Vero Beach Florida. Why do people like living here? Why are people moving here from all parts of the country? What is the attraction?
For some it’s our beautiful beaches, which are rarely very crowded. For others it’s our small town feel, even though Vero Beach is no longer a small town. Perhaps it’s the fact that our ocean front isn’t filled with towering high rises. It could also be that we are home to Historic Dodger Town. When people come to visit, young or old, often one of the first places they want to see is Dodger Town.
Could it be our unique history? Both Sebastian and Vero were lucky to have some pretty incredible characters move to town and cause some big things to happen. For Vero it was Waldo Sexton. For Sebastian it was treasure hunter Mel Fisher.
Waldo was originally a farm equipment salesman who fell in love with Vero Beach and because of that love and his innate creativity, he began developing tourist attractions like McKee Botanical Gardens, which in it’s hey day was park filled with exotic animals and all type of plant life. He found unique pieces of furniture, of wood, and built entire rooms around them. He seemed to have a love for bells. He would pick a piece of land, purchase it, and hire contractors to build whatever it was he desired. . I am not sure he ever used an official engineered drawing. That said, his building still stand today.
Vero Beach had the Dodger Training Facilities and when I say Vero Beach to people who are in the 50’s and older, the first thing they think of is Dodger town!. Dodger Town is no longer home to the Dodger’s spring training camp, but it hosts athletic training events for a multitude of sports teams and genres. From Baseball to soccer to tennis and more. It has become a place where people from all over the world come to train and play sports.
Our beaches are beautiful, and unlike to many beaches up and down the Florida Coast, we have just a very few tall buildings. the people in this area sought to keep the beaches beautiful and pleasant to use for everyone, and to that end they have not allowed the proliferation of high rises you see elsewhere. Our Ocean Drive area is lined with local shops and sumptuous restaurants, and don’t forget out park!
For someone who was not originally from here, I am also in love with the friendly and welcoming people who live here. When you move to Vero Beach or Sebastian, you don’t feel like a stranger for long.
Jennifer Comer