Vero Beach, Florida

Vero Beach is the refined respite along Florida’s teeming east coast. The heart of town is on a subtropical barrier island with miles of soft sand beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. Indian River and the Intracoastal Waterway parallel the strand two miles inland. Settlement began with construction of a coastal railroad about a century ago. Major growth didn’t begin until the 1950s, when Indian River citrus won renown, and the local abundance of water recreation sites and warm winters finally caused tourism to intensify.

Transformation into a genteel upscale resort community continues today, with most recent development occurring on the island near the beach. A trim little oceanfront business district has superseded the original town center on the mainland with a growing number of specialty shops and most of Vero Beach’s finest restaurants. The best lodgings all have choice locations by the beach in or near the new commercial heart of town.

For more information, check with the local Chamber of Commerce.