Florida Surf Museum / Ron Jon Surf Shop

Florida Surf Museum / Ron Jon Surf Shop

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4275 N Atlantic Ave
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931
(321) 720-8033

www.floridasurfmuseum.org/

AT A GLANCE:  Florida Surf Museum / Ron Jon Surf Shop
Parking	Plentiful and free, courtesy of Ron Jon Surf Shop
Amount of time needed to peruse exhibits:	5 minutes
Amount of time needed for gift shop	2-3 hours
Dress code	Whatever you are comfortable wearing.  Surf wear is also appropriate in Cocoa Beach.
Be sure to…..	Buy something…anything.  You will receive a free “Ron Jon” decal when the cashier bags your purchases.  Also, be sure to stick your toes in the Atlantic Ocean.  There’s a beach fairly close by, approximately 2 city blocks.
Nearby/other establishments to visit	Plentiful, depends on your pleasure.
Walkability, general downtown area / amount of traffic	This area is walkable for visitors.  Park your car and you can cover some distance on foot.
Safety, in terms of type and number of crimes committed in general area	Generally safe, but realize there are many tourists and locals swarming around.  Keep the honest people honest and lock your car.

This may be the only time that I recommend taking 5 minutes at a museum and 2-3 hours in the gift shop.  The Florida Surf Museum and Ron Jon Surf Shop across the street fall into this category.  Here is a review of the Florida Surf Museum from TripAdvisor:

“small, very small museum....but for surf enthusiasts it's all you need!”  https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34145-d7289491-r318070716-Cocoa_Beach_Surf_Museum-Cocoa_Beach_Brevard_County_Florida.html#REVIEWS

The Florida Surf Museum is about the size of a typical living room, and you can see everything by standing in its doorway.  But please, put a few dollars in their voluntary admission box.  The museum suggests a $2 entry fee per person.  You really should support museums; it’s what cool people do.  The current exhibit features the Hobgood brothers who are both near the top as far as professional surfing goes.  Their surfing championship medals are posted on the walls, but pay attention to their “do not touch” warnings:  “If you touch this, all of your trips to the beach will be cloudy.”  Seriously, pay $2 and spend 5-10 minutes absorbing everything and getting your “surfer vibe.”  If you want to rent a surfboard or boogie board, this is the place to do so.  The building which houses the Florida Surf Museum is part of the Ron Jon compound, along with the Surf Shop and Company headquarters within a few blocks of each other.  The surf shop is across the street, and in my opinion, serves as the gift shop for the museum.  That’s why you need to visit the Florida Surf Museum; to rationalize the few hours you could easily pass at Ron Jon Surf Shop. I know, it’s a stretch, yet it justifies spending time and money there. It is difficult to miss the Ron Jon buildings because they are a bit taller than surround buildings.  Did I mention that it is painted a bright yellow?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Ron_Jon_Surf_Shop_(Cocoa_Beach,_Florida)_001_crop.jpg

4151 North Atlantic Avenue
Cocoa Beach FL, 32931
(321) 799-8888

http://www.ronjonsurfshop.com/

A statue of a surfer is one of several statues standing guard in front of Ron Jon Surf Shop, and what makes these statues unique is that they look like there were made from sand.  Ron Jon’s is one of my favorite stores…ever.  The store itself has two floors and has everything related to surfing.  The ladies and the children’s clothing sections are located on the 2^nd floor.  For the ladies, select from many swim suits, casual beach dresses, backpacks, sweatshirts, and hats.  The children’s section carries sizes from Newborn to a size 8.  The little dresses are incredibly cute, prompting me to pick a few of them to purchase.  I don’t have kids, so I had to fight the temptation.  Regretfully, I put them back.  My favorite item there is for little girls.  It’s similar to a tutu, but it’s longer with the ruffles at the bottom.  It’s a mermaid tail, for those make-believe times.  The 2^nd floor houses plush toys and games.  A place for surfboard repair is located across from the ladies section.

** The Rest Rooms are on the 2^nd floor, in the back corner by the stuffed animals.  *

Back on the first floor you’ll find shoes, unisex t-shirts, and a great variety of men’s apparel.  Take your time and soak up the surfer culture here.  Spinning racks are located by the cashier, and is handy if you need a postcard, sunscreen, bandanas, or a refrigerator magnet. 

Ron Jon’s is a place where you could do all of your shopping, whether it’s for yourself of for souvenirs for those back home.  They’ll be so jealous.  Do your Christmas shopping here, because you can get unique gifts and fun stocking stuffers.  When you wander toward the exit, notice the section to your left that sells things for your home.  As of last week, surf/sand-related Christmas ornaments were on display.  I would have purchased one of everything if I hadn’t been rudely pulled away.  You’ll find signs with cute sayings, wine glasses, seashell boxes and bamboo wind chimes.  Do you remember my friend Martha from my review of the Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science?  Martha is a classically trained museum, and she decided she wanted to buy bamboo wind chimes to remind her of Florida when she returned home.  You or I would have selected one that looked nice, and then gone on our way.  Not Martha.  She was listening for specific tones, and tested every one of those bamboo wind chimes until she found one that she liked.  It didn’t take that long; about the same amount of time that it takes paint to dry.  Thankfully, Ron Jon’s replaced half of the bamboo wind chimes with metal ones.  The point here is that Martha was free to do this.  You won’t get bothered by pesky shop employees, so take all the time you want:  Ron Jon’s is open 24-hours.  Additionally, it’s a great place to visit if you experience cloudy or rainy weather.  That is, unless you touched one of the medals at the Florida Surf Museum.

Ron Jon’s reminds me of something I learned in a tourism class at Michigan State University.  Sarah Nicholls, my professor, stressed that tourists see what they came to see while travelers see what’s there.  You are being a traveler because you are visiting these off-the-wall places and getting a unique perspective of what Florida is really all about.  Good job, You!  Sarah went on to say that shopping is the second most popular activity for travelers and tourists.  The #1 activity is eating out.  After a few hours at Ron Jon’s, it’s time for lunch.  Several lunch places are within walking distance, allowing you to take your pick.  

** A word of caution: it’s hard to miss all of the souvenirs and t-shirt shops located on Highway A1A, the main road in front of Ron Jon’s.  Many boast that all items are below $9.99 (for example).  The saying “you get what you pay for” applies here.  Save your money and time for Ron Jon’s and bypass those other shops.