When beachgoers walk onto Cocoa Beach, there are signs that greet them and lay out the rules: no animals, no glass bottles and no bonfires.
What people can do, though, is crack open a cold beer.
For now, at least.
The city has been looking into limiting alcohol on the beach, which officials say is part of a larger plan to cut down on littering and parking issues downtown.
City leaders said they are looking into the rules in effect at St. Pete Beach, where alcohol is only allowed if it is served at a hotel.
Beachgoer Steven Bradley, who came to Cocoa Beach from Texas, didn’t like the idea of taking away people’s ability to have a beer.
“We’re tourists,” he said. “We come here. We like to be able to drink on the beach.
“I just think it’s an awful idea.”
Beachgoer Adam Clear understood that any alcohol imbibed on the beach needs to be done in moderation.
Even if it was limited, and banned in some areas of the beach, Clear didn’t see alcohol disappearing on the sand.
“If you travel around, there’s a lot of other beaches that’ll try and do that, and, ultimately, it’s still there,” he said.
Cox Media Group
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