Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier

Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier is a Florida landmark that was founded and completed in October 1962. At the pier’s unveiling, it was introduced to the public as a new 800-foot fishing pier with just a bait shop and grill. Less than a month into its creation, the Pier had its first newsworthy event when a local citizen caught a 10-pound Spanish Mackerel, just 1/8 of a pound short of the world record at the time. The pier’s destiny from that point was sealed and it would soon become a budding hotspot for fishermen, surfers, tourists, outdoor concerts and much more.

Today, the pier is home to numerous shops, four restaurants, five bars, an arcade and an ice cream parlor. The Pier Shop is a souvenir shop that perfectly captures the experience of Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier and allows guests to take a small piece of the pier home with them. Oh Shucks, an oyster bar, is the pier’s only open-air seafood bar and home to the best wings in all of Cocoa Beach. The Boardwalk Café, an eatery hugging the pier’s south side, gives patrons a chance to sit on a barstool, down a brew or two, and enjoy the gentle sea-salt breeze brushing against their face.

The pier is home to several events every year including the Annual Easter Surfing Festival, an entire weekend of surfing competitions, educational clinics and an Easter Egg Hunt. The Pier also sponsors an annual “Concert on the Beach” series where renowned artists like The Beach Boys come to entertain guests and residents alike. The pier is open 365 days a year, staffed by more than 150 employees, and visited by more than a million guests every year.

Now, even brighter days are ahead for Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier. On April 30, the pier was purchased by Westgate Resorts CEO David Siegel and his business associate Jim Gissy. They have plans to renovate and are fortunate to have the resources necessary to ensure the legacy of the pier and improve the pier’s exterior shell. Westgate Resorts stated that they intend to make the pier “the premier family dining and entertainment destination in the Cocoa Beach community”. Vendors like Jamba Juice, Nathan’s World-Famous Hot Dogs and others are planning to make their way to the pier and add their menu of delectable foods to the already impressive array of eats.

A staple of the Brevard County coastal area, Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier is regarded as a regional and national treasure. It is a wonderful vacation destination that quintessentially defines what it means to vacation in Florida. With an attraction full of family fare and beautiful panoramic seascapes, it is easy to see why this 800-foot pier is visited by so many tourists year in and year out.

A short one-hour ride from the bustling metropolis of Orlando, it is easily accessible to families who come to Central Florida for their vacations. So, if you want to head to the beach to relax and spend the day enjoying a unique Florida landmark, you can’t go wrong with the Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier!