I have been to Vero Beach nearly 15 times with my kids in the past few years, and every single time, I leave wondering why more people aren't talking about this place. It is honestly such a special part of Florida. Hard to describe, but it's clean, trendy, youthful, super low key but full of activities. If you haven't been yet, this guide is your sign.
In This Guide
Why Vero Beach is Perfect for Families
Vero sits on Florida's Treasure Coast, about an hour and a half north of Miami and two hours from Orlando. It feels like it belongs to the locals, and that's exactly what makes it so good. The beaches are wide, soft white sand and rarely busy. The restaurants are great without being touristy. And the pace is slow enough that everyone relaxes.
What makes Vero so special for families is the variety. You've got stunning Atlantic beaches on one side and the magical Indian River Lagoon on the other (which is one of the most biodiverse bodies of water in North America, by the way). Between those two, you could fill a whole week without even thinking about it. Add in world-class botanical gardens, an exceptional art museum with a kids' zone, fun kid-friendly restaurants (including one of our favourite taco spots), and you've got a place that earns every single repeat visit.
Things to Do with Kids in Vero Beach
McKee Botanical Gardens
One of the best places to visit in Vero Beach. We never get tired of this place, it's SO beautiful. The gardens themselves are absolutely stunning, but the real magic for families is the children's garden and play space, which is out of this world with a giant pirate ship playground, sandbox with hidden creatures, splash pad, music area, and all sorts of whimsical fairy houses, blue mushrooms and secret spots.
McKee also has free children's programming and events such as Music & Storytime in the Garden, very cool rotating exhibits and sculptures throughout the grounds, and a cute garden cafe with soups, salads, and sandwiches. Pack swimsuits. Don't forget to grab a scavenger hunt map for kids and ask about the Discovery Backpack for kids filled with a variety of tools to explore the Garden like a map, compass, magnifying lens, and education guide.
Humiston Beach Park & Jaycee Park
Honestly you can't go wrong with any of the beaches in Vero. They're so beautiful, wide, soft white sand and rarely busy. But Humiston Beach Park is an easy go-to. It's super family-friendly, with an awesome playground right beside the beach, and it's centrally located on the liveliest stretch of Ocean Drive, which is full of shops and restaurants. There's also a cute farmer's market here on Saturday mornings. Jaycee Park is another great beach with a boardwalk, playground, and lots of other family-friendly amenities.
Private Pontoon Boat Tour through the Indian River Lagoon
This is one of our favourite things to do in Vero, and the experience I recommend most to first-timers. The Indian River Lagoon makes up part of the Intracoastal Waterway and is truly the coolest body of water. It's stunning, peaceful and FULL of wildlife. We've seen dozens of dolphins, manatees, crabs, birds and fish. We've gone swimming, boating and paddle boarding here and cruised through the jungle-like mangroves. We usually book with River Explorer Boat Tours. It's gorgeous and we've seen dolphins every single time! You can do 1 or 2-hour tours, sunset cruises, and it's quite affordable at around $130 for 4 people. Do not skip this.
If you want to get out on the lagoon on your own, Paddles By The Sea rents paddleboards and kayaks right on the Indian River Lagoon and will even deliver to your location. Every rental comes with a lesson, which is great if the kids are new to it. The ELC (Environmental Learning Center) also offers guided paddle excursions on the lagoon.
Vero Beach Museum of Art
So much love for this small but mighty museum! The exhibits rotate and are always interesting (we've seen vintage art deco cars, incredible installations, and more). There's an outdoor sculpture garden, kids' programming and storytime, and a cute gift shop with a great selection of kids' stuff. The museum is also located at Riverside Park, which has a nice shady playground right outside.
The must-do here is the hands-on Art Zone. The interactive "sketch aquarium" is my kids' favourite, where they can colour in their own animals and a special scanner brings them to life on a big screen.
Royal Palm Pointe Fountains
Royal Palm Pointe fountains are another favourite activity, especially when it's hot! It's basically a giant splash pad with giant fountains. I promise your kids will go NUTS! There's also a beautiful view from the dock where you can sometimes see dolphins. Pro tip: grab coffee, fresh juice and snacks from La Tabla before coming here to sit and enjoy while the kids play in the water.
Fort Pierce Inlet & Sebastian Inlet State Parks
If you have extra time or want to venture slightly outside Vero, both Fort Pierce Inlet State Park and Sebastian Inlet State Park are incredible. Secret beaches, shallow tide pools that are perfect for young kids, glass-bottom kayaking tours, paddleboarding, and more. These feel off the beaten path even though they're not far at all.
Sea Turtle Nesting Season (Summer)
If you visit in the summer, you're in for something really special. In the summer, loggerhead sea turtles use Vero's beaches as their nesting grounds. Every morning we'd wake up and the beach would be covered in these huge turtle tracks. Sea turtle conservation and protection is taken super seriously in Vero Beach and they rope off all the nesting sites.
The coolest part for kids is the Turtle Digs run by Coastal Connections, a local non-profit that does free daytime nest excavations on the beach. You have to reserve your spot in advance, but then you get to watch them evaluate a hatched nest, and if the timing is right you get to help release hatchlings into the ocean. It's pretty incredible for kids! Check coastalconnections.org for the schedule.
Marsh Beast Airboat Tours
If your kids are into wildlife (and honestly whose aren't), you have to do an airboat tour through the wetlands. We went with Marsh Beast Airboat Tours, which is about 25 minutes west of Vero. The tours are 50 minutes, naturalist-narrated, and the captains really know where to find the gators. You'll definitely see alligators of all sizes!
St. Lucie County Aquarium
This one is a bit of a hidden gem. If you're heading to Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, make sure you also stop by the St. Lucie County Aquarium. This small but mighty spot features six living Florida marine ecosystems including a Caribbean coral reef, a seagrass bed, and a mangrove forest. The touch tank with horseshoe crabs and sea stars is a huge hit with kids. Admission is incredibly affordable at $4 for adults, $3 for kids (free on the first Tuesday of the month). It's right on the water at Seaway Drive with a playground and picnic area outside.
Environmental Learning Centre
The ELC is a fabulous place for families to explore the Indian River Lagoon and engage in a variety of interactive activities for kids, featuring interactive exhibits, walking trails, and water sports in Vero Beach. They have a cute little interpretative center with interactive exhibits, aquariums and a touch tank where kiddos can touch starfish, crabs, sea cucumbers, and more! There's also a small marine-themed library and natural open-ended play materials for little ones.
Two boardwalk trails take you through the peaceful and partially shaded mangrove forest, leading to an overlook area and lagoon resting point where you can catch a glimpse of dolphins, birds and other marine life. Kids can also free play at the Imagination Station and Nature Playscape that includes some fairy houses and a mud kitchen.
Where to Eat in Vero Beach with Kids
The food scene in Vero is seriously underrated. Here are our family favourites after more than a dozen visits.
El Sid Taqueria
My favourite spot! Best tacos, chips, cold beer AND they're run by a citrus farm so they sell fresh orange juice slushies with orange soft serve cream. Sometimes they have dragonfruit slushies with mango ice cream and those are my favourite. And their outdoor dining space in the back is adorable but hard to miss (I didn't even know it existed for the first few visits). Perfect shady spot for kids!
Riverside Cafe
Before or after the boat tour, we always stop by Riverside Cafe for lunch. Great food, fun casual outdoor dining atmosphere, gorgeous views of the river, and frequent dolphin sightings right from your seat. Booster seats, kids' menu, and drinks served in cups with lids and straws. IYKYK. The kids also absolutely love feeding leftover french fries to the catfish that gather right below the dock. There are hundreds of them and they are very hungry and entertaining!
Nino's Cafe
Nino's is right across the street from Humiston Playground. Indoor and outdoor dining, super casual atmosphere (perfect if your kids are like mine and make a mess), and some of the most delish pizza! Don't miss the burrata salad.
Bobby's Restaurant & Lounge
Bobby's is an institution with an amazing old school atmosphere! It's a local favourite, very welcoming of children, and has the BEST burger, ribs and artichoke dip. Get all three. You will not regret it.
Waldo's Restaurant
I have to be honest about Waldo's the way I'm honest about everything: the food is pretty mediocre. My husband keeps wondering why I recommend this place. But THE VIEW! It's located inside a very rustic, quirky and historic resort right on the beach, and the view from their outdoor deck is unbeatable. Sometimes all you want is french fries and a couple of cold beers with the ocean in front of you. Waldo's is exactly that.
Chelsea's Gourmet
Our daily morning stop in Vero. Fresh pressed juice, great coffee, and amazing breakfast and baked goods. There's also a little bookshelf inside with toys, children's books, and a gumball machine that my kids make a beeline for every single time.
Kilwin's Ice Cream
Right on Ocean Drive near Humiston Beach. My son is obsessed with the "Superman" ice cream. Non-negotiable stop after the beach.
Getting to Vero Beach
Vero Beach is easier to get to than most people think. During high season, there is a flight to West Palm Beach (PBI airport), which is the closest to Vero. Otherwise, we usually fly into Orlando or Fort Lauderdale. Both are very manageable drives and worth every minute.
Once you're there, you'll want a car. Vero is spread out and the best spots require a bit of driving. The good news is that parking is easy and free at most beaches and parks.
