Thinking about booking Vero Beach. What is there to see and do?

[CarolynK]

If you require constant entertainment/stimulation, Disney's Vero Beach Resort may not be the best place for you to visit. However, there is certainly enough to do at the resort or within a 20-30 minute drive to easily fill a week of vacation time.

Of course the most obvious thing to do is enjoy relaxing on the beach or by the pool. But there is also much more.

You can rent bicycles and ride along the historic Jungle Trail. Or visit the Environmental Learning Center which is just up the road.

Enjoy a morning or sunset kayak excursion on the Indian River Lagoon through the resort. This is a wonderful way to spend a morning or afternoon.

Take a short drive south and west to the McKee Botanical Gardens to explore the wooded paths and see the beautiful flora.

Since Disney's Vero Beach Resort is in the heart of Florida's Treasure Coast, you can explore not just one, but two nearby treasure museums. Check them both out to learn more about the shipwrecks from a historical perspective (McLarty Museum) and to see the priceless treasure collected from the wrecks of the doomed Spanish fleet (Mel Fisher's).

The resort is also located on a beach that is a prime nesting location for species of threatened or endangered sea turtles. Visit during turtle nesting season and you'll enjoy related activities like guided night walks where you might observe (but please don't disturb) a mama turtle laying her clutch of eggs or an early morning survey of a newly laid or recently hatched nest.

Book an airboat ride or a nature tour of the Indian River Lagoon.

As far as dining, the options are limited in the immediate resort vicinity, but there are lots of restaurants to try within a fairly short drive of the resort. Ask any Cast Member and they'll be happy to share the names of some of their favorite restaurants.

You can even find a little nightlife if you try. Captain Hiram's Sand Bar has live music most nights and at the resort itself they have game nights for adults in the Green Cabin Room featuring Pictionary or Trivia. There are even prizes for the winning teams. Can you say free Dole Whips?

Thanks for this post! We just returned from our 6th visit to VB, and you've pointed out some activities that I didn't know about. I'm going to make note of them for next year (we're planning to visit again in June).

 

[WolfpackFan]

Don't forget Kennedy Space Center is not that far away. That is a full day trip itself. We love taking A1A up the coast all the way to the Space Center.

 

[Wenny]

Now I'm wondering if 6 nights at VB might be too many and maybe we should increase the Clearwater Beach part of the trip? Another concern is that I get the feeling that Disney (at Shutters) would put on a better Thanksgiving dinner than a random restaurant in Clearwater Beach...

Evan

Thanksgiving dinner at VB sounds awesome. But Clearwater Beach is definitely more of a place for a family with a tween and a teen. I've never been to VB, but have been to Clearwater many times. There is so much to do. Any chance you can swap the days and do Clearwater on the front end?

 

[otterpop]

That's exactly what we're going to do! I don't know why I didn't think of that, but my wife mentioned it to me the other day and so it looks like we are going to do the first 3 nights in Clearwater (I made a reservation at Frenchy's Oasis Motel...we're going "old school" style!) and then 4 or 5 nights at VB, which will overlap with Thanksgiving. Hopefully Clearwater will tire us out so we can handle 4/5 days of relaxation at VB! Hope all the restaurant renovations at VB will be completed by then.

 

[lubob]

The beach and pool is about the only thing. You have to go into the town of vero or travel down route 1 to Melbourne for restaurants or any other activities. If you are there in the spring you can go to port st. Lucie to see the N.Y. Mets spring training games

 

[Dean]

Our youngest will graduate from college next May. She loves the beach. I was thinking about booking a week at Vero post graduation. Is there enough to do there to fill a week? If you've been, tell me what you love and enjoy about it.

We like both areas. I prefer being on the beach but also like more activities. From an area standpoint we prefer HH, from a resort standpoint we prefer VB but overall I'd do HH over VB because of the restaurants and other things to do. IMO both require a car. For us personally it's usually HH not he beach at Marriott's Grande Ocean or Surfwatch.

 

[sleepydog25]

I think we are going to check out Hilton Head Island imstead. Seems there is plenty do see and do there.

There is and it's a lovely place to stay for a few or several days, but if you're planning to go in late May (as it appears in your earlier post), be aware that your odds of booking HHI at 7 months aren't very good. While not impossible, that date is well into the "warm" and beach season and may prove to be out of reach. Best of luck either way!