College-aged chicks moving to Cocoa Beach! (Orlando, West Palm Beach: relocating, housing, rent)

[a0xbjzz]

My friend and I are moving to the Cocoa Beach area and would like some input on a few things. We ARE planning to visit before we move to finalize a lease (we hope) and get some ideas on employment, but I've been scoping the web a bit and am worried about the cost of living versus the wage rates.

My friend is going to be transferred within her current company but is willing to commute, and I will be going to school (pending application) at UCF. Ideally, I'd also like to get a job somewhere... right now I work as a Technical Writer (think English, not IT) and am getting my Medical Transcription Certification, too.

OK, enough background, here are my questions:

**It seems like Cocoa Beach is super touristy, which I think will be fun, but I am wondering if my plans to continue in my current line of work (instead or something retail/service) while I attend school are unrealistic? Any good administrative/clerical jobs around the area?
**WHERE should we live?? We are both 21 and still have a lot of party left.... any suggestions for areas of town (or even in Cape Canaveral or Melbourne) that we could rent for about $1000/month or less and not be surrounded by old folks? We have pets and would prefer a house to an apartment.
**This is a bit more specific - when I transfer my Iowa Driver's License for a Florida one, will I need to take a driving course? I found conflicting info online.
**Pet registrations?

Thanks, I know that's a lot!! I really appreciate it.

Sarah

[Ladywithafan]

Coco Beach is a tourist zone...I'm thinking Hooters....at your age, with limited skills, you need to have a job before moving here...my xboyfriend with tons of serving experience (fine dining) is unemployed because he quit his day job....before looking at the market of reality...our restaurants in Sarasota, in full swing, have tons of employment applications and are so over-hired that for example, in one establishment, they get 2 and only 2 shifts a week...you will not eat, pay your rent, car insurance and survive on that...

You want a party? You'll find it here but you won't be able to afford the party favors.

[sponger42]

Originally Posted by a0xbjzz

**It seems like Cocoa Beach is super touristy, which I think will be fun, but I am wondering if my plans to continue in my current line of work (instead or something retail/service) while I attend school are unrealistic? Any good administrative/clerical jobs around the area?

Can't help you there. Orlando is 45 minutes away, and probably has plenty of employment. I would try Melborne for something closer to the coast. CCB is kind of pure tourist town and Cape/Kennedy/Patrick housing/support. Try looking for civilian jobs at NASA, CCAFS, Port Canaveral (cruise lines), or PAFB.

**WHERE should we live?? We are both 21 and still have a lot of party left.... any suggestions for areas of town (or even in Cape Canaveral or Melbourne) that we could rent for about $1000/month or less and not be surrounded by old folks? We have pets and would prefer a house to an apartment.

Nightlife:
CCB: C+ Dead except for during spring break and if you're a surfer.
Cape Canaveral: F- Deader than dead year round.
Orlando: A O-town is a pretty good place to party. Make sure you have a designated driver, though.
Melborne: ? might be more exciting, I don't know.
Cost:
CCB: B decent rents a block from the beach. Decent rents at the worst beachfront slums. But, hey, you're beachfront! Try Holiday Shores in CCB for short-term housing while you look for something better.
Canaveral: A to F Cheap overall, but there's a reason for that. Overpriced in the new developments in the NE corner near the beach and Jetty Park.
Satellite Beach: B, just like Cocoa Beach.
Crime:
CCB: A Never had any problems.
Canaveral: C Kind of scary in spots, but probably not as bad as it looks.

Other fun things to consider:

These are beach towns. If you don't surf/sail or at least take advantage of the beach you have no business driving up rents for those that do. The surf isn't great, but it's pretty consistant. The small size and warm water makes it an ideal place to learn.

You are obligated to go to the demolition derby in Bithlo at least once a year. Schoolbus races on a figure-8 track and beer. I mean, c'mon. What's not to like!?

Good opportunities for boating/sailing/kite-windsurfing on the bananna river.

Eat at Dakine Diegos in Satellite beach. It's a little burrito shack off the A1A. Sun & Wed nights there's free screenings of oldschool surf flicks in the vacant lot next door. Bring a blanket or lawn chair.

Orlando is 45 minutes away. If the surf is flat, you--and 20 of your best friends--can rent out Typhoon Lagoon in Disney world at night and surf on those man-made waves. Quite an experience. Oh yeah, there's clubs and stuff there too.

NASA and Air Force rockets launch from the cape every month or so. They make a lot of noise and light up the sky at night. It's worth getting up at 3AM to head down to the beach to watch one go off at night. Daytime launches you can just stick your head outside (depending on where you live/work) and check out. Jetty park is a good place to watch from if you don't have any friends that can get you on the base for an up-close view.

**This is a bit more specific - when I transfer my Iowa Driver's License for a Florida one, will I need to take a driving course? I found conflicting info online.

I very much doubt it.

**Pet registrations?

No dogs on the beach. Don't know more than that.

[LM1]

If you are hot (and not just "hot because you're 21" hot but genuinely hot by objective, comparative standards) you will have no troubles finding work in the service industry, mainly waitressing/serving or in the bars. The better looking you are, the more money you will make.

As far as other professions, the Florida economy really sucks right now and the job-to-job-seeker ratio is severely slanted away from the job-seekers, so it's definitely advisable to have employment lined up before you move here.

Seriously, that's like the absolute #1 piece of advice that everyone gives. If you don't want to starve or wind up moving back home on a greyhound, come here with a buffer of cash and make sure to have a job waiting for you when your feet hit the ground.

[Alphaman]

Oh It would be nice to be 21 again.

About cocoa beach it`s a relatively quiet beach compared to Daytona and new Smyrna beach the Pier area is pretty much where most of the action is.

Cocoa Is pretty much overall a layed back place. If your looking for more of a party beach in central Florida try new Smyrna. Do not consider Daytona to live it`s mostly a crap hole.

[floridadreamer]

Let's see, for jobs- unless you do get a bar job or something near the beach at either the port or cocoa beac pier, then you'll look to drive Melbourne probably.

License- You shouldn't have to take any tests- they usually just have you bring birth certificate and proof of address I believe.

Housing- Cape is nicer than Cocoa Beach (IMO) and a lot easier access to 528 and you're litterally next door. The Pier is within 5 minutes of the far end of Cape Canaveral and it's much easier to drive because the road splits in Cocoa Beach and there are tons of stop lights and there are lots of cops waiting to catch you if you speed. Another poster is right about dogs, not allowed on the beach. They are both a mix of all people, not just older people. During the winter months though, the snowbird population is pretty big all over Florida. The main thing it affects is the traffic because they drive SLOW.

[a0xbjzz]

Thanks for your help, guys. I got my resume posted on Monster, and it looks like I may be heading to Melbourne or Orlando instead of Cocoa Beach, because FCU doesn't offer English as a major except at the Orlando campus.

Thanks again!

[floridadreamer]

Orlando definitely has a lot more of a singles scene, although part of the fun of Florida is living on the coast IMO.

[just wondering]

Originally Posted by floridadreamer

Orlando definitely has a lot more of a singles scene, although part of the fun of Florida is living on the coast IMO.

I was looking at your responses on this thread and i was wondering if you could help me out...you said Orlando has more of a singles scene than cocoa beach....how is West Palm Beach area for singles and work? I'm relocating more south b/c I'm currently in Port Orange (next 2 Daytona, and yeah ur right Daytona is pretty much a crap hole and NO WORK) i'm a legal secretary and they say i'm overqualified and i applied for a job at a hotel, 4 part time work while still having time to go on interviews in the day for legal work and the place said i was over qualified..mind you the office manager had no front teeth...overqualified b/c what I HAD TEETH...lmao....anyways...my concern is whether or not moving to West Palm Beach is a good thing? it's either WPB or New York for me....i'm originally from Chicago and moved here 8 months ago and work is hard to come by....maybe i should try bartending/service jobs.....i'm a pretty girl, i guess, ppl have compared me to demi moore and courtney cox....that's a good compliment i think...don't see it, but hey i'll take it...lol.

how is legal work in either area, West Palm or Cocoa beach? can u suggest a good area, if those aren't good, for work, nightlife and good shopping/beaches? i really would appreciate your help....thanks much....