Welcome

Welcome to Vero Beach! Maybe you have come here for the water, or the golfing, or because your parents or grandparents wintered here several decades ago. Maybe you are up from Miami visiting friends for a long weekend. Maybe you just need a break from 20-degree (or minus-20-degree!) weather and snow or are in search of the perfect retirement community. Whatever prompted you to come, we're glad you're here!

Located in Indian River County, Vero Beach is nestled along Florida's Atlantic coast, about 140 miles north of Miami. Big-city ambience is close enough to visit, but far enough away to preserve our slower-paced small-town charm. Residents here enjoy Florida's year-round balmy weather, reasonable cost of living, and absence of state income tax. Full-time residents can also take advantage of the homestead exemption, a permanent reduction in property tax.

The barrier island boasts 22 miles of spacious, uncrowded beaches accessible via three bridges and graced with parking that is both ample and free. Scores of boutiques, galleries and local restaurants parallel the coast on Ocean Drive, within easy walking distance of beaches and parks. On the mainland, you'll find a thriving design district and historic downtown area filled with art galleries, antique shops, restaurants and cafes.

It's easy to live the outdoor life in Vero Beach, both on and off the water. Golfers will find beautiful courses and opportunities to play year-round. Boaters, anglers, sailors and paddlers enjoy the Indian River Lagoon and the coastal waters of the Atlantic, while surfers, snorkelers, scuba divers and sunbathers enjoy our ocean playground. For land lovers, nature preserves and hiking trails offer additional escapes from the indoors. McKee Botanical Garden offers 18 acres of lush jungle pathways and a children's garden guaranteed to delight youngsters and the young at heart.

Lovers of the arts will find much to enjoy here as well. The Vero Beach Museum of Art holds a rich permanent collection and regularly hosts prominent international exhibitions. Riverside Theatre presents a full season of professional productions each year, and Ballet Vero Beach and the Vero Beach Opera add to the roster of cultural gems. Choral societies, symphonies and thriving community theater and gallery scenes offer additional opportunities to enjoy the arts. Live music, street festivals, holiday parades and art crawls are a regular part of life here.

If you are looking to put down roots, you'll find that Vero Beach has residential options to suit every taste. You can find oceanfront homes, riverfront houses with deep-water docks, and wide-open spaces to the west of town where you can spread out. Wherever you go, you will find welcoming neighbors and plenty of opportunities to get involved.

Finally, some of the things you won't find in Vero Beach might surprise you. Careful planning has kept our beaches largely free of high-rise development. Growth is managed thoughtfully by city and county planners to maintain the best qualities of small-town life. And the county's three bridges connecting the island and mainland mean you'll never waste a moment of a sunny day sitting in traffic.

Vero Beach, if you ask us, is unlike all those other beach towns. If you join the ranks of people who fall in love and never want to leave, well, don't say we didn't warn you!

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Florida Legislature Office of Economic and Demographic Research; Florida Demographics by Cubit; city-data.com; point2homes.com