Located on Florida’s Space Coast, Cocoa Beach is a popular destination for vacationers, especially with its famous pier. The good news is that the pier is having a major $3.5 million overhaul. Moreover, this will include four new food and drink spots, opening by the end of February. Meanwhile, the makeover is already well underway with a new souvenir shop already open at the front. Read on to find out more about this major improvement to a popular tourist spot in Florida.

Cocoa Beach Pier getting a $3.5 million overhaul

As reported by the Orlando Sentinel, construction crews are already working on the $3.5 million project, with four new food and drink spots opening by the end of this month. Meanwhile, a brand new souvenir shop is already open at the entrance to the pier, which was originally built in 1962. Tuesday saw a crane working on the pier as a background to sunbathing families and their children.

Orlando-based Westgate Resorts has owned the Cocoa Beach Pier since 2014 and is headlining the project as the biggest enhancement to the attraction in more than 40 years. Speaking to the Orlando Sentinel, Jared Saft, Chief Business Officer for Westgate said:

Post-COVID, the cruise industry is resurging again, which is fantastic. There’s never been more demand for beach experiences and kind of outdoor experiences than there is right now.

The Cocoa Beach Pier is less than five miles from Port Canaveral, which saw cruise revenue in December of $19.3, with almost 700,000 passengers. This is compared to December 2021, when cruises saw only 300,000 passengers at the start of the pandemic.

What’s new at the Pier?

Part of the transformation includes relocating The Pier Shop to a new souvenir shop close to the entrance. Meanwhile, the new shop already opened in December and according to Saft, is selling a variety of Cocoa Beach T-shirts. Moreover, a number of new restaurants are hoped to be open by the end of this month.

Among the new eateries is Pier 62 Oceanfront Restaurant & Bar, named for the year the pier originally opened. This will be an upscale restaurant serving fresh seafood, along with a sushi bar and sake. Moreover, the restaurant will have an indoor/outdoor bar.

The new eatery takes over the space that used to belong to Pelican’s Bar & Grill, which Saft says is the only business leaving Cocoa Beach Pier. Meanwhile, the popular Rikki Riki Tavern at the end of the pier isn’t going anywhere.

Besides this, three grab-and-go options will also be opened, as Saft said beachgoers told them they didn’t necessarily want to sit in a restaurant. They said they would rather grab their food and return to their spot on the sand.

The fast-food spots include Ohana Subs, selling made-to-order sandwiches. Another is the cleverly named Chip Wrecked, which will serve kettle-fried chip bowls with delicious toppings, including Italian chicken Alfredo and Mexican street corn. Meanwhile, Ocean Freeze Daiquiri Bar will offer nine frozen drinks, including piña colada and margarita concoctions.

Speaking of the grab-and-go options, Saft added:

You need your sandwiches, you need your snacks, and you need your alcohol. As part of that, we’re adding a whole new set of stairs down the middle of the pier so guests don’t have to walk all the way to the front.

Other new additions include five private restrooms for families to change with their kids before heading back home.

Meanwhile, it should be remembered that Cocoa Beach is the gateway to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, with its rockets and iconic artifacts. This makes the location perfect for exploring the surroundings when not on the beach.