Things To Do in Vero Beach: A Local's Guide to the Treasure Coast

A historic garden with one of the largest outdoor displays of water lilies in the United States.

• One of the biggest outdoor water lily displays in the US
• Opened in 1932, originally a tourist attraction
• Whimsical children's garden on site
• Annual Water Lily Festival held each June

McKee Botanical Garden sits at 350 US-1 in Vero Beach. It was co-founded by Waldo Sexton and Arthur G. McKee. They bought the land to turn into citrus groves but decided it was too beautiful to plow under. The garden opened in 1932 and before Disney existed, it drew 100,000 visitors a year. Today, water lilies bloom in lagoons, streams, and around waterfalls. Orchids hang from trees along winding jungle paths. There is a children's garden that is whimsical and worth a stop if you have kids. The Garden Cafe inside offers food at reasonable prices. You can eat there without paying admission. They serve house-made sangria, beer, and wine. The cafe is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

An 8-mile sand road that runs along the Indian River Lagoon and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• 8-mile hard-packed sand road, the original A1A
• Built in the 1920s to transport citrus crops
• Great for fat-tire bikes, driving slowly, jogging, or walking
• Connects to Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge

The Historic Jungle Trail runs between the Indian River Lagoon and the beach. It was the original A1A, built in the 1920s to move citrus from the groves to Henry Flagler's railroad. The trail starts at Wabasso Beach Road on the northern end of Vero Beach. You can drive it slowly, walk, jog, or ride a fat-tire bike. Going north takes you through a canopy of trees and eventually to Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. Going south, you pass Captain Forster Hammock Preserve at 8610 Jungle Trail. This is the last stretch of original maritime hammock. Further south is Jones Pier at 7770 Jungle Trail, where the Jones pioneer home is preserved. The Jones family homesteaded 160 acres in 1889. The first dock on the lagoon was built here in 1907. You can park, use the bathrooms, and eat at covered picnic tables.

A brewery and restaurant inside the 1926 Vero Beach Municipal Power Plant.

• Housed in the historic 1926 power plant
• Original diesel engine preserved as a centerpiece
• Outdoor seating around a fire pit
• Five minute walk from the Heritage Center and Citrus Museum

American Icon Brewery sits at 1133 19th Place in downtown Vero Beach. The building was the 1926 Vero Beach Municipal Power Plant. One of the original diesel engines is still there, painted and displayed as the centerpiece of the large brewery and restaurant. Outdoor seating around a fire pit is popular when the weather is cool. It is a short five-minute walk from the Heritage Center and Indian River Citrus Museum. That museum is small, one room, and free. It tells the story of Indian River citrus. It is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A natural beach park with a World War II training history and a lagoon-side kayak launch.

• Natural beach with WWII landing-craft obstacles on display
• Popular kayak launch on the lagoon side
• Good spot to see manatees from the boardwalk
• Picnic area with informative signs about the D-Day training

Round Island Beach Park is at 2200 South A1A at the southern end of Vero Beach. The beach is natural and not crowded. During World War II, soldiers practiced beach landings here for D-Day. Tank-sized concrete-and-metal obstacles were placed in the water for training. Many remain, and several are displayed in the picnic area with signs explaining their history. Across A1A on the lagoon side, there is a favorite kayak launch and a boardwalk where manatees drift close to the shore. Local outfitters will deliver kayaks here. The manatees often rest in the shallow lagoon area just a few feet from the boardwalk.

A large waterfront park on the Indian River Lagoon with cultural venues and a veterans memorial.

• Long stretch of lagoon front in the center of town
• Home to art museum, theater, and free outdoor concerts
• Landscaped man-made island with veterans memorial
• Picnic tables, playgrounds, tennis courts, and walking trails

Riverside Park sits on the beach side of the Indian River Lagoon in the center of Vero Beach. It preserves a long stretch of lagoon front. The park is home to an art museum and a theater. Free outdoor concerts happen most weekends at the Riverside Theatre's driveway loop. There are picnic tables, playgrounds, tennis courts, and walking trails. A highlight is the Veterans Memorial Island Sanctuary, a landscaped man-made island with beautiful views and inspiring monuments. The park also offers a kayak launch. You can launch your own kayak or rent one from Vero Tackle and Watersports at 3321 Bridge Plaza Drive. From the launch, you paddle through the city marina and around mangrove islands.

Paddle through one of the most biologically diverse estuaries in the United States.

• One of the most biologically diverse estuaries in the US
• Frequent dolphin and manatee sightings
• Paddle past mangrove islands and spoil islands
• Rentals and guided trips available from local outfitters

The Indian River Lagoon runs along the coast of Vero Beach. It is a calm, shallow estuary where kayakers can paddle for hours. Dolphins and manatees are frequently seen. You can launch from Riverside Park or from the lagoon side of Round Island Beach Park. Vero Tackle and Watersports at 3321 Bridge Plaza Drive rents kayaks and provides helpful staff. A two-hour trip from Riverside Park includes a stop at Joe Earman Island Park on the Lost Tree Islands. The spoil islands near Vero Beach are also popular for exploration. If you prefer a guided experience, the Environmental Learning Center ten miles north of town offers pontoon tours, kayak rentals, and paddleboard rentals. The center sits on a 64-acre island with aquariums, touch tanks, and boardwalk trails.