Vero Beach
We spent a couple of nights at the Vero Beach Resort and Spa recently. Close to the Kennedy Space Center, Vero Beach Resort is known for its romantic get aways on the east side of Florida between Palm and Daytona Beaches. It was an exceedingly warm, friendly, luxurious escape from the everyday. We loved the little touches. A pet goldfish was part of the room decor. Overall pet friendly, they had both dog biscuits and M and M’s (for the owners) at the checkout. Our suite had a full kitchen, dining room and a bathroom with an echo. The restaurant is spectacular and with all the traveling we do we felt the most at home in Vero Beach. The ocean is close and can be a little rough on the Atlantic side. Vero isn’t completely populated with what we affectionately call “the gray-haired set” but they were reasonably represented . Vero doesn’t seem to have the craziness of Miami, the tourists of Hollywood or Fort Lauderdale, or the expense of Palm Beach. More than any other place on the east coast of Florida, Vero should appeal to middle aged Canadians laid back, relaxed culture.
It was the nature that spoke to us. We did a couple of day trips (south) into the Everglades, and into eco-regions that surround Vero’s extensive nature preserves. The duality appealed.
Think abject luxury on the edge of Florida’s great inland water system and eco-reserves. You can find manatees on one side, alligators on the other and with a quick 2-minute walk to the beach you can explore for crabs and sea turtles. The ecosystems are connected and make for a great nature trip with all the amenities at the end of the day.
Vero is a modern boutique hotel that stays in touch via Facebook and other social media outlets. You can become a friend, get great deals and feel like you are coming home. The hotel makes that kind of an effort to stay connected. We gave them a bunch of novels we finished to start a book trading nook and left a warm note to the general manager upon departure. Name me another hotel where you feel compelled to do that?
Vero Beach Resort and Spa, one of the few hotels we’ve reviewed this year that gets 9 coconuts from us. We can’t wait to go back.
Orlando may be one of the easiest destinations from central and eastern Canada to reach. Home of the famous Disney world resorts, theme parks in this central Florida destination are so overwhelming that they have their own listing on the local weather channel. We found direct flights from Ottawa, Toronto and Syracuse for less than $75 (plus the usual plethora of taxes) each way. A three and a half hour flight, thousands of hotel rooms available and when combined with a lower US dollar, an inexpensive Orlando escape may be just the thing to do this spring. It may actually be cheaper and easier to head south than stay in Canada if you are looking for a weekend get away.