Vero Beach

[Davros]

Here is a good tip for Vero Beach visitors who like wildlife.
Just 5 minutes drive north up the A1A from the Disney Resort is a wonderful National Wildlife Refuge. It is well laid out with an observation platform looking towards Pelican Island. One can expect to see a great many species of birds, (including the Great White Pelican in the winter months), butterflies, insects,
wild flowers and the odd reptile! On our last visit in May 2003 we spent two days there and found it very enjoyable.

 

[Hilary]

We were hoping to spend a couple of days at Vero Beach on our trip next Easter, but this doesn't now look likely as our itninerary has changed somewhat.

We haven't been to VB before, so I'm hoping we'll get there during our next trip after 2004! I suppose that's one of the best things about belonging to DVC - there's always another trip on the horizon!

 

[vernon]

Is the Sebastian Inlet? It's a very nice national park, is it free or is there a small charge for parking?
You get some nice wildlife at the resort itself, we've seen a racoon or two wandering about and my ex was terrorised by an Indigo ( non poisonous) snake while playing crazy golf about the pool. She does have a phobia of snakes, but I think the snake wasn't too happy either .

 

[Davros]

Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge is before you get to Sabastian Inlet, on the left hand side driving towards the inlet. There is no admisson charge, and has ample parking.

 

[jjcollins]

This Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge is in August's Conde Nast Traveller magazine. Well worth buying.....

Paul Kroegel, a German immigrant, arrived in Sebastian, Florida in 1881, and homesteaded with his father on an ancient shell midden on the west bank of the Indian River Lagoon. From his home Kroegel would look out to Pelican Island, a five-acre mangrove island where thousands of brown pelicans and other water birds would roost and nest. He took an interest in protecting the island’s birds. Without state or federal laws to protect the birds, Kroegel would sail out to Pelican Island with his gun and stand guard. On March 14, 1903, without fanfare, President Roosevelt signed an executive order establishing Pelican Island as the first federal bird reservation. Paul Kroegel was hired as the first national wildlife refuge manager. He was paid $1 a month by the Florida Audubon Society, as Congress had not set aside funds for this executively created refuge.


http://pelicanisland.fws.gov/centennial/



jj.........