Adventures in Paradise: Living in Melbourne, FL

Offering the perfect blend of weather, culture, and opportunity, it’s no surprise Melbourne is such a popular place. Nestled along Florida’s Atlantic Coast, Melbourne consistently ranks as one of America’s top cities for families and retirees. So if you’re searching for a place to settle in the Sunshine State, here’s why you ought to consider living in Melbourne.

Booming, High-Tech Economy

Melbourne is located south of Cape Canaveral and the John F. Kennedy Space Center, close enough that residents can see rockets blast off from their yards. Known popularly as the “Space Coast,” it has one of the highest concentrations of aerospace companies in the United States. Besides NASA, other major employers include GE, Embraer, L3 Harris, Northrop Grumman, Collins Aerospace, and Leonardo DRS.

The rapid pace of technology production has created an almost constant need for skilled professionals, which has helped drive wages and job growth in the city. Salaries have risen steadily over the past few years as operations continue to expand in this thriving, competitive area.

Strong Schools

The Brevard County Public School District serves the communities in and around Melbourne. On statewide exams, most of its students score high in reading and mathematics, thanks to strong funding and low student-teacher ratios. Brevard is also one of the leading districts for student athletes and its college preparation programs are some of the best in the state.

Students interested in higher education often go on to attend the Florida Institute of Technology or Eastern Florida State College, which offer advanced degrees in a wide range of subjects, including physics, marine biology, mechanical engineering, and space science.

Pristine Beaches

People travel for miles to visit Melbourne’s beaches. The white sand and clear water are perfect for swimming and sunbathing any time of year. Even in December, the average high is around 75°. Separated from the mainland by the Indian River, Melbourne’s beaches stretch for miles, with plenty of prime spots, including:

• Cocoa Beach. The busiest beach on the Space Coast, packed with hotels and restaurants. In addition to enjoying the world class waves, visitors can enjoy a quick game of volleyball, visit the world’s largest surf shop, or go fishing out on the pier.
• Satellite Beach. One of Florida’s great surfing spots. Besides riding the waves, visitors can swim, beachcomb, or rent a bike and cruise the boardwalk.
• Canova Beach. One of the few beaches in Melbourne that allows dogs, though they have to be kept on a leash. The gentle waves, cool breeze, and soft sand makes this a particularly popular destination for families with small children.
• Melbourne Beach. Though it's ringed by vegetation that makes it harder to reach than most of the other beaches in the area, the calm waters make this a prime location for swimming, snorkeling, and paddle boarding.
• Spessard Holland South Beach. A secluded spot, far from the major hotels and vacation houses. This is a favorite beach for picnics or anyone interested in a quiet day fishing, surfing, or splashing around in the water.

In addition to its beaches, Melbourne also provides convenient access to the Indian River Lagoon, one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems ‒ home to over 4,000 species of wildlife, including sharks, dolphins, otters, sea turtles, and hundreds of birds, such as spoonbills, pelicans, and snowy egrets. Around a third of the world’s manatee population lives in the lagoon as well, giving visitors a chance to observe these gentle creatures up close, in their natural habitat.

Brimming with Entertainment

Melbourne is a small but lively town. Amid the eclectic blend of modern and historic buildings, you’ll find bars, restaurants, and nightclubs, not to mention an antique mall and boutiques selling all kinds of unique items, everything from designer shoes to homemade soap and artisanal hot sauce.

But Melbourne’s not just a shopping destination. The city is also home to a vibrant community of artists. You’ll find their work hanging in downtown art galleries and in the city’s Outdoor Art Museum, which features over 30 murals, mosaics, and sculptures that attract tourists from as far away as China.

There are live concerts almost every night as well. Local bands and singers turn bars into dance clubs, especially on the weekends, when they generally play until the early hours. For big names, residents head over to the Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts. The Henegar Center for the Arts also stages a range of new and classic shows, such as the Adams Family and Sound of Music.

For something a little wild, residents can take part in the annual Sip and Shop. Browse the selection at your favorite stores while enjoying a glass of wine or a signature cocktail from the town’s finest bartenders. Or spend an afternoon wandering the Tiki Trail, a collection of drink shacks along the coast, tucked away in major hotels and off side streets.

Families love visiting the Brevard Zoo, which not only features programs that let you feed and interact with wildlife, but kayak adventures that let you experience animals from inside their exhibits. At Kennedy Space Center, children can explore the history of America’s space program and see a real Saturn V rocket, like the ones that took astronauts to the moon!

Moving to Melbourne, Florida

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