First visit to Vero Beach

[Catira]

We have a trip to Disneys Vero Beach this June. I am doing some research to see what activities my kiddos 17 and 13 might enjoy. Our usual beach trip is to Riviera Maya Mexico where we love the many beaches and adventure parks. Looking for a calm area with good visibility to snorkel and enjoy being in the beach.

If you have any restaurant recommendations please let me know.

Thanks

 

[alwysonvac]

You might find this DIS thread helpful.

Vero Beach 2012 Adoration & Info Thread - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2843389

Have a wonderful trip

 

[Twinkstarr]

You might find this DIS thread helpful.

Vero Beach 2012 Adoration & Info Thread - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2843389

Have a wonderful trip

Best source of VB info around is the DIS board thread.

We like the Lobster Shanty in VB(yes it looks like it hasn't been redecorated since the 70's and it still has a salad bar!). This is the restaurant that convinced DH that he actually could eat fish and enjoy it. He had something encrusted with coconut and a mango sauce.

Over by Humiston Park is Nino's(I think that is the name). Good pizza place, ton of locals coming in for take out orders.

Kilwin's is just across the street, so you can get a "Up North" Michigan fudge fix.

I've always had great fresh fish of the day at Captain Hiram's in Sebastian. I prefer this over Squid Lips, which is just down the road. Too much fried stuff there.

 

[jdunn1]

Yeah, I don't think you will find any areas to snorkle near Vero Beach. It is a very nice beach, but not exactly clear water. Very pretty water, a blue/greenish color, but a very rough surf. I think there is a state park just north of West Palm Beach that has nice snorkeling, but I can't immagine it is anything like Mexico.

If snorkeling is your game, I would recommend a drive (and it's a long one) to Key Largo and snorkeling at John Pennycamp (sp) state park. Very nice snorkeling via a boat tour to an off shore reef.

I just LOVE Vero Beach. There isn't much to do, but I really like Disney's resort. Much to do without ever leaving. Nothing to walk to from the resort except for a pizza shop (very expensive) and a small 7/11 type store. There is a mall left of the resort, maybe 5 miles away. Nothing to get excited about but there are some places to eat around there and not sure if they still have this deal but one day during the week, movies are just $5 or something like that.

Not sure if they have fixed Disney's beach, but it is not anything to get excited about. I love the surf, which can be very rough and perfect for body surfing but the beach is not wide at all and it is/was super steep. Literally a 12 feet high not so gently sloped embankment to climb dow to get to the ocean. Enough room for maybe one row of chairs at the top of the embankment but other than that, you would have to lay down on a slope for any kind of towel space. Don't get me wrong, I love Vero Beach, but the beach definately is not wide.

The resort itself is beautiful and relaxing all by itself. The grounds are very well kept and there is a nice park area across the street from the resort that is just for resort guests. If you can take the heat, I recommend a family barbecue there one night. If you have boys, they will get good use out of the basketball courts and will never have a problem finding other kids to play with. The waterslide at the resort is great fun, very fast. Warning, the pool in June will be about 95 degrees. I do not think they have any way to cool the water, but it's nice if you are a freeze baby. There is also mini golf that costs very little and is nicely theemed.

Just a beautiful resort. I am jealous, but I can't immagine any snorkeling nearby that would be worth it. Definately, nothing near the Disney resort. Also, unless something nice has changed, prepare yourself for a very narrow and somewhat disapointing beach, if you are used to wide flat beaches, like in the carolinas and other parts of florida and Mexico.

 

[Catira]

You all have given me some great info! I have been reading the disboards thread on Vero as well as tripadvisor to plan our week. Thinking of doing a kayak tour.

 

[Twinkstarr]

You all have given me some great info! I have been reading the disboards thread on Vero as well as tripadvisor to plan our week. Thinking of doing a kayak tour.

I am pretty sure a DVC'er Starbox on the DIS boards and at least one other person have gone snorkleing somewhere around VB.

Starbox loves the area so much, they rent a house via VRBO for a month plus in June to go along with her DVC points.

 

[Catira]

I am pretty sure a DVC'er Starbox on the DIS boards and at least one other person have gone snorkleing somewhere around VB.

Starbox loves the area so much, they rent a house via VRBO for a month plus in June to go along with her DVC points.

Thank you.. I'll go search the dis for Starbox's posts.

 

[silentg]

We stayed at Disney's Vero Beach Resort last April and had a nice time. It is closer to Sebastian and there are a lot of places to go to eat. We went to the Sebastian Public Golf Course and they have a resturant there that has a Prime Rib Special one night and another night a Lobster Special. There prices were very good. I did not care for Captain Hirams. We also have stayed at the Driftwood Resort in Vero and they have a resturant callled Waldo's which is very good. The beach is very nice and like the others who have posted have said there is a lot to do at the Disney Resort. Enjoy yourselves, your kids will have fun too.
TerryC

 

[Catira]

Bath tub reef

From what I read on some older posts on disboards some people have gone to Bath Tub Reef which is close by to Vero Beach.

I am writing down all the suggestions my fellow Tuggers have given me.

Thanks so much!!

 

[LouiseG]

As a former resident of VB, I think I can speak with some knowledge. The only reef formation off Vero is a long way offshore. Unless they've recently done some serious work on it, Bathtub Reef was closed after hurricanes Jeanne and Francis. The lagoon simply no longer existed, but the oceanside of the reef would be good snorkeling if you can get to it. Go a bit further south to Peanut Island just north of Palm Beach. You have to take a ferry across but it's a great day trip. YOu don't have to go all the way to Key Largo for decent snorkeling, but you do have to get at least to the Blue Heron bridge area in Riviera. Check with any of the dive shops in the area. We always used Diver Direct, but I'm sure someone at Disney can help you with that.
As far as food goes, if you like Mexican there's a very good family run place on the mainland called Ay Jalisco and as stated above for seafood, Ocean grill is good and the atmosphere is nice. A good change for seafood would be to head north to Sebastian and Captain Hiram's on the Riverfront. You might even see some dolphins while you dine. For good comfort food, head west of Sebastian to Marsh Landing in Fellsmere (just west of I95). Great food at a reasonable price and lots of area history. Toojay's is great Deli food at decent pricing. Toojays, Ay Jalisco and Panera are all in/around the same shopping center on 21st on the mainland. There also is another little restaurant right across the lot from Toojays that does great food reasonable also. There is the Italian Grill west of Vero for good Italian and then all the usual suspects Outback, Applebees, Ruby Tuesday, TGIFriday, etc as well as all of the fast food you could possibly want. Pretty large movie theater at the mall west of town and a great bookstore right at the bridge between the island and downtown VB. Vero beachside is truly beautiful and very relaxing. I hated to move but the job offer I received in Orlando was too good to pass up so now we live in Clermont close to DW and we've learned to enjoy it here as well as oceanside since the area is loaded with real lakes rather than retention ponds. I hope you truly have a wonderful time while you are in Florida. Let us know how it turns out.