Where is coco beach

Soon their descendants were showing up all over Florida. And now you know the rest of the story. True history? I don't know, but I like the story. The late Brevard County Commissioner, Joe Wickham , as a young man helped survey the route along the ocean through the rattlesnake infested palmettos.

It generated a need for housing and support businesses. The space program began to heat up in the s with missile launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The original Mercury astronauts became regular fixtures in Cocoa Beach, and drove Corvettes provided under very reasonable lease terms by Melbourne car dealer and Indy winner Jim Rathmann.

When it opened in it was a bank, an office building, and had a restaurant on the top floor. It was one of the most unusual looking buildings in Florida and people liked to drive by and just look at it. People either loved the looks of the Glass Bank or hated it. Not many folks were neutral. In the s everybody who wanted a job had one either working in the space program, or providing goods and services to those who did.

Many worked very long hours and sometimes seven days a week. The tremendous work load took its toll on family life. Cocoa Beach and Brevard County in the s had a divorce rate of more than twice the national average. The town, especially along State Road A1A, was lined with bars, night clubs and restaurants where busy workers and astronauts could let off steam when not working.

Some of these places stayed open all night rather than closing at 1 or 2 AM like other places in Brevard County. Parades down State Road A1A were common in those days with prominent politicians, astronauts, and television commentators like the space buff, Walter Cronkite , who covered many of the launches.

Like the Glass Bank, the building also had a restaurant on top with a spectacular view of the ocean and beach. Larry Hagman played an astronaut and beautiful Barbara Eden played his obedient servant Jeannie. Men everywhere wished they could be so lucky. After the Apollo 11 moon landing in , the Apollo Program ended with Apollo 17 in Thousands of workers were laid off from NASA and related aerospace contractors.

The economy of Cocoa Beach and all of Brevard County went into a tailspin. Many unemployed people simply left their homes and moved away. The real estate market plummeted. The unemployment rate soared. There are many motels and hotels on the ocean, and condominiums that are not as tall as in many Florida beach communities.

Launches at night are especially memorable. Phone: Address: 1 Oleander St. Cocoa Florida United States. Load More Follow on Instagram. Highlight Appear randomly on front page Front Pg. Category Billboard Ad. Highlight Category Billboard Ad sign up.

Couples are welcome to the ultimate romantic beach getaway with spa days, comfortable hotel rooms, exciting excursions and more. Both a tech hub and a cozy surf town, legendary Cocoa Beach has something for everyone and the locals are happy to share the best of the area with eager visitors.

Get active on and off the shore, experience the Cocoa Beach lifestyle and dine at the favorite restaurants of iconic astronauts and surf legends. Landmarks and destinations include the Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier , decked out with restaurants, bars, beach equipment, and prime fishing spots, as well as surfing and the epic Ron Jon Surf Shop around the corner.

Historic Cocoa Village offers a nostalgic ambiance with fine cuisine, casual shopping, live music, and a taste of culture.

Cocoa Beach combines your need for relaxation at a quaint little beach town with your love of adventure. Appreciate the memories of the legends who have walked these shores before you and make new memories at the best beach on the East Coast. Cocoa Beach is rich in surf history including producing the time world surfing champion, Kelly Slater. There are two ways to get yours:. Home to Kelly Slater, and