Cape Canaveral holds the honor of being the third-oldest European-named site in the United States. It's been the same since Spanish explorers discovered it in the early 1500s.
The city of Cape Canaveral covers much of the southern end of the Cape Canaveral barrier island on the Atlantic coast of Florida. Starting as a Spanish sugar cane settlement, the area that surrounds current-day Canaveral City Park was purchased by a group of journalists in the 1920s as an out of the way beach retreat. Eventually, the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station moved into the area north of town, bringing the Kennedy Space Center rocket launch site with it. While Cape Canaveral is most often thought of as a resort town, the city is home to nearly 10,000 permanent residents, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, within its 2.3-square-mile area.
Renting in Cape Canaveral
Want to live like you're on vacation all the time? Who wouldn't. If you decide to rent a home Cape Canaveral you are likely to rub shoulders with a lot of tourists, but can also enjoy the lifestyle of a beachgoer. Like many vacation spots, the amount of effort you'll have to put forth to find places to live in Cape Canaveral varies depending on when you're looking. You'll have more competition in the spring and summer months, so your best bet is to have proof of income, references and a security deposit available when you apply. You'll probably want to start early, too, because rentals tend to go fast once the vacation season gets going. During the fall and winter months, things open up a bit and landlords aren't so strict with their qualifications. You'll be able to find a place easier and quicker in the off season.
Cape Canaveral is known for vacation rentals but year-round residents have plenty of rental property options.
Ocean Front
Want your abode to be coveted by friends and neighbors? It's alright, you can admit it. The narrow strip of land between Ridgewood Road and the Atlantic Ocean is where you can find the prime real estate in the city. Most of the condos, townhouses and beach bungalows are vacation rentals, but you can find traditional lease opportunities here as well.
North
The north side of Cape Canaveral above Central Boulevard has a lot of the city's residential space. Subdivisions such as Bakersfield and Ocean Woods offer newer townhomes and single-family rental houses, while neighborhoods like Harbor Heights have a mixture of houses that were developed from the 1960s to the late 2000s.
North West
The northwestern section of town is bounded by Astronaut Avenue, which turns into North Atlantic further south. This area features newer single family homes and townhouses. The Spanish Villa is popular here, and these are more spacious than the residences found closer to the Atlantic beach front.
City Center
Maybe you're looking to take a bit of a step back in time. South of Central Boulevard, between North Atlantic and Ridgewood Avenues, the middle of town is the oldest area of the city, with much of the development happening in the 1960s. It's dominated by resorts and shops, but single-family, condo, and townhouse rentals are also available here.
Banyan Cove and Points South
On the west side of North Atlantic Avenue you'll find bungalow-style homes from the late '50s and early '60s. East of North Atlantic, you'll fin find apartments , condos, and townhouses built in the 1980s.
Living in Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral is part of the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area. It's connected to nearby cities by major roads such as SR A1A -- aka "North Atlantic Avenue"-- running north to south and SR 528, which connects the town to the Florida mainland. The city itself is walkable enough, so you can save some serious dough on gas. Still, if you're not a fan of hoofing it, you can also get around by taking advantage of the Space Coast Area Transit bus line that run through town.
It may be cliche, but life's a beach. But really, it can be if you settle in this small Florida town. As a resort town, Cape Canaveral offers plenty of beach-themed activities, especially the warmer months. You can go swimming, fishing, or just spend your days lazing about on the sand. Manatee Sanctuary Park on the Banana River offers walking trails, beautiful scenery, and, of course, manatees. The best time to spot them is during the morning hours between April and October, but you can see dolphins playing in the water all day, year-round, so go ahead and invest in a good camera now! The Kennedy Space Center north of town is one of the biggest tourist draws. You can take tours of the facilities and visit the Air Force Space and Missile Museum. You can also watch rocket launches from many points in the city.
At some point you'll have to take a break from the sand (sorry!) and grab some eats. When you get hungry you can head to Papa Vito's for some authentic Italian food or get the ingredients for your next culinary masterpiece at the Sunseed Food Co-op alternative grocery store. As far as the night life is concerned, residents can enjoy live music at Grills Seafood Deck and Tiki Bar, or try their luck on the Victory Casino nighttime cruises, but there's not much in the way of an exciting club scene. A real night on the town will likely involve a trip into Orlando, which thankfully takes less than an hour.