Back from first trip to Vero...Please compare HH for us.

[eeyoresmom]

DH and i returned from our first trip to Vero a few weeks ago.Please take this only as an opinion, but we were very bored and left after 2 days and finished our vacation at SSR. The Vero resort is lovely. We had an OVIR and were so impressed with how close they are to the water. No problems with room quality, customer service etc. Here is what I think influenced our stay negatively: The town of Vero had a water main break the day before and the resort was under a boil water order. We had to brush our teeth with bottled water ( no biggie) what I did miss was NO REFILLABLE MUGS (huge diet coke fan here!) Also Sonya's was closed and Shutters used paper cups/plates. We thought there were not enough dining options. While we love to relax, the resort was super quiet ( this is probably a positive for a lot of people ) I missed being able to hang around the pool then get dressed and hang out a DTD or The Boardwalk or head to a park for entertainment. There wasn't that option there. We did drive into town and had dinner at Squidlips (which was really fun,) but you know that feeling when you drive off of WDW property into the "real world" ( construction,etc )? That's what that was like. One more thing, although this is the biggest negative: we really couldn't swim because the riptides were so strong it was not advised. There was almost no one on the beach so this added to the feeling of being isolated. One thing we thought was really odd...we did not see one living creature ( other than humans) the 2 days we were there.( We live in New England and are used to seagulls, crabs etc at the beach.) Again, please take this as an opinion only. The resort is a great place to relax. I was just very happy we tried it out before bringing our teens for a week. This is a long explanation of our opinion on Vero, but now I am worried about HH. Can anyone compare the two resorts as far as activity on/ off property? TIA

 

[BWV Dreamin]

DH and i returned from our first trip to Vero a few weeks ago.Please take this only as an opinion, but we were very bored and left after 2 days and finished our vacation at SSR. The Vero resort is lovely. We had an OVIR and were so impressed with how close they are to the water. No problems with room quality, customer service etc. Here is what I think influenced our stay negatively: The town of Vero had a water main break the day before and the resort was under a boil water order. We had to brush our teeth with bottled water ( no biggie) what I did miss was NO REFILLABLE MUGS (huge diet coke fan here!) Also Sonya's was closed and Shutters used paper cups/plates. We thought there were not enough dining options. While we love to relax, the resort was super quiet ( this is probably a positive for a lot of people ) I missed being able to hang around the pool then get dressed and hang out a DTD or The Boardwalk or head to a park for entertainment. There wasn't that option there. We did drive into town and had dinner at Squidlips (which was really fun,) but you know that feeling when you drive off of WDW property into the "real world" ( construction,etc )? That's what that was like. One more thing, although this is the biggest negative: we really couldn't swim because the riptides were so strong it was not advised. There was almost no one on the beach so this added to the feeling of being isolated. One thing we thought was really odd...we did not see one living creature ( other than humans) the 2 days we were there.( We live in New England and are used to seagulls, crabs etc at the beach.) Again, please take this as an opinion only. The resort is a great place to relax. I was just very happy we tried it out before bringing our teens for a week. This is a long explanation of our opinion on Vero, but now I am worried about HH. Can anyone compare the two resorts as far as activity on/ off property? TIA

It sounds like you just hit VB at the wrong time! Anytime there is a water issue, no-one is going to like that. That impacts so many things. You were visiting at an off time, there will be less people there. October is hurricane season,and you will get different currents then. You should have ventured into the town of Vero Beach. Much different than Sebastian, which is where Squid Lips is. I personally did not care for Squid Lips. The town of VB have some very nice restaraunts and outlets, very upscale. There is little night life, so your teenagers will be bored. They can't have lights on the beach due to the restrictions for the sea turtles. So you might like it at another time of the year, with running water and calmer seas. I love the fact that it is located in a beach town, removed from the hustle and bustle of WDW. Hopefully, you will give it another try.

 

[njmeisje]

eeyoresmom,
Our family has never been to Vero, so we can't compare/contrast to HH. However, we do own at HH, and just love our annual summer vacation there. We always go in July or August, so my HH comments are from peak season. Not sure what off season is like there. We have pre-teen girls, so not little, but not grown either. They love HH. There are dozens of restaurants, tons of activities. It reminds me of the camping days when I was a kid. Fishing, crabbing, boating, hiking the bog, etc. The beach is not on property though. So you don't have the ocean front experience, but you can have a marsh view if you choose. This means you have the old southern porch out your back door, with a picnic table, an two fab-u-lous rocking chairs., with a great view of the SC low country. Every night, I sit on the porch, with a glass of wine, and read my book while the sun sets. Just LOVE it. Now THAT's VACATION.

So now the beach....it's just over a mile away. You can drive there, or a shuttle will take you, but our family brings our bikes. We LOVE bike riding from the resort to the beach. We carry totes on our backs, and rent chairs and an umbrella on the beach for the week. The beach is WIDE and lots of sand. The ocean is warm and just lovely. SC is calm, and we just love it. We are from NJ, so we're used to the waves and rip tides you describe in Vero. So we completely enjoy the SC ocean.

Give it a try, and have fun!
Diane

 

[starbox]

In terms of structured "on-site" activities - HHI and Vero are very comparable - very similar craft/recreation activities with (IMHO) Vero getting a slight edge because of the water-sport rentals, mini-golf on-site. HHI has even less "on-site" dining options (no table service) than Vero.

BUT - HHI is right across the harbor from Shelter Cove - with numerous venues for shopping/dining/live entertainment - much more of a "boardwalk-y" area. There are also lots of things like movies, mini-golf, outlet shopping, etc. in HHI - which is a bustling resort town.

 

[Lenc324]

I just returned for Vero this past week and enjoyed myself, although I wished the sun was out more. If you want excitement Vero isn't the place to go. There are plenty of dining options if you just look before you go. I tried 3 new places this yr but still miss Ozzie's Crab house. Vero Beach is where I go to chill. If you expect WDW don't go there. I have also been to HHI and loved it there too. Very laid back and a bit harder to get to then Vero. If you aren't into the ocean, sun and quiet, stay at the parks.

 

[Pat817]

My DH & I stayed at VB in September and HH in October of this year. We loved them both, however, my favorite was HH.

HH seems to offer the best of all worlds. The resort itself is isolated, private and quiet. The resort has the "feel" of summer camp when I was a child. The views are beautiful, either of a marsh or a busy upscale pleasure boat marina. Behind the marina is an upscale shopping a dining area, all within walking distance. The resort has a great pool and rental facility for bicyles etc. A short 1 mile drive, bike ride or shuttle ride away is the HH Beach House. The beach house includes a pool, a restaurant and access to one of the most beautiful beaches on the east coast. The beach is wide and the drop off is slow.

HHI also has wonderful golf courses. My DH & I had a wonderful experience playing there. The island has many restaurants, opportunities to fish offshore and miles and miles of bike trails.

We also love VB. Our children are grown so we are very content to have breakfast in our room, spend the morning on the beach and the afternoon by the pool reading and relaxing. VB is a lovely town and we enjoyed some the restaurants. There are also golf courses in the area which we look forward to trying on our next visit.

We plan to return to HH in May and VB next September.

 

[PamOKW]

I haven't been to HHI but I think the main difference might be is that HHI is a much more developed tourist area. Vero is a winter resort area so the off-seasons tend to be quieter. Even "in season" the Vero area is more residential with an older wealthier clientele -- not a Ft. Lauderdale spring break crowd.

I agree that if you had turned left instead of right out of the resort you might have enjoyed yourselves more. True, it's "real world" but there is is much more shopping and a variety of dining choices if you head into Vero.....or on a longer stay you might even want to venture further down the coast to Palm Beach.

Strange that you didn't see wildlife. Usually you'll find flocks of pelicans cruising by.....something that fascinates this fellow New Englander. People have also seen dolphins off the beach but that's something I haven't seen first-hand.

Staying right at the resort is not that exciting, which is something some people love about it. I agree that I have to "mix it up" -- enjoy the beach but also head out for some shopping and sightseeing in the area.

 

[eeyoresmom]

Thanks for the replies everyone. We decided to try for a week at HH next year, with the kids. We did think it was strange that there was NO birds, etc. DH said it was like "someone drew a picture of a beach and forgot to put them in" For anyone reading this thread that has never been, please don't let our experience influence your decision to visit VB. It is very relaxing. We just had a few things working against us. It was disappointing to go to a beach resort and not be able to go in the ocean. The boil water order was not pleasant either.