The city of Cape Canaveral is located on the east coast of central Florida about one hour's drive east of Orlando. A small, beach community, Cape Canaveral welcomes year-round residents, winter residents, and vacationers. The beaches of Cape Canaveral feature warm, Atlantic water and long stretches of sand that are ideal for swimming, exercising, bicycling, fishing, sunbathing, and just being lazy. From Cape Canaveral, one can visit the attractions in Orlando, tour Kennedy Space Center, hang out at Ron Jon's surf shop, and take a cruise or charter boat out of Port Canaveral.

Those who like perfectly manicured landscaping, uniform lot sizes, gated communities, and single-family homes only will probably not choose Cape Canaveral, Florida, to live or vacation. To the contrary, part of the immense charm of Cape Canaveral is its lack of conformity, diversity, beautiful old-Florida vegetation, and, of course, proximity to the beach.

The residential streets of Cape Canaveral feature a mixture of run-down homes, duplexes, condominiums, and apartment buildings, older housing that is in better condition, and new, upscale, expensive homes and luxury ocean-front condominiums. A common sight is a new town home duplex on a lot that abuts a run-down apartment building offering daily rentals.

The trend is upward. Most of the remaining vacant lots near the beach have been purchased, and existing buildings are being demolished to be replaced by modern, upscale structures. In short, Cape Canaveral is a mixture of the sleepy, laid-back community that the early astronauts reputedly enjoyed and a casual resort.

Unlike other seaside communities along the east coast, Cape Canaveral is an incorporated city with its own elected mayor. The City Council is composed of five elected commissioners. The administration also includes several advisory boards that work with the City Council on beautification, code enforcement, library, planning and zoning issues. http://www.cityofcapecanaveral.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={2433C383-687C-4436-8BC3-9B7F53EF1539} The affairs of Cape Canaveral government are subject to the Florida Sunshine Law that requires disclosure of all public business. http://www.myflsunshine.com/sun.nsf/pages/Law

The city budget for 2009-2010 is $13,476,404, down every year since 2006-2007. http://www.cityofcapecanaveral.org/vertical/Sites/%7BCEAB0943-1F37-4E48-833E-AFC3D9CA4058%7D/uploads/%7BA349803A-E7D2-4866-A804-52D66EADCB35%7D.PDF All line items in the current budget decreased compared to last year, except for the Beautification Fund, the Police Education Fund, and the Law Enforcement Trust Fund.

Cape Canaveral received a share of the //// allocated to the State of Florida. The city used the funds to grant property tax exemptions that will attract business to the city and keep existing business at home.