how is living in vero beach? (Jacksonville, Cape Coral: fit in, 2013, HOA)

[soulsearcher14]

Ok..so I posted about living in vero beach as opposed to south florida..no replies LOL so now im just gonna flat out ask..how is living in vero beach? I am considering it because it seems much less expensive than south florida- ft Lauderdale area. Is there a lot to do here? Im 42f single no kids...will I fit in age wise, etc? Love live music, festivals, and all water sports

thanks for any advise

[SeaLark7]

The only place I've lived in Florida is Vero Beach (since June 2013) and from everything I've heard, it is definitely cheaper than living south of here. Less traffic, too. It is a conservative town, overall, but also a very classy one. Having recently driven up the A1A to Cocoa Beach, I was amazed at the difference between a more touristy town and Vero. There's a good arts and music scene here, though I guess the latter would depend on what kind of music you like. Lots of water sports -the best surfing in the state is just up the road at the Sebastian Inlet. Kayaking is popular on the Indian River, and of course fishing. The beaches are beautiful ! I have no idea about the singles scene, being married and 59 years old, but hopefully someone else can give insight into that. I love living here !

[PLBR]

You are smart to ask...wish I had. I grew up in Hallandale, spent 20 years in the Air Force traveling all around and have moved to Vero to spend my retirement years. Whether you will enjoy living in Vero will greatly depend on the type of person you are and what you like to do in your leisure time. Yes you get more bang for your buck in housing in Vero. Pretty much all else...entertainment, restaurants, shopping, culture health care etc, is better down south. If you plan on spending your free time in or around the water or on the golf course, you will like it here. If you are a modern forward thinking person you may feel like a minority as conservatives are mainstream in Vero. This is not a city that will change quickly or ever be innovative. If you do not enjoy being told what you can do with your home..DO NOT, i repeat...DO NOT buy your home in an HOA neighborhood, no matter how good it looks up front. It's a different America in an HOA, and you loose many individual freedoms. If this town is looking like maybe it isn't for you....look around Stuart, Delray Beach or Cape Coral, Sarasota or Gulfport on the west coast. They are more visionary and progressive without moving back to the craziness of South Florida.

[PLBR]

You are smart to ask...wish I had. I grew up in Hallandale, spent 20 years in the Air Force traveling all around and have moved to Vero to spend my retirement years. Whether you will enjoy living in Vero will greatly depend on the type of person you are and what you like to do in your leisure time. Yes you get more bang for your buck in housing in Vero. Pretty much all else...entertainment, restaurants, shopping, culture health care etc, is better down south. If you plan on spending your free time in or around the water or on the golf course, you will like it here. If you are a modern forward thinking person you may feel like a minority as conservatives are mainstream in Vero. This is not a city that will change quickly or ever be innovative. If you do not enjoy being told what you can do with your home..DO NOT, i repeat...DO NOT buy your home in an HOA neighborhood, no matter how good it looks up front. It's a different America in an HOA, and you loose many individual freedoms. If this town is looking like maybe it isn't for you....look around Stuart, Delray Beach or Cape Coral, Sarasota or Gulfport on the west coast. They are more visionary and progressive without moving back to the craziness of South Florida.

[soulsearcher14]

Hmm.thanks! I am pretty liberal actually so I do have to reconsider if this is a good fit for me. I cant afford Sarasota but am looking into various areas of tampa/st Petersburg as well. Yes, ideally Id like to be in the ft Lauderdale area but just cant afford it..unless im living in the hood LOL

[SeaLark7]

I am liberal too, but living in Vero Beach doesn't bother me. There are some pockets of progressive thinking - there's even a nice "New Age" store in town, and a Tai Chi class that meets at South Beach every morning. The conservative aspects of the town are not "in your face" and don't impact my daily life at all.

[soulsearcher14]

good to know. im very spiritual..not new age but spiritual

[soulsearcher14]

are there a lot of things to do there?? ie nightlife, restaurants, etc??

[SeaLark7]

Vero is not known for its nightlife, which is not to say there is none. There's an Irish pub and other restaurants that have live music on the weekends, but I don't think there's a busy bar-hopping scene, from what I have heard. We do have an assortment of restaurants, especially seafood. As for the singles social scene, there is a web site - I think it is called Vero Singles, you might try a google search.

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by soulsearcher14

Ok..so I posted about living in vero beach as opposed to south florida..no replies LOL so now im just gonna flat out ask..how is living in vero beach? I am considering it because it seems much less expensive than south florida- ft Lauderdale area. Is there a lot to do here? Im 42f single no kids...will I fit in age wise, etc? Love live music, festivals, and all water sports

thanks for any advise

Have you ever been to Florida? You are going to find more "nightlife" in an URBAN CITY like Ft Lauderdale than a place like Vero but even THAT is debatable.

You probably didn't get any replies because you didn't really ask any real questions and there are a zillion threads here answering "how is living in Vero". I've personally posted a ton of information including lists of things to do.

As far at the guy posting his animosity, he moved here in 2012, said it was shangri-la but ALSO thought it was perfectly OK to build a CEMENT WALL around his house in an HOA.

It's not like you don't get the ENTIRE DISCLOSURE of the bylaws when you move into an HOA and common sense would tell a person that a CEMENT WALL is going to be an "issue". Hell, you even have to submit your plans if you want to put up a conforming FENCE.

We have water sports and I don't know what kind of "festival" you're looking for but even in Jacksonville there's only one or TWO a YEAR. Meaning the whole city is crawling and multiple stages.

But we have something WE call a festival too, a monthly series of outdoor concerts. Or this wing fest deal, etc.

http://www.floridacraftbrewandwingfest.com/

Welcome to VeroBeachOBA.com!

Like WHERE in Ft Lauderdale? I'm familiar with Ft Lauderdale and would have difficulty telling you where to go THERE for "live music" without looking everything up on the internet like as follows:

We have some "live music" here. Riverside Theater, Concerts at the Park sponsored by the Art Museum, and small places like on this following blog, or yelp - bars, restaurants etc. But it may not be anything you're interested in since music is a matter of personal taste.

We also have ACTUAL LIVE REAL CLASSICAL MUSIC with a concert series sponsored by the Indian River Symphonic Assoc; like Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, And Vero Beach Opera. The Atlantic Classical Orchestra 10 miles down Rt 1 in Ft Pierce. Where they have the Sunrise Theater, too.

Also ten miles UP Rt 1 in Sebastian.

Concerts in the Park Series at Riverview Park - VeroNews: Calendar

Welcome to the official website for Indian River Symphonic Assocation in Vero Beach, Florida

Vero Beach Opera - Vero Beach Florida Professional Opera Company

Atlantic Classical Orchestra -

Sunrise Theatre Fort Pierce Tickets - Coming Soon

Live music restaurant Vero Beach, FL

Vero Beach Live

Riverside Theatre

Vero Beach Museum of Art, Vero Beach Florida, Art on the Treasure Coast

Riverside Theatre

No ticket required to come out and enjoy the music. Every Comedy Zone weekend, Riverside Theatre’s driveway loop becomes the local hot spot where some of the area’s most talented musicians perform. Each night a different music genre is featured... rock, island music, folk rock, blues, country, bluegrass, rockabilly and more! Rain or shine, the outside music bar is located on our covered terrace and is surrounded by a beautiful canopy of trees, sitting areas and an island of green grass... so feel free to bring your lawn chairs

Vero Beach is a gentle, calm, generous, beautiful city with the best barrier island on the coast IMO. If you're looking for a CHEAP VERSION of Ft Lauderdale...this isn't it.