Cocoa Beach Pier reopens with new guidelines for visitors

COCOA BEACH, Fla. - The famous Cocoa Beach Pier is back open, but the vibe is rather different, with new rules strictly enforced.

"Unless you’re going up there to eat they won’t let your past a certain point," says visitor Teressa Buck.

Security guards with forehead scanning thermometers are checking everybody. You can’t stand or sit at the bar and drink.  To be on the pier, you’ve got to be seated at a table, ordering food.

This attraction has been closed since March 19. Since the pier was built in 1962, it’s only ever closed during hurricanes. The coronavirus pandemic changed that. Now, employees are wearing masks and gloves. In the gift shops, only four people allowed at a time.

Westgate Resorts, which owns and manages the pier, worked with city and county officials to re-open when the time was right.

"It's a wonderful job what they’ve been doing.  They’re starting slowly with phase one. I'm glad they’re allowing peoole to come back to the beach, and I think it’s going to pick up morale for some of us," Buck adds.