Posted January 3, 2018
Escape to Romance in Florida’s Vero Beach
Destinations VERO
Lovebirds, we have a cozy coastal secret for your next amorous escape. When you’re in the mood for quality R&R, this intimate beach town is a hideaway worth swooning over.
Serenity awaits couples in search of a romantic getaway at Vero Beach, Florida. (Photo credit: @MargJohnsonVA)
No barriers to romance
Sublimely situated on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon, Vero Beach has miles of unspoiled sands, a variety of restaurants, water activities galore, art galleries, some of Florida’s best shopping — and to tap your inner kid, even treasure hunting.
Vero Beach is also home to Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa, an oceanfront sanctuary with a tropical West Indies aesthetic. In fact, Conde Nast Traveler called it the No. 2 Top Hotel in Florida.
Here’s what you can do without ever leaving the hotel area:
- Walking hand-in-hand on undisturbed beaches
- Eating fresh seafood by the light of an outdoor fire pit
Freshly-shucked oysters are even more romantic with an ocean view.
- Sipping cocktails by a luxurious oceanfront pool
- Indulging in a couple’s spa experience, bubbly included
- Toes-in-the-sand dinners
- Paddleboard and kayak rentals
Soak up the sunshine at the Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel and Spa.
Saunter downtown
From the hotel, you can walk along lushly landscaped Ocean Drive to scenic downtown Vero Beach, where you’ll discover upscale shops, galleries as well as waterfront eateries. For a sweet treat, stop by Kilwin’s for original-recipe ice cream and handmade waffle cones.
Amid the many downtown shops, the Vintage Market pops up the second Saturday of the month October through March, offering antiques and collectibles in an alfresco street setting. You’re never more than a few steps from the ocean, and downtown has several beach parks to enjoy on your stroll.
Cool off with a cone. (Photo credit: @jordanobingerphoto)
Treasures of land and sea
Vero Beach is on Florida’s “Treasure Coast,” named for the Spanish fleet that sunk off the shore in 1715. At nearby Seagrape Trail beach access, together you can hunt for silver coins that often turn up from the long-ago shipwreck.
If you and your S.O. (significant other) care to rev up your heart rates, propelling through the Florida marshes aboard an airboat will do the trick. These flat-bottomed vessels use an aircraft-like prop, and are a great way to see exotic birds, turtles and alligators that regular boats can’t access. Other aquatic activities include paddleboarding and jet skiing on the Indian River Lagoon, which happens to be this hemisphere’s most biodiverse lagoon ecosystem.
The natural beauty continues at McKee Botanical Garden, a breathtaking 18 acres featuring a celebrated collection of water lilies, and, unexpectedly, the world’s largest table — carved from a single piece of mahogany. Vero Beach Museum of Art showcases American and international works of art.
Pick up a paddleboard to explore Vero Beach’s Indian River Lagoon. (Photo credit: @paddlesbythesea)
Room to relax
After your adventures, Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa is your quiet oasis for unwinding at the outdoor bar in the company of swaying palms, or alone in your elegant guestroom. Perk: Most have private balconies with unobstructed ocean views.
With average highs in the 70°s now through March, and in the 80°s April through October, Vero Beach makes a perfect getaway year-round. Bonus for Miamians: you can drive here in under two-and-a-half hours.