Not sure if A1A goes to Daytona. After we left Vero, we drove to WDW along this route. Big mistake. Added at least an hour to our trip. We did stop at Ron Jon's in Cocoa Beach and saw the cruise ships but next time we'll take the highway.
I did not actually see any fast food restaurants near Vero. There weren't too many on A1A until you reached Cocoa Beach. Sections of A1A are very dark and woody. Most of the good restaurants are off the island. We did not visit a grocery store since we were only there for 4 days but I remember seeing a Super
Walmart off the island.
There is a nice outlet shopping center back near the highway. It does close early (8:30 PM in the summer). There were also some chain restaurants and a Walgreens.
As for the town of Vero Beach itself, it closes up about 6:00. We never did get to see anything there because by the time we left the beach and got showered and dressed the heavens would open up with the most incredible thunderstorms you can imagine. We rarely were able to leave the resort before 7:00 because of the rain. If you can get there in the afternoon, there seemed to be a lot of neat little shops to visit.
Off the island is a great place to buy fresh squeezed orange juice and oranges. It's called Hale Groves and again, it close early. Your best bet is to get to it in the morning before you go to the beach.
If you have reserved a studio unit then ask for a corner room. These rooms are much larger than the regular studio with an extra long hallway/seating area that is removed from the sleeping area. They do not have oceanfront balconies but they do overlook the ocean with two big windows. The balconies are actually on the side. This is one of the nicest and largest rooms I have stayed in. Not too many people know about them so you should have a good chance at getting one.
Laundry is free at the resort but you do have to pay for detergent. The facilities are in the main building and are not very crowded. No bell services here. You park underground, find a luggage cart, and transport it yourself up to your room. Lounge chairs in prime spots at the pool go early. If you get there after 10:00, you might have a problem. People used to "reserve" their chairs by leaving towels and shoes on them, but I have heard that due to numerous complaints, the CMs are removing them after a certain length of time if no one is observed using the chairs.
If you like total relaxation, then you will love Vero. My two teenage DDs hated it there and are in no rush to return. There is a lot to do for the younger children but nothing for the teenagers.
Any other questions, just ask!
