Activities Off Site
For something different (and on the beaten track), visit The Polo Grounds in Pointe West. From January through April, polo matches are held each Sunday at 2:00 pm. Spend an afternoon watching expert riders and their beautiful steeds in action. Pointe West is conveniently located between the Indian River Mall and I-95. For information, call (772) 778-2224 or visit verobeachpolo.com.
Sebastian State Park just up from the VB resort takes reservations for their turtle walks. June and July 9 PM Midnight. Sea turtle watch programs begin with a slide show about sea turtles, followed by a walk on the beach to the location of a nesting loggerhead sea turtle. The walk can be up to two miles. Insect repellant is suggested. Loggerhead sea turtle were seen on 2/3 of last years tours. Reservations required by calling (321) 984-4852. Reservations for June will be taken on May 15 only, starting at 8 AM. Reservations for the month on July will be taken on June 15 only.
Cape Canaveral-Kennedy Space Center- 55 minute drive
Vero Beach Dodgers (L.A. Dodgers Minor League team)-10 minutes
Indian River Mall-20 minutes away,Movie theater,Food court
McKee Gardens - Very pretty, tropical style walk-thru garden. Nice as a midday break.
Hale Orchards - On Rt. 1 near the Resort. Grab some fresh off the tree fruits or take home delicious juice.
Mel Fisher Treasure Museum - see some of the treasures recovered from shipwrecks in the area.
Fort Pierce - South of the Resort. There is a small town center, marina and Manatee Education Center.
Last year our 2 DS (18 and 23) went 1/2 day fishing with Capt. Gus Brugger Pattern Setter Charters They both had a great time and want to do it again when we return in the spring. They caught a fish that Capt. Gus turned into filets and the restaurant at Captain Hiram's Restaurant & Marina fixed it up for them. We paid $10 each for them to prepare their fresh catch dinners.
Admiral Gallery Marine, Seashore prints and paintings Admission is free:
INDIAN RIVER CITRUS MUSEUM Heritage Center, 2140 14th Ave., Vero Beach. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Traces history of the local citrus industry from Spanish explorers to today's high-tech processing and marketing techniques. Gift shop. Free. 770-2263.
McLARTY TREASURE MUSEUM 13180 N. S.R. A1A, Sebastian Inlet State Recreation Area. Open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Admission is $1; children under 6 free. History and displays of items taken from the shipwrecked Spanish Plate Fleet of 1715. 589-2147 or (321) 984-4852.
SEBASTIAN INLET FISHING MUSEUM South side of S.R. A1A bridge at Sebastian Inlet State Park. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Park admission is $3.25 per car; museum is free. Devoted to educating the public about the history of Sebastian's fishing industry. (772) 399-2750 or 589-9659.
VERO BEACH MUSEUM OF ART 3001 Riverside Park Drive, Vero Beach. Open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday; until 8 p.m. Thursday; and 1-4:30 p.m. Sunday. Free, but $2 adult donation is suggested. 231-0707.
VERO BEACH RAILROAD STATION Indian River County Historical Society, 2336 14th Ave., Vero Beach. Open 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday (closed on holidays). Permanent model railroad display depicting a journey through Indian River County and other changing displays. Free. 778-3435.
Are there manatee viewing platforms closer to VB? YES! Just up the road on A1A (about 40 minutes) & over the Causeway into DT Melbourne. We always stop and view the Manatees there, and enjoy all the sights of this little historical Florida town.
Second, do get in your car and check out the other beaches in the area! There are free beach parks all over the place in Indian River and Brevard Counties. Head up north and go over the Sebastian Inlet bridge (10 minutes max on the A1A) to see where the Indian River flows out to the ocean! Just north over the bridge, head into Sebastian Inlet Park: Lots of exciting fishing going on here with a giant concrete pier that was just rebuilt in 2003. I've seen enormous fish get pulled up out of the ocean here. This is the only pay-park in the area, but worth it if you are looking for some more intense wave action for bodyboarding. Great for teens- you can grab some burgers at the snack bar, and hang out on the pier watching the surfers tear up the waves.
If you want some get-away-from-it-all beachtime, keep heading north past Sebastian Inlet and check out all the little beach accesses- chances are you can plop down a towel and kick it in the sun without a soul in sight.
You can also go south of the resort on the A1A and find some neat beaches down there too- my favorites are "Tracking Station" near Vero Beach proper- just head south until you see the 7-11. Take the road just to the north of the parking lot and it will wind back into the dunes revealing a little-known secret beach with plenty of showers, bathrooms and even a lifeguard on duty- its a great spot! There's even some wormrock reef out there about 100 yards from shore that is exciting to snorkel on days with calm surf and good visibility. Lots of good shelling here as well at low tide.
Also, further down is "South Beach" and the Humiston Park Boardwalk- also neat spots- just ask someone for directions, or explore the coast road on your own.
There is also the Environmental Learning Center just over the Indian River via the causeway right in front of the resort- I believe they have kayaking here as well, and you can tour the ecosystem and learn about the local marine life and plants, etc.
Manatee Watch - See one of Florida's most-loved endangered species firsthand at the Manatee Observation Center. Offered seasonally.
Tink's Treasure Trove - Visit and tour Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum and experience the history of the "Treasure Coast" firsthand. Then come back and comb the beach with a metal detector in search of your own treasure!
Kayaking - Enjoy a peaceful four-hour cruise down the river, where you can see a variety of wildlife, including dolphins, manatees, and many types of birds.
Dodgertown - This is the spring-training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Watch the Dodgers in action, enjoy top-notch play from the Vero Beach Dodgers April through August, and visit with sports legends at this famous 450-acre complex. Dodgertown also includes two golf courses, a conference center, a country club, and a full range of recreational facilities.
Shopping - There is no shortage of shopping areas in Indian River County. You'll find the Indian River Mall (featuring The
Disney Store and a 24-screen AMC® theater), beachside specialty boutiques, and Tanger Outlet Center at Vero Beach, which offers more than 75 designer-outlet stores.
River Cruises - Enjoy the scenic Indian River on one of several area cruise boats. See manatees, white pelicans, and dolphins in their natural habitat.
Treasure Museums - Mel Fisher and McLarty Treasure Museums offer Guests a view of the many splendors treasure hunters have retrieved from shipwrecks along the Florida coast.
Riverside Theater - Located at the Civic Arts Center in Riverside Park, this 633-seat theater hosts Broadway plays, musical groups, nationally known artists, and productions by The Acting Company of Riverside Theater, its own in-house theatrical group.