Vero Beach is in a privileged position, about halfway between South Florida’s Palm Beaches and the Space Coast Beaches east of Orlando. Take notes from the many movie stars, musicians, and monarchs who’ve visited “the Hamptons of Florida” and stop here and stay awhile.
The town is deceptively quiet (some young locals dub it “Zero Beach”), but there are many things to do in Vero Beach, from watching sea turtles hatch on unfussy beaches to cruising the Indian River, shopping the Vero Beach Outlets, and exploring art and agricultural museums.
Pre-hurricane season is the sweet spot for visiting Vero Beach. March through May brings temperatures nudging up toward 90°F (32°C); that means pleasant beach weather without the high crowds or summer storms. These months also host some of Indian River County’s largest events, such as the Vero Beach Food, Wine & Music Festival; Hibiscus Festival; Vero Beach Air Show; Taste of Vero; and May Pops.
Vero Beach is part of the county’s GoLine bus service system, which operates on 14 fixed routes and includes stops at the Vero Beach Hotel and Vero Beach City Marina. This service is free for visitors, though it may not provide the wide connectivity needed to get everywhere you want to go. That’s why most visitors to Vero rent a car or use a rideshare service to get around. Downtown Vero Beach and the beaches all have free public parking.
Disney’s Vero Beach Resort lures in visitors, but few realize that it’s approximately 20 miles (32.2 kilometers) away from downtown Vero—a manageable drive by Floridian standards. Whether you stay at a hotel downtown, on the adjacent beachline, or a resort, be sure to hike the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area, see a show at Riverside Theatre, or attend a Downtown Fridays event.
