Cocoa Beach Pier

The Cocoa Beach Pier is the social and recreational centerpiece of Cocoa Beach -- an 800-foot wooden pier extending into the Atlantic Ocean with restaurants, a bar, shops, and fishing along the railing. The beach surrounding the pier is the surfing capital of Florida's East Coast, and the whole area captures the laid-back, sun-bleached spirit of a classic Florida surf town.

The pier itself is free to walk. Strolling to the end and back takes about 15-20 minutes, with views up and down the coast. Surfers ride waves around the pier pilings. Pelicans dive for fish. Fishermen along the railing catch pompano, whiting, and jack. At the end, Rikki Tiki Tavern serves drinks and casual food with nothing but ocean in every direction.

The beach at the pier base is wide, sandy, and gently sloping -- good for swimming, boogie boarding, and building sandcastles. The surf breaks around the pier are consistent and attract surfers daily. For families, watching the surfers is free entertainment, and several surf schools nearby offer beginner lessons for kids ages 5+.

Cocoa Beach Pier is a launch viewing spot for rocket launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The pier faces south-southeast, providing direct line-of-sight views to the launch pads approximately 15 miles north. Watching a rocket launch from the pier or beach is an unforgettable experience.

Ron Jon Surf Shop -- the famous 52,000-square-foot, 24-hour surf shop -- is two minutes from the pier. It is a Cocoa Beach landmark and worth a visit even if you are not buying surf gear. The shop is enormous, colorful, and sells everything from surfboards to souvenirs.

The pier area is active year-round. Summer is busiest with warm water and long days. Winter offers pleasant temperatures and smaller crowds. The pier's east-facing orientation makes sunrise spectacular -- early morning walks on the pier are peaceful and beautiful.