning. There is no cover anywhere on this beach. The sand is extremely hot but the water feels great. Use tons of sunscreen or prepare to roast. read more

This beach has been my frequent resort for the last few weekends. The sand is fairly clean and the waves are nice. It is very convenient for people living in Orlando. It is a 40 minute drive from east Orlando. There are plenty of access ramps to the beach. Each ramp has a few parking spots, some are metered and some are not. read more

We go to Cocoa Beach every time we visit Orlando. It's a nice beach with chair and umbrella rentals all over the place. And, it's clean. The only reason for four stars is that the waves can be killer. I mean, last week I walked in about 20 feet and was pummeled by a wave that tossed me around like a rag doll. I'm a strong swimmer, too! Would have been nice to swim a bit, but I guess you just can't argue with Mother Nature ;) read more

I love this beach. Outside of all the awesome beach's in the Gulf this place ranks up there as one of my favorites. This beach really never gets so packed that it's annoying and there is alot of parking no matter which entrance you come in from. We got lucky one time and got to see an airplane show while hanging out getting some rays and enjoying the beach. That was a big plus. We live up north in NYC and visit Orlando often being that we own a place down here so whenever we are in town we always visit this beach. read more

I grew up in this area and did not know anything these beaches. The first non-native settlement in the area was by a family of freed slaves following the American Civil War. In 1888, a group of men from Cocoa bought the entire tract of land, which went undeveloped until it was bought out in 1923 by a member of the group--Gus Edwards, Cocoa's city attorney. At that time, Edwards' total holdings included approximately 600 acres (240 ha), and he had stopped practicing law to devote all his efforts to developing the area.[4][5][6] Prior to incorporation, the area was known as Oceanus.[7] The Town of Cocoa Beach was established on June 5, 1925. Cocoa Beach's first official meeting was held at the Cocoa Beach Casino on July 27, 1925, and adopted the City Seal.[8] Gus C. Edwards was elected[citation needed] [8] as mayor and served as a commissioner along with J.A. Haisten, and R.Z. Grabel. A little less than a month later, plans for a pier became official. In 1935, the FDOT opened up what is now State Road A1A as a one-lane dirt road to Eau Gallie.[9] In 1938, a Deputy Marshal was appointed "to act in emergencies at night or at other times" for $.25/hour.[9] By 1939, the town had 49 residents. In 1940, the town requested that State Road 140 (now A1A) be routed on Orlando Avenue instead of Atlantic Avenue.[9] In 1942, the town prepared to receive men assigned to the newly opened Naval Air Station Banana River. Establishing regular garbage collection was discussed when the town discovered that the Air Station was having theirs collected.[9] On May 1, 1942, the German submarine U-109 torpedoed the La Paz off the shore of Cocoa Beach. The crew was able to beach it with the help of tugs. Eventually it was returned to shipping. On May 3, the same U-boat sank the SS Laertes near the same spot.[10] Local boys were recruited for salvaging efforts and to rid the beach of subsequent debris.[11][12] Shortly thereafter, the federal government realized the danger of back-lighting from the coast making easy targets of passing ships and ordered a blackout for the remainder of the war. During World War II, Cocoa Beach experienced money shortages for employees, and money to fix roads.[9] In 1944, the town successfully fought a bill introduced in the Florida legislature which would have dissolved the city government.[9] In 1947 a single police officer was hired for $1/hour. The same year, the city constructed works for the distribution of potable water.[9] In 1950, a volunteer fire department was created which used a second-hand vehicle.[9] In 1950, a proposal to prevent people from driving on the beach was defeated.[9] In 1951, the city sought to place a stoplight, the city's first, at the intersection of what is now A1A and Minutemen Causeway.[9] In 1953, the city decided to mark the names of all streets.[9] In 1953, the city planned to pave A1A south from 520 down Orlando Avenue. The city intended to bear 1/3 of the costs, the adjacent property owners, 2/3.[9] In 1954, the Women's Club opened a library in the building used by the Fire Department.[9] In 1955, the speed limit in most of the town was raised to 35 miles per hour (56 km/h).[9] In 1955, the city prepared to house the people who were going to be launching missiles from what is now Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.[9] In 1956, the city attorney warned the council that blacks might attempt to use the beach. If they did, he recommended clearing the beach of all persons, both white and black. The 1954 decision, Brown v. Board of Education, had, in theory at least, integrated all general public facilities. Actual integration came later.[citation needed] The city proposed selling the town dump to the school board for a junior high school, in order to keep students from being bused to Merritt Island.[9] On June 29, 1957, the town of Cocoa Beach incorporated into a city. In September 1959, the city voted to add more sidewalks, improve the streets in residential areas as well as the main streets, and to pave more roads.[13] In 1965, Cocoa Beach High School requested that Cocoa Avenue, the street that the school was located on, be renamed Minutemen Boulevard, in honor of the school's mascot, the Minuteman. Cocoa Beach started its major growth during the 1960s (1000% population increase from 1950 to 1960)[5] as a result of America's space program. NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center is located approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of town. Many people moved to Cocoa Beach due to jobs connected to the space program and in search of new opportunities. After manned space flights, the town held parades in honor of the astronauts. After NASA's Apollo program came to an end, and before the Space Shuttle program was in full swing, the town's economy reflected the resulting layoffs. At one point, in 1975, unemployment was 14.3%.[6] Many families lost their jobs or simply moved away. The housing market plummeted and some people unable to sell their homes simply abandoned them. read more

Great little community beach with a good bit of public parking for only $5. Lots of restaurant options nearby and chair/umbrella rentals right on the sand. It was full of families on the September afternoon that we visited. Great little spot. read more

Not the best beach in Florida by far. The beach itself was just ok. The sand is very brown, grainy and not that pretty. The waves were strong, so much so that my ocean loving kids barely wanted to swim. It was very windy on the day we visited, and that seemed to be the norm. The town is very touristy, old and tired looking. This seems to be a popular beach, but there are much prettier beaches in FL. read more

Very family friendly beach that is safe and clean. Great place to come and enjoy a relaxing trouble free beach where young and old can safely enjoy the ocean. Beach is kept clean and well maintained. And NO CARS and NO DOGS on the beach - so it makes for a very clean environment. Good surfing but also calm enough to grab your wakeboard and cruise the waves. Excellent areas that are maintained with Life Guards (that make for safe swimming for kids) Watch out for the jelly fish (you can find them strewn on the sands). Sands are soft and makes for a lovely barefoot walk though. Probably best to stay in the lifeguard areas (especially if you have kids), as sharks are known to be in the area waters from time to time....I myself have spotted them on a few occassions. We have also seen dolphins too (which makes for fun). All in all I love Cocoa Beach. I have now moved to Daytona and consider Cocoa much better. Daytona has cars on the beach :-( which kind of takes away from the tranquility and beauty of beach beingness of relaxing in the surf and sun....nothing quite like taking away from the scenery with a Ford Focus, or pick up truck right next to you. Luv Cocoa though for a East Coast beach it is excellent ....waters are blue from time to time but not turquoise. ...however it still makes for a good family environment that is safe and aligns to a well worth day out at the beach (SEE MY REVIEW ON DAYTONA FOR COMPARISONS INCASE YOU ARE TOSSING UP DAYTONA BEACH OR COCOA BEACH) read more

Been coming to Cocoa Beach since '87! Beautiful beaches, breezes, & community. Will definitely be back again!!!

I love this beach. It's the first I visited upon moving to Florida and continues to be my most regular. Cocoa Beach is a very short drive from Orlando. It's clean; the water is wavy, but not crazy; and if you get away from Ron Jon's, it's not crowded at all. The sand is fluffy but not so much so that you can't walk. They recently built out the access paths a bit further into the beach so as to preserve the sea oats and turtle nests, which is both admirable and more convenient. Parking can be expensive if you don't have a county parking pass (get one if you go often at all- they're worth it). Otherwise, there are churches and civic groups that will allow you to park for $10/car. Alcohol is allowed, but not more than a gallon, and not in glass containers. I'd give Cocoa 5 stars, but it's not dog-friendly, which would complete the package for me. read more

Cocoa Beach - Beautiful Cocoa Beach - Beaches Near Me - Cocoa Beach, Florida

Nice beach with very small waves. You can lay out, watch the surfers, play volleyball, or hang out by the pier. It was very refreshing and the sand didn't come up with the water to get you all sandy! ....a downside is that this beach also has many people in bikinis that shouldn't be in bikinis... read more

Cocoa Beach is cool because you can legally drink on the beach. I like that you cannot drive on the beach, although some may have opposing views on this matter. I feel that this beach is less crowded than Daytona, that coupled with the fact that you cannot drive on the beach makes it MUCH cleaner than Daytona. I still prefer Florida's west coast beaches, but if you find yourself on the east coast, it is not a bad place to be! read more

Beautiful beach! Soft sand, plenty of room...of course my standards are somewhat low given the selection of nice beaches in the NYC area is sort of limited. Had a great time with some friends a while back. Yes, there is no shade, but they do have umbrellas/chairs to rent out in the front for a not terribly unreasonable price. I will definitely be back if I venture back to the Orlando area again. read more

I love this beach!!! I've been going here for almost a decade now! The sand is a beautiful white color. The ocean is clear, sometimes foggy. It's a very family friendly beach. It's good for kids and everyone alike. It's a very nice, clean beach. You might see some fun birds awhile you're here. Enjoy! read more

This was my first time going to Cocoa Beach and it will definitely be the last. There really isn't a whole lot of parking options. Most of the parking spaces on the surrounding roads to the beach are 3 hours maximum. We walked down to the beach and, oh my goodness. There were so many people set up on the beach and that people were practically on top of each other. The waves were so tiny and the water was a dirty brown. When we went in the water, there were people everywhere and footballs and frisbees were constantly flying through the air. It was kind of nerve wracking. I felt like this beach was very much a college kid scene and wasn't very relaxing. read more

Beautiful beach. Not too crowded and very peaceful. Easy to get to. There aren't many places to get a drink or anything where we were, so pack a little bag to take with you. read more

Came here while visiting my Dad in August. The good news, is the beach wasn't really crowded, which was nice, and the waves weren't that bad either. But make sure you wear some flip flops before you step on that sand. It's not like Siesta Key Beach where it's cold. read more

I will always love this place. I went fishing on Thanksgiving day fried it and went swimming.

OK for a couple days on the beach. Lots of tourists.

Love this beach!! Not too crowded, very clean and quiet. Avoid paying for parking and park at Ron Jon or if no spots are available go for meter parking. 10 bucks is a rip off when you can park for free. Places for food or drink are far between so bring your snacks. read more

Nice beach. However public bathrooms are sparse. Local shop owner let me change clothes... I'd come back; but I'd already have my suit on. Very enjoyable day. read more

Visited late fall. Amazing views, beautiful long stretch for those who love the long walk on the beach. Free parking, restrooms, fresh water shower. What else can one need?! Loved it! read more

The beach is clean and doesn't get too crowded. I've been going here everyday for the past week. I love jogging on the beach in the morning, you run into other people but never too crowded. Great pace for family. read more

Had an awesome time at this beach. I'm from NYC so the waves for me were big, I really had a lot of fun. Parking was real close to the pier which was great, even though we didn't need it they had chair and umbrella rentals. I will definitely go here again next time I visit Florida. read more

I was visiting Florida for a week. My friends and I decided to go to a different beach every day, and the only one we regret going to was Cocoa Beach (We also went to New Smyrna, Daytona, Siesta, and Clearwater). The beach was horrible, and there was way too much seaweed. If it wasn't for Ron Jon, the trip there would've been a complete waste of time. If you are looking for a nice beach, DO NOT GO TO COCOA BEACH. read more

On the news there was a video of shark attacks at cocoa Beach don't go there it is dangerous!

Clean, with lifeguards and bathrooms. $10 to park and it's only open until 6pm, so you have to get out before then.

I have been to Cocoa Beach several times to know that due to high levels of tourist visits and business expansions all over this location, that it has become less clean and desirable. I have stop coming to Cocoa Beach for that reason. There is many other beautiful Florida beaches waiting to be discovered, just do better research and planning. read more

Great beach. Awesome community and plenty of great breakfast dives. If you drive a little further down the beaches are less crowded:)

Huge fan. We stayed in Orlando and it only took a bit over an hour to get here. Since we didn't get into town until noon or so, there wasn't any free parking to be had. That said, we bought 5.5h of parking for ten bucks. Not too shabby. The beach itself wasn't overly crowded. We rented a chair/umbrella from Ron Jon for $20. The water was plenty warm, there was plenty of space and it was wonderfully fit for families. Overall, very impressed. My only complaint was forgetting how hot the sand could get. I burned the bottoms of my feet! :) read more

Its a beach, yes. The sand and beach area are very clean but the water wasnt as clear as we were seeking. We are from Houston so we wanted something better then teh Gulf Coast has to offer. We ended up finding clearer water in Daytona beach. read more

My favorite beach in there world. I don't get to visit as often as I'd like anymore, but I've been coming here for over 25 years, and I still visit at least once a year. Clean beaches, clear water, and still not too commercialized. What more can you ask for? read more

This once world famous location has respectfully lost much of its flare. What was once a prime location to be a part of in the 1970's & 1980's only lives on its legend as today many of the places you see appear to be nostalgic pieces of the past....the place needs more life & less Watermelon. Watermelon you ask? As my lovely wife & I walked the shoreline; along the way were these half pieces of Watermelon on the shore. Of course it is biodegradable but who the hell wants to be swimming in the water & get hit in the head by a half sea salt soaked piece of Watermelon? The one bright spot at Coaco beach was a little restaurant known as "The Tiny Turtle". The food was fabulous and the people/staff were kind & very helpful when it came to questions about what suggestions they may have in reference to what drink goes best with your meal after ordering. As silly as it may sound, if you go to Coaco beach, don't go for the beach itself.....go so that you can eat at "The Tiny Turtle"....Seriously! As for Coaco beach, the positive myth of its glory days still can be felt if you stand still while on the beach, shut your eyes as you listen to the waves crash upon your feet, and Remember back to the days when the energy of the place was fresh & alive. The vibe will carry you back to such a time even if you never had been there before. Just don't move from where it is you find yourself standing or else you may find yourself stepping on a Watermelon. read more

Put it down on your to do list when In Orlando, very easy to get to. Parking is easy and plenty of it. On site chair and umbrella rental , At the time beach parking is 15 dollars. 52 dollars for four chairs and an umbrella add a 10 deposit (July 2017) read more