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VERO BEACH VACATION RENTALS, FLORIDA |
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Outdoor Recreation in Vero Beach |
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| There is no dearth of active pursuits at Vero Beach, for those who like to pump their adrenaline. |
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Beach Activities
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
Surfing
Fishing
Boating
Nature Walks
Paleontology Expedition
Walking and Hiking |
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| Beach Activities |
| The Vero Beach area has several safe and well-maintained beaches for you to enjoy. The South Beach Park on South Ocean Avenue is busy and is great for swimming because it is well guarded. Beachball and other beachside games are popular. If you prefer a quieter location, go to Humiston Beach. This is a quiet, narrow beach and has an artificial reef alongside it. Children cannot swim here unsupervised, but it is a great place for a picnic. Watch dolphins and manatees on these lovely beaches or just sunbathe.
Indian River County has 8 full-service beaches, 3 of which are located directly in Vero Beach. These areas have lifeguard protection from 9 AM to 5 PM daily. Information boards describe ocean conditions. All parks have showers and restrooms, as well as other family-friendly facilities. In addition, there are several beach areas with maintained public access, but no lifeguards, and limited or no parking is available in these areas. |
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| Snorkeling and Scuba Diving |
| Vero Beach offers more diving than any other beach in Florida with more than 30 miles of public beach dive sites that are easily accessible. There are four artificial reefs along the beaches of Indian River County, about 200-300 feet off shore. Most dive sites have lifeguard and restroom facilities.
Most reefs are about 50 feet off the beach and go to depths from 4 to 20 feet. There are ledges and crevices where lobster and fish hide. Spear fishing is allowed, but no loaded guns are allowed on the life guarded beach areas. You must abide by all Florida fishing laws.
Three dive areas offer interesting sights to see. The first, Humiston Park, has 5 separate reef lines running along the beach with a wreck called the Brekonshire that lodged itself between the reefs during a hurricane in the mid 1900's. This site provides plenty of parking, rest rooms and picnic areas. The second site, Rio Mar Reef, is the most expansive reef. It begins on the beach in 2 feet of water and extends over 300 yards. Salvagers work on a 1715 silver plate wreck on this site every year. It is a very productive reef for fish and lobster. Parking is limited, so you had better arrive early. The third site, Board Walk, is located at Conn Beach. The reef goes to 20 feet in depth and begins about 200 yards from the beach. You should not dive this with out some surface support. Watch out for nurse sharks sleeping under these ledges, as well as large loggerhead turtles.
Always check on local dive conditions before diving. If you are scuba diving, do not hold onto corals for support to drift to the bottom or kick to the surface. If you are snorkeling, place a flotation device under your chest if you don’t swim well. If you anchor a boat near a coral reef, use a sand anchor and place it well away from the reef. |
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| Surfing |
| Sebastian Inlet, famous for fishing, is also known for surfing. October through April is the prime surfing season here. Surfing contests are held on weekends throughout the year. A few of the other hot spots include Monster Hole, Spanish House, Tracking Station Park, the Pier, Conn Beach and Seahorse Beach. |
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| Fishing |
| Anglers are in heaven in Vero Beach. The great fishing docks alongside the beach, as well as the St. Lucie River, provide an opportunity for freshwater and saltwater fishing. Take a boat out into the ocean for deep-sea fishing or fish in the surf closer to shore. Sebastian Inlet, with its extensive pier and bridge walk, is one of the best areas for experienced anglers. There you are likely to find large mouth bass, black crappie and bluegills, among others. Blue Cypress Lake is a clear-water lake with a large population of largemouth bass and other types of fish.
Remember that fishing is not allowed on public beaches and those anglers above the age of 16 are required to purchase a fishing license. Freshwater fishing licenses for non-Florida residents can be purchased for 7 days or annually, while saltwater fishing licenses are available for 3 days, 5 days or 1 year. |
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| Boating |
| With miles of calm waters protected by the barrier islands, Vero Beach offers many types of boating opportunities. Deep sea fishing boats can be chartered and leisure cruises operate out of both Vero Beach and Sebastian. For those who like air boating, try Stick Marsh in the northwest corner of Indian River County. Canoes and kayak rentals are available near Sebastian Inlet Park. Sebastian River Marina and Boatyard features a full-service marina or, if you have your own boat, Indian River County provides free launching ramps and parking spaces namely - Riverside Park, MacWilliam Park, East Oslo Road, Round Island Park, Sebastian Yacht Club on Indian River Drive, Dale Wimbrow Park, Donald MacDonald Park, Wabasso Causeway, Fellsmere Grade, Blue Cypress Lake and St. Johns Marsh - Barney Green. |
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| Nature Walks |
| The Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge is identified as the most important sea turtle nesting area in North America. The refuge consists of 20.5 miles of coastal dune habitat from Melbourne Beach to Wabasso along Florida's Atlantic coast. Three species of sea turtles nest within the refuge: loggerhead, leatherback and green sea turtles. Sea turtle walks are conducted in June and July only, from 9 PM to Midnight. Reservations for June are taken on May 15 only, starting at 8 AM. Reservations for July are taken on June 15 only, starting at 8 AM. Participants must be able to walk at least one mile on the beach. Remember to bring mosquito repellant and bottled water. The program lasts 3 hours and is not recommended for very young children, the elderly or the disabled. Flashlights, flash photography and filming are not permitted.
Blowing Rocks Preserve is a 73-acre barrier island sanctuary located on Jupiter Island, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon. Blowing Rocks protects a variety of natural habitats, including beach dune, coastal strand, mangrove wetlands, tropical hammock and oak hammock. The Preserve is open to the public from 9 AM to 4:30 PM daily except major holidays. |
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| Paleontology Expedition |
| If you have a burgeoning paleontologist in your family, Paleo Discoveries offers the most exciting way to spend a day away from the beach. They offer fossil hunting expeditions in and near Vero Beach. Paleo Discoveries fossil expeditions take place within 2 hours driving distance of the Vero Beach area. Transportation to the expedition area is not supplied. Tours last 5 to 6 hours, not including travel time. Participants meet at a pre-arranged location at 9:30 AM and directions are provided. Participants should wear light colored clothing that can get wet, dirty and dries easily. Water sandals, water shoes or sneakers are recommended, as are a wide brim hat and sunscreen. Bring a light lunch and lots of water as fossil hunting burns calories. Fees for fossil expeditions are $65 per person, in advance. Children 10 and under are only $35 and all minors must be accompanied by an adult. Credit cards are not accepted. |
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| Walking and Hiking |
| The Orca Walk at the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area is a great place for walking, with several nature trails and observation platforms offering a view of the flora and fauna. The canoe dock is open to the public from dawn to dusk each day. Trained nature guides share their knowledge during guided walks that begin at 9 AM on Wednesdays and Saturdays. |
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