In 1921 the Indian River Land Co. deeded Pocahontas Park to Vero Beach. In the 1920's the park had…read morea small zoo that included alligators, a bear, and a bobcat. The tennis courts were added in 1925. The town's first community center was built in the park in 1935. During WWII it served as a club for Navy personnel training at the airport. After the war it was again used as a community center until a new one was built just north of it. The original center is now The Heritage Center with a museum dedicated to the citrus industry. A plaque outside the building commemorates the spot in Pocahontas Park where on July 2, 1925 William Jennings Bryan delivered a speech for the county's inaugural festivities. Today families visiting the historic Vero Beach downtown area can still enjoy this charming park that has delighted generations of families. The park has pickleball courts, a playground, restroom. shuffle board court, and tennis courts. Standing guard at the entrance to the park is Patriot the fiberglass horse. Pocahontas Park is the perfect place to take the kids to play or to enjoy a game of tennis.

Pocahontas Park is a pleasant enough place located in the Main Street Vero Beach section of the…read moretown. It is more designed for kids, however there are plenty of benches out front and it seems to be a popular place for people just to chill for a bit.

Troy Moody Park is located on Victory Boulevard and Cordova Avenue in the McAnsh Park neighborhood…read morein northwest Vero. Park amenities include a water fountain, playground, benches, large open space for play, and paved walkway. Along the path are signs giving suggestions of different activities kids can do as they go along. Some of the activities are to tell a story, jump, clap, skip, move, and read. I have never seen anything like this and it is a really cool feature of the park that sparks family interaction. The park's namesake, Troy E. Moody Jr. was born in 1925. His father, Troy Moody Sr., served as Indian River County's tax collector from 1932 to 1969. Troy graduated from Vero Beach High School class of 1943. He then spent three years in the Navy before going to a state college. After graduation he joined the Army and became a paratrooper. He was stationed in Japan before being deployed to Korea. He was serving as First lieutenant with the 27th Infantry Regiment when he died at 25 in a battle at the Naktong River crossing in South Korea on Aug. 11, 1950. A memorial plaque in his honor was installed in the park in 2012. An earlier memorial plaque was installed on the water fountain.

Troy Moody Park is more of an open field with a small playground and a few benches than what I…read morewould call a park. I am sure that the neighborhood appreciates it, but if you are looking for something where you can walk around and enjoy a bit of nature, this is not the place.

Riverside Park is located on a barrier island in Vero Beach. You reach it by crossing over the…read moreMerril P. Barber Bridge. The park dates back to 1944 when Government Lot 2, a 115 acre parcel of land was purchased by the city of Vero Beach for $11,000 for use as a park. Today this park is one of the cultural crown Jewels of Vero Beach. Inside the park is the The Riverside Theater, a 692 seat performance theater that hosts Broadway quality shows throughout the year. The theater also hosts Live in the Loop, free outdoor concerts most weekends. In the middle of the park is the Vero Beach Art Museum. Opened in 1978 it hosts traveling art exhibits throughout the year as well as classes and educational events. It also has an outdoor sculpture garden. It you find yourself hungry, go to the north end of the park under the Merril P. Barber Bridge where you will find a The Riverside Cafe. It is a casual restaurant serving seafood and burgers. In the evenings they often have live music. Also located in this area of the park is the Cole Coppola Memorial Fishing Pier where you can fish and possibly spot dolphins and manatees. The park is also home to the Memorial Island Sanctuary, a beautiful and peaceful Veterans Memorial on an island that you reach by walking over a bridge. Other park amenities include walking and jogging paths, fitness trail, tennis courts, a playground, boat ramps, and picnic tables. Some of the many festivals held throughout the year in the park include the Under the Oaks Fine Arts and Craft Festival, Gardenfest, the Annual Orchid Show, Vero Beach Boat Show, and the upcoming Fourth of July firewoman on the Indian a River. There is so much to see and do here. You could visit several times and have a different experience each time. Whether is a concert, show, exercising, paying tribute to our national heroes, fishing, grabbing a bite to eat, or taking the kids to play, this park has something for everyone in Vero Beach.

A perfect Sweet Sixteen celebration thanks to all of the staff and the fabulous rock & Roll Band!…read moreWe rented a cabana and the service was excellent! Thanks to Mia who served and Linda who helped me plan and Danika who made the delicious food! I can heartily recommend this venue! We had a blast.

We stopped here to breakup our drive to a state park in central Florida, it's a beautiful area! We…read morewalked around a bit, got our feet in the ocean, and noted all of the turtle nests! Want to come back here one day soon for a beach day! The water was gorgeous that day as well! Check out this area/park/beach if you are in the area! They have a board walk as well!

If you're looking to soak up the sun, catch some waves, and maybe beat your own record for the…read morenumber of snacks eaten under an umbrella--Jaycee Park is your new happy place. The beach? Pristine. The water? Perfectly blue with just the right amount of wave action to feel like a surfer (even if you're just boogie boarding like a champ). The park area behind the beach is ideal for taking a break from the heat--plenty of shaded pavilions, a volleyball court, and a playground for the little ones who still somehow have more energy than a triple espresso. What really makes Jaycee Park shine is how family-friendly and chill the vibes are. You've got locals grilling, kids building sandcastles that'll be gone in one tide, and beachgoers just vibing to the sound of waves. Plus, the accessibility and parking make it a no-stress zone from the moment you pull up. So grab your sunscreen, flip-flops, and your most extra beach floatie--Jaycee Park is where it's at!

Located on North Hutchinson Island, Round Island Beach Park offers recreation while also protecting…read morea historic site. This part of Florida has a lot of WWII history. You can see it all over in the parks named for key events or people who served in the war. During WWII the Germans were sinking ships in Atlantic shipping channels and hiding along the coast of Florida in their submarines. On May 5, 1942, German U-333 torpedoed and sunk the Java Arrow, a United States tanker eight miles off Fort Pierce. Two crew members were killed. A auxiliary volunteer Coast Guard rescued 22 survivors in a fishing boat but two other ships, the Amazone and the Halsey were hit by torpedoes off of Fort Pierce that same night. To protect the shore massive concrete tank traps with steel rails protruding were sunk offshore. The Fort Pierce Amphibious Training Base opened in Fort Pierce on Jan. 26, 1943 to train soldiers for WWII. Round Island became part of this base, a 19,000 acre military installation. The soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day were trained here. Obstacles like the ones the Germans were placing to stop the Allied Forces during the war were put in the water off the shore of Ft. Pierce so boat drivers could practice eluding them and teams could practice blowing them up. At Omaha Beach one Fort Pierce based unit lost 33 men but were able to destroy 5 of the obstacles. More than 140,000 military personnel trained in neighboring St. Lucie County from 1943 to 1945, when at the time there were only 20,000 area residents. The objects remained in the water long after people started using the beach for recreation. Unfortunately some people were injured and in 1991 the government did a national cleanup of former military bases during which time the objects were removed and some were given to the SEAL Museum created by long term democratic Florida senator Claude Pepper. At the museum you can learn more about the part Ft. Pierce played in WWII. You can still see some of the underwater obstacles used for training between the picnic pavilions and parking area along with interpretive signs. In addition to some amazing history, this beautiful 11.36 acre park has free parking, beach access, five picnic pavilions with tables and grills, a playground, shower, restrooms, and a walking trail in the park. Lifeguards are on duty between 9:10 a.m. and 4:50 p.m. daily. Along the beach are areas blocked off to protect sea turtle nests. Across the street is Round Island Riverside Park where you can launch a canoe or kayak on to the Indian River Lagoon where you can see dolphins and manatees. I really enjoyed my time at Round Island Beach Park with its clean beach, clear water, well-maintained facilities, quiet setting. and WWII history.

Pretty & safe beach area that's not too crowded but not deserted either. Lifeguard's, picnic…read moretables, showers & bathrooms for convenience. Even historical/informational areas of interest.

Charles Park is named in honor of Charles Parks. I love that his last name was Parks! Mr. Parks…read morebecame the city's director of recreation after moving to Vero Beach in 1958. He retired from the post in 1982. This neighborhood park was named in his honor after his successor, Vero Beach-Indian River County Recreation Department Director Pat Callahan approached then-City Manager John Little five years later with a proposal to name a new park after her mentor. The city decided to drop the s from Parks name and the park was called Charles Park. The amenities at Charles Park include a popular walking trail through a nature area, restrooms, picnic pavilion, tennis courts and volleyball court. The playground area is currently closed but there are plans to build a new playground this year. The wooden fitness equipment is in really terrible condition too. I enjoyed the fitness trail which is the best part of the park while it is under construction. Once this park receives upgrades it should be really nice.

It's hidden but the playground is big for the little ones to burn off steam. I enjoyed watching the…read moresquirrels burry things and they have small trails for runny and fitness. So if you want a free activity for your young one I'd say check it out.

Exception location for Jackie Robinson day. All attendees enjoyed the exhibition game. The local…read morecommunity junior tesns were recognized

This stadium is amazing. I don't know what Vero will become without the Dodgers…read more I'm glad that I got to go watch the Dodgers play here, before they moved to AZ. They played against the Red Sox this past Sunday and won 4-0. I believe that 10k people showed that day, the largest turnout in Holman stadium history. Wow! The Dodgerdogs are just as good as they are at the Chavez Ravine, but in a more intimate setting. I loved it. This park will be missed.

A botanical garden visit in early March can be a dicey proposition... unless that garden is McKee…read more The combination of a jungle, plenty of water features, and the whimsy of colorful art make this garden a great place to visit even before many of the plants are blooming. Last year's (2025) whimsy was florals made from Lego bricks. This year it's sculpture mimicking origami. They call it "florigami," and there are lots of imaginative examples throughout the gardens. If you are hungry or thirsty during your visit, the garden café is delightful. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit of about 2 hours. The admission price is a bit steep, but they do accept entry using the AHS reciprocal membership... so if you're a member of another botanical garden (that's far enough away) you will get in for free.

The botanical garden at night feels less like a stroll and more like wandering into a living…read morestorybook. Lights tucked into trees, glowing sculptures appearing out of the darkness, reflections in the water that look too intentional to be accidental. At one point I genuinely felt like I walked through a portal, took a few photos as proof, and got politely sent back to reality. The installations were the highlight for me. Birds glowing in the dark like forest guardians, glassy light columns that felt more spell than sculpture, and paths that made you slow down without realizing it. Even the massive tree stump felt ancient, like it had seen some things and wasn't in the mood to explain. It's worth noting this is a separate seasonal event, not standard daytime admission. Tickets are priced higher than regular entry, which makes sense given the lighting, installations, and overall production. Just something to be aware of when planning your visit. It does get crowded, especially in popular spots, so patience is required. This isn't a rush-through kind of experience anyway. It rewards wandering, pausing, and letting your eyes adjust. Also worth noting, this is prime territory for phone photography. Low light, rich colors, and reflections everywhere. If you like capturing atmosphere, you'll leave happy. If you're looking for something peaceful, immersive, and just a little bit magical, this is absolutely worth it. Just don't be surprised if you lose track of where you are for a moment. That might be the point.

I took a hike through here on a recent trip to Vero Beach. The parking is limited but you can also…read morepark at the nearby South Vero Square Shopping Center located just east of the conservation area. If you didn't bring bug spray or water pick it up at the Publix because you will need both. Trails are open sunrise to sunset and run 2.4 miles or more and there are no restrooms. Be aware the trail can get quite muddy at points. The conservation area is quite large, 298 acres!, and the back trail loops around the wetlands so you can see a lot of birds. It is jointly owned by St. Johns River Water Management District and Indian River County. There are boardwalks, an observation tower (currently closed), and a canoe launch. You enter the conservation area through the Herb Kale Trail which is named for one of Florida's most respected ornithologists. The ecosystem is made up of coastal hammock, scrubby flatwoods and estuarine wetlands. The conservation area is a designated stop on the Great Florida Birding Trail. In the coastal hammock you can find live oaks that are hundreds of years old. Ground plants are wild coffee, myrsine, marlberry, firebush, native wildflowers, saw palmetto, and cabbage palms. There are at least 20 rare plants living in this area including coral-root orchids and whisk fern. Along the hammock loop you may spot songbirds, woodpeckers, hawks, squirrels, snakes, raccoons, armadillo, and opossum. A bridge takes you over a mangrove swamp where you will encounter the most mosquitoes. Many years ago, the University of Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory used this area as an outdoor lab where they studied how mosquitoes transmit diseases. The Scrubby Pine Flatwoods trails are at a higher elevation. Expect to find bromeliads, large sand pines, saw palmettos and native wildflowers. This area hotter and dryer with little shade. The ground is sandy soil. At the rear of the preserve is the Coastal Wetlands managed by mosquito control. Here the trail leads to the closed observation tower as it loops around the wetlands. I was so disappointed to see the observation tower closed since this seemed to be the best place to bird watch. All that is there now is a sketchy looking bridge of single boards that stretch over the lagoon. At the end of the hike I had gone over 2 miles, was soaked in sweat and mosquito bitten. I always think of that scene in Lilo and Stitch when Cobra saves Earth from the alien race by convincing them that the mosquito is an endangered species. LOL Anyway mosquitoes are always a treat. Despite the bugs t was a fun hike and probably even more fun in January. I don't recommend it in June although I did see a lot of people on the trail. Who would have thought all of this can be found behind a Publix!

I've been to Oslo Riverfront Conservation on several occasions. There's not a lot of parking but…read moreearly morning it's not a problem. It's a pretty good place to hike but not the best. I mean, it's behind Publix supermarket. I tend to forget about Florida's weather. Still not used to it and never will be for that matter. Florida weather always lulls me into thinking it's nice while looking out the window and once outside it's almost always not. It's hot, muggy and lots of misquotes. Fairly clean place with occasional trash here or there but pretty well maintained. I've run into a homeless person every now and then but that doesn't bother me as long as they're doing the part and not trashing the place. Worth going but I'd recommend February or March. Watch for a cold front.

The Beaches Of Indain River Contry are Very Nice and Clean it doesnt matter where in vero beach…read morewhere you stay Vero beach is Deffitly one of the best beaches in Flordia

This was a great beach! The waves were awesome, the boardwalk was nice, the parking was free and…read moreclose. And the sand was perfect.