Cocoa Beach, Florida Postcard

"Cocoa Beach, Florida" by Catherine Sherman. People enjoy a variety of activities on Cocoa Beach, Florida. Fishing, swimming, paddle boarding and sunbathing are popular pursuits. In the background is the Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier, another popular destination for shopping, fishing, dining and sightseeing. Built in 1962 by local businessman Richard Stottler, the Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier is a historical landmark on the Space Coast. The Pier (originally known as “Canaveral Pier") stretching 800 feet over the Atlantic Ocean. The Pier offered a “grandstand seat" for Mercury, Apollo and Space Shuttle launches at nearby Cape Canaveral. In addition, Cocoa Beach evolved into the “Surfing Capital of the East Coast" and the Pier became the center of surfing activity. Today, the Pier draws more than one million visitors annually and is home to four restaurants, five tropical bars, gift shops and boutiques. New owners in 2014 continue to upgrade and transform the historic pier.