Daytona vs Cocoa for visitor? (Melbourne, Daytona Beach: rent, hotel, rooftop)

[NDFan]

Cocoa Beach is somewhat nicer than Daytona. I disagree w/ many who say that Daytona is terrible (certainly there is a grime/sleazy feel to it, but that's part of the charm). Cocoa Beach isn't really sleazy but does have somewhat of a so-called Old Florida feel (which we generally prefer to be honest).

Definitely prefer Cocoa Beach to Daytona (Cocoa Beach is one of my favorite areas in Florida actually on the Atlantic Coast along w/ Pompano Beach/Deerfield Beach area-very different from one another). Daytona not good if you have family in Disney though. Cocoa Beach is nicer below the Port Canaveral area.

[_burrito]

How about driving in the opposite direction and go to Clearwater or Longboat Key?

[WonderwomanNot]

What about Melbourne Beach?

[drive carephilly]

Originally Posted by _burrito

How about driving in the opposite direction and go to Clearwater or Longboat Key?

It depends on where you are. If I lived out near Champions Gate/Four Corners area or even if I was staying at Disney I probably would go west sometimes but for me, Clearwater is the closest west coast beach but it's twice as far as Cocoa.

[bmw335xi]

I think clearwater beach is very overrated. And the drive through clearwater is so ugly. If you were going to drive that far, you may as well go to siesta key beach, which isn’t that much longer time wise and so much nicer.

[1insider]

I'll point out that most of the comments here about Cocoa Beach are about the tourist area in north Cocoa Beach around the Pier and Ron Jons. I don't care for that area of my town either. Get south of the Kelly Slater statue where A1A divides and it's a whole nuther ball game; small, friendly beach town with over 40 restaurants, coffee shops and bars in a four square block area downtown. South of that is entirely residential. Highest speed limit anywhere in CB is 35. You won't get run over by a car on the beach here either or have to breath exhaust in the sea breeze. I'm biased obviously.

[drive carephilly]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

I think clearwater beach is very overrated.

The last time I went to Clearwater, which was the last time I'd ever go to Clearwater, was almost a year ago. It was early May, the lockdowns had just ended. The bars were packed, people were stumbling drunk in the street, there was a fight in the middle of Mandalay Ave, and even though people were getting arrested there were certainly not enough cops on scene. The beach was practically shoulder-to-shoulder with people. We turned around and left.


I've never seen that level of out-of-control rowdiness and general chaos before and I'm from the Jersey Shore - not even at the infamous boardwalks like Seaside or Wildwood. The closest I've ever been to that was a Memorial Day weekend in Myrtle Beach in the mid-90s.

[Arcenal813]

The Clearwater AREA has some gorgeous beaches... Basically the shoreline in Pinellas County, NOT counting Clearwater Beach.

[cjairo191]

Originally Posted by drive carephilly

The last time I went to Clearwater, which was the last time I'd ever go to Clearwater, was almost a year ago. It was early May, the lockdowns had just ended. The bars were packed, people were stumbling drunk in the street, there was a fight in the middle of Mandalay Ave, and even though people were getting arrested there were certainly not enough cops on scene. The beach was practically shoulder-to-shoulder with people. We turned around and left.


I've never seen that level of out-of-control rowdiness and general chaos before and I'm from the Jersey Shore - not even at the infamous boardwalks like Seaside or Wildwood. The closest I've ever been to that was a Memorial Day weekend in Myrtle Beach in the mid-90s.

Well when you are labeled the number #1 beach in the USA several years, the crowds will follow.

[daytonadewd]

Obviously, nobody posting so far has driven down either Clearlake Road, King Street or US1 in Cocoa. Blight-wise doesn't even compare with ANY area of Daytona Beach! Cocoa Village is nice. I like going there on day-trips from Daytona Beach. Nice to walk around on leafy, historic streets with a few decent places to eat. But it's still touristy and even more so as you get to the beachside.


Daytona Beach has struggled for YEARS with being the Central Florida Dump for Homeless Addicted/Mentally Ill People. (HINT: That's WHY you don't see many in other places on the street because they ship them here by the busload.) Daytona has now created a Social Services Industry of commuters from the surrounding areas who dump them here and now depend on the well-paid salaries that need to justify the services they are offering these Homeless from other States. Daytona Beach will always be a magnet for these Homeless until it's decided to send this Industry away.


Aside from this problem, the Historic Downtown and Main Street areas of Daytona Beach are still very affordable, especially if you enjoy the charm of Historic homes, Walkable Neighborhoods with decent Restaurant options and of course the Beach and Halifax River. Lots of Bike Trails, good Libraries, Minor League Baseball, decent, regular lectures at the Museum of Arts & Sciences and a World Class downtown riverfront park that just went through a $20M renovation and opened this summer.


I wouldn't raise children in most of Florida period. Most of the Education System in Florida seems to be an industry to provide jobs to local insider families -- NOT educate kids. The other areas mentioned as "better" in this thread still qualify too.



I'm a Native Floridian from Miami, lived in Naples for over a decade post Hurricane Andrew, then fled the overdevelopment there to Daytona Beach almost 2 decades ago. I travel regularly. Daytona Beach has a great airport to fly out of with little hassle. Like most of Florida, it's backward, slow, sleepy and stupid.


But if you're pleasantly jaded and worldly, you don't need to prove anything to anyone! You can just "be" in Daytona Beach. Which is the Florida Dream.