THINGS TO DO IN VERO BEACH

Three things make outdoor exploration in Florida exceptional: where you go, how you get there and what you find.

Looking for outdoor activities?  Try an airboat ride. There are many skilled guide services that can access the Blue Cypress Conservation Area, where birders should keep a sharp eye out for heron fishing for lunch, egrets, anhingas or nesting ospreys.

Explore the outdoors on the Indian River Lagoon, the most biodiverse ecosystem in the northern hemisphere. Encounter manatees, dolphins and birds up close by kayak or canoe, by bike or foot with an experienced nature guide from the Florida Outdoor Center, voted the best guided tour in Florida.

Theodore Roosevelt established the nation’s first national wildlife refuge here: Indian River County’s Pelican Island. Adjacent is the Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge, a further 900 acres of birdlife in staggering variety. It is also home to the largest turtle nesting area in the world for loggerheads, greens and leatherbacks.