​Magical Vero Beach

Goofy surfing at the Character Breakfast
Photo: Georgina Cruz

By Georgina Cruz
Contributor - North Palm Beach Life

            Vero Beach, a small, laid-back town of 17,000 residents built on oranges and citrus in Indian River County on the Treasure Coast has always been magical. On an early morning you often find that your footprints are the only ones on its golden sands that stretch for 26 miles, you receive an embrace from its waters warmed by the Gulf Stream, and sandpipers scurrying along keep you company as squadrons of pelicans in “V” formation fly overhead.

            And now, Vero Beach has become even more magical with the return of the Character Breakfast at the Disney Vero Beach Resort, a nostalgic seaside inn and villas property that is part of the time-share Disney Vacation Club which is also bookable by non-members and where non-guests may dine.

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Chef Ryan at the Character Breakfast
Photo: Georgina Cruz

The Character Breakfast, suspended due to the pandemic, is a family-delighting event that was just brought back on Saturdays beginning on April 20, and Mickey’s pals, Goofy and Pluto are in attendance to join in the fun. The Character Breakfast’s new menu, designed to appeal to all ages, includes a pastry boat of mini pastries with mixed berry compote, blueberry pancakes with homemade blueberry syrup; Bananas Foster French Toast made with challah bread, drizzled with Bananas Foster sauce and served with crispy bacon; and the savory Treasure Omelet, which we had and it was delicious, made with ham, cheddar cheese, bell peppers and onions, and accompanied by seasoned home fries. We washed it down with a refreshing new nonalcoholic drink, “Citrus Splash,” with tropical flavors including coconut, orange, banana, pineapple and grenadine and festively garnished with a cherry and lemon slice.

The food was a great way to rise and shine before going, fortified, to enjoy the beach, but Goofy and Pluto stole the show, making the occasion magical by coming to each table and giving hugs and posing for photos that are sure to be treasured for generations.

            The new Character Breakfast is just another reason to give Vero Beach a try for a weekend escape or summer Florida Staycation so convenient, a little over an hour from North Palm Beach. Vero has three main areas: the Old Downtown, with older homes, the newer commercial area with a mall and an outlet mall west of Downtown past I-95, and the barrier island, made famous by the legends of the “Barefoot Mailman” who delivered mail walking on the sand, and of the historic Driftwood Inn and Waldo’s Restaurant with a “beachcomber” vibe that was built by entrepreneur Waldo Sexton in the 1930s-40s.

Vero Beach is also known as being an “old money” enclave. To some extent this is true. Riding around Vero’s barrier island, which is connected to the peninsula by three bridges, visitors come across many posh seaside communities with names like “Island Club,” “Ocean Pearl,” “Bermuda Club” and “Sea Colony.” Chic, gated enclaves surrounded by majestic oaks and stately palms, they have attracted rich and famous visitors including King Charles, who came to play polo when he was the Prince of Wales, and residents including singer/actress Gloria Estefan and her producer husband, Emilio Estefan, who have a home at the exclusive Windsor community and an oceanside boutique hotel, Costa d’Este.

In addition to sun-worshippers, and a fisherman or two, the barrier island attracts an occasional stroller with a metal detector searching for doubloons from the 1715 Spanish that floundered in these waters laden with gold and silver doubloons, china and other treasures. The island is also home to trendy boutiques selling fashions, jewelry and shoes nestled among beachside cafes, and fine restaurants along Ocean Drive (the island’s “downtown”). A bit away, there is the Village Shops, a charming, bougainvillea-clad shopping center with boutiques selling high-end merchandise including wines, European linens, rare books and apparel, and the Citron Bistro Citron Bistro (citronvero.com), with indoor/outdoor seating for perhaps a lunch of guacamole and chips and lobster roll. Nearby are the Village Market, an upscale grocery store, as well as fine hotels and restaurants that cater to a well-heeled clientele.

There are no high-rise towers to obstruct the views of glorious sunrises on the Atlantic, buildings are three stories or less – the result of laws and ordinances passed in the early 1970s. Streetlights near the shore are orange instead of white so as not to confuse nesting sea turtles, and live oaks are protected by ordinance.

Giant loggerheads and green turtles come to the shore to lay their eggs, and their nests are marked with orange triangles to protect them. The babies are hatched each year during “turtle season” from May through October – on two early mornings I have been thrilled to see tiny hatchlings struggling to get to the ocean, repeatedly pushed back by waves, and trying again. When they succeeded those who happened to witness their journey cheered. Nighttime, guided walks to see a mommy turtle laying her eggs are a popular pastime Sea Turtle Night Walk Experience | Disney's Vero Beach Resort (go.com). I took one a few years ago and saw a loggerhead slowly make her way along the sand to a spot she liked, build a nest where she laid 203 ping pong-ball-sized eggs, and cover them with sand. A popular annual event is the Tour De Turtles, conducted by the Sea Turtle Conservancy and the Disney Conservation Team Wildlife at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, whereby more than two dozen injured sea turtles have been rehabilitated, fitted with transmitters to track their movements, and released from the resort since 2008.

Dolphins are also spotted frolicking in the Indian River Lagoon (the Indian River is part of the Intracoastal Waterway), where boating, kayaking and jet skiing are popular. Manatee viewing is also a pastime – a good place to see these gentle creatures is Round Island Riverside Park Round Island Riverside Park (ircgov.com). Another location for manatee and dolphin sightings is Veterans Memorial Island Sanctuary Veterans Memorial Island Sanctuary | Vero Beach FL | Facebook.   

A favorite nature attraction is the Environmental Learning Center, 255 Live Oak Drive, DiscoverELC | Environmental Learning Center | Vero Beach. A 64-acre island in the middle of the Indian River Lagoon, this center has an aquarium, touch tank, pontoon boat tours – where dolphins are often sighted – kayaks, walking trails and exhibits.

            But though its natural treasures are its top drawing cards with many visitors, Vero Beach offers a wealth of cultural venues too. Some of my favorites include the Riverside Theatre in oak-shaded Riverside Park, 3259 Riverside Park Drive, Riverside Theatre. It features theater, lectures, comedy, and live music. Adjacent to it is the Riverside Children’s Theatre presenting plays and events for youngsters.
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            Steps away, the Vero Beach Museum of Art, 3001 Riverside Park Drive; Vero Beach Museum of Art | Vero Beach, Florida (vbmuseum.org) offers an extensive permanent collection, Florida artists’ room, rotating exhibits, lectures and sculpture garden.

          I have also enjoyed concerts by the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, www.spacecoastsymphony.org, the “Symphony For Everyone” which although based in nearby Brevard County regularly performs in Vero with a variety of programs including jazz, movie favorites, Broadway showstoppers and the classics.

            Other cultural attractions include the McKee Botanical Gardens, 350 US Highway 1, McKee Botanical Garden (mckeegarden.org), an 18-acre subtropical hammock that offers events throughout the year including a Waterlily Celebration each spring. Opened in 1929, it was one of Florida’s first botanical gardens. The Vero Beach Heritage Center and Indian River Citrus Museum Welcome to The Heritage Center in Vero Beach, FL (veroheritage.org) at 2140 14th Avenue features displays and artifacts related to the area’s citrus industry. History buffs may wish to check out the McLarty Treasure Museum, 13180 North A1A, south of Sebastian Inlet State Park (772-589-2147). This small museum’s exhibits, including gold and silver coins and such artefacts as a cannon and anchor, tell the story of the 1715 fleet of eleven Spanish galleons laden with gold and silver that sank here during a hurricane. Its treasures are still being sought today.

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Turtle at Disney Vero Beach Resort
Disney Photo

            IF YOU GO –

Lodging: Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, Disney's Vero Beach Resort (go.com) is a 112-room inn with 60 villas overlooking the Atlantic, a pool with slide, spa, three restaurants, supervised children’s activities and optional turtle night walk experiences. Sometimes during Christmas and other holidays Goofy poses for photos in the resort’s lobby.

Another option is Costa d’Este Vero Beach Resort | Costa d'Este Beach Resort (costadeste.com), Gloria Estefan’s boutique hotel with 94 rooms and suites in the center of the barrier island with a lovely beach and pool, spa, yoga, and fine dining.

            Dining: Disney’s Vero Beach Resort’s Wind & Wave Grill serves up American fare and daily specials including a Butcher’s Cut, Catch of the Day, and flatbreads. The resort’s Market offers sandwiches, salads, hot dinner specials and Dole Whips, the popular frozen treat sold at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom – but without the long lines. The Character Breakfast with Pluto and Goofy is featured Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon at Wind & Wave Grill and cost is $35 for adults and $22 for children.

            Costa d’Este’s Wave Kitchen & Bar Vero Beach Restaurants | Costa d'Este Beach Resort (costadeste.com) is great for lechón asado (marinated roast pork), black beans, rice, plantains and other Cuban and Spanish specialties including seafood and vegan paellas, with views of the hotel’s pool. If you wish to dine like a celebrity, try the roasted half free-range chicken with sour orange, olive oil and Cuban creole sauce which is Gloria Estefan’s favorite dish. There is outdoor seating with ocean views, a poolside firepit and live music on weekends. Great upscale choices for special occasions or to celebrate your luck in making it to Vero Beach include the Ocean Grill Ocean Grill Vero Beach, FL (ocean-grill.com) serving up fresh seafood and roast duck, among other dishes with sea views (arrive early as best tables for sea views are first-come, first-served).

            Information: www.visitindianrivercounty.com.

                                               Georgina Cruz is a freelance travel writer based in Vero Beach.

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