Ocean View and Beach View

About half our guests have stayed with us before. Some people are looking just for the beach and those are most of the ones who repeat, but I will discuss proximity to three places, Kennedy Space Center, the ballfields, which is what we call them and those coming will probably call the USSSA complex, and Patrick SFB where more uniforms say USAF than USSF. Before I get to the three, sea turtles are tripping hazards from May to November while taking moonlit strolls on the beach, and more frequent from June(mama turtles) to August (baby turtles). If you use your phone flashlight or take a flash picture of a baby, Santa Claus is watching you, and Santa has probably called the cops. Take a piece of clear tape, color it with a red Sharpie and put the tape over your phone flashlight. On to Kennedy. Rockets are better than 60 a year. A number are Pentagon initiated and the scheduling of rockets usually leaves them off until the things are propped up on a pad. Just because a launch isn't showing for your visit, it doesn't mean you won't see one or jumping to the wrong conclusion, miss one. If you jump to the conclusion there is an earthquake, think fast and head outside, walk with purpose toward the beach, all the while glancing north, not on land but in the sky. At first rumble the rocket is about 6 seconds from main ignition. Don't dawdle. They hit the speed of sound in about16 seconds. For those seeking the ballfields, if you ask a local directions to the USSSA complex they won't know what you are talking about. They are the ballfields to locals and the map is one of the pictures. It's 24 minutes and about 4 miles as the crow flies, but takes longer because of something called the Indian River Lagoon, For Patrick SFB the main gate is about 3 minutes. Once on base the speed limit signs mean the same thing as on an Army Post, USMC or US Navy Base. If you hear the national anthem, stop, get out and salute or don't stop and get a ticket. Patrick has a commissary, PX, and class 6, golf, space A, and outdoor rec, which has rental power boats. It is not busy plane wise, so not noisy. It is mostly a gas station for odds and end warbirds. You will see Air Force One more than F-15's, F-16's, and F-35's. Mostly it will just be the resident C-130's for weekend warrior pilots and some choppers, as one of the main missions for the SFB is rescue if a rocket goes down.

The main picture in the listing is from the living room. Many of the vacation rentals do not have a great view but you'd never know it looking at their first picture. When you are looking at places, look for the words beach view and oceanview, like this one. Anything with the word "side" appended, aka beachside, generally means you have to cross a highway and have a fantastic view of a parking lot. Our place is oceanfront, oceanview. View good, side bad. At our place you can watch the waves crash into the beach from this second floor completely remodeled 2BR 1 BA 764 sf condo. Hard to quantify but obvious on site is this filled concrete block, no telling how much rebar, reinforced building has stood where others failed. Therefore, as you look up and down the beach you will realize the building sits forward of anything else which greatly facilitates the view. Would that a hurricane could knock this pillbox down we'd have to rebuild about 40' farther from the ocean. There is a 10% discount for bookings 7 or more nights and 15% off for a month or more. The wifi works well. Floridians would describe the setting as Old Florida. It's in a small, low rise complex called La Vista Del Mar with a loyal following in an area of Cocoa Beach referred to alternatively as Crescent Beach and South Cocoa Beach. Locals view it as a quiet, uncrowded area. 2.8 miles north is the beginning of the shopping and entertainment district. There is a heated pool for common use, The unit itself is completely modernized. There's good channel selection for the two smart tech flat screen TV's that aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer as advertised. There is a queen in the master and twins in the other bedroom. Also in the other bedroom is a lockable cabinet if you need it. There is a dressing area and makeup table. The kitchen has full size appliances including a dishwasher, granite and ever important for the beach, an icemaker in the freezer. Our place, like most all others, has a washed dishes requirement upon checkout. We count a running dishwasher as you washed. The HVAC was new January 2022 and there is a 40 gallon hot water heater. The unit comes with an assigned garage, though a pickup, van or SUV may have to brave the elements. While all 16 units have designated spots designed in 1966, before SUV's and 4 door pickups became ubiquitous so the unguaranteed Plan B is the three first come, first served spots that can be an exercise in competition, especially in the busy mid January to mid April time period. The building does not have an elevator, but there are other units listed in the building if ground floor is a need. If you do not see others on your search platform, it means at least one of your dates is taken.

James