Where to See
Wildlife
In Vero Beach

See Florida’s wildlife in Vero Beach. Think snorkeling and scuba at Sebastian Inlet. Think paddleboarding, kayaking, fishing, boating and even driving our beloved golf carts as we roll around Orchid Island. Or try traveling the Historic Jungle Trail.

Distantly related to the elephant, the manatee is an icon of Florida wildlife. Manatees gather frequently on the Treasure Coast with its salt and freshwater marshes, pine flatwoods and hardwood hammocks. The area gives sanctuary to 1,500+ species of Florida’s migratory birds and wildlife: manatees, river otters, armadillos, bobcats, deer, smaller mammals and more.

Rare collections of water lilies, and 10,000+ tropical and native plants abide in McKee Botanical Garden, listed by National Geographic Traveler as one of the 22 Most Soothing Places of Surprise and Sanctuary in North America. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it hosts exhibitions and offers learning opportunities for all, with free admission to active military personnel.

The sea turtle feels most at home on our shores. An astounding 80 percent of all sea turtle nests built on the U.S. East Coast appear between New Smyrna and Boca Raton. View them on an organized nighttime sea turtle walk during June or July.