Vero Beach-Jensen Beach-Stuart Area?

[stephenson]

Hi All,

Heading from north Florida to Vero Beach and Stuart area - just goofing off, but also perhaps looking for new place to live, or have second house.

Any specific recommendations on where to stay in Stuart or Jensen Beach areas for a few days?

Going to spend the night on the way down in The Villages - never been there . Anyone have hotel likes there?

Comments and thoughts on living in these areas are also much appreciated.

 

[njhowie]

Any specific recommendations on where to stay in Stuart or Jensen Beach areas for a few days?

If they have availability for your dates, Disney's Vero Beach Resort is excellent.

 

[MRG]

My parents lived in the area, no trip was complete without visiting Jensen Beach. I have no idea where to stay.

 

[bearkeley]

We just sold our house on the Chesapeake and moved to North Hutchinson Island and love it! Feel free to pm me, but just depends on what you like to do and what interests you. Beaches are on the islands (North or South Hutchinson) and weather is so much better than inland. Stuart is a much bigger town than Jensen and possibly Vero. Ft Piece has a lot of character as well.

If you want to golf, Stuart is prob the best…Marriott on Hutchinson is a good option unless you prefer a condo.

If you want Old Florida / Restaurants, check out Ft Pierce. Jensen is in between Ft Pierce and Stuart

Vero is very nice for higher end shopping / beach atmosphere

Personally, we chose North Hutchinson Island (same island as Vero) but near the Ft Pierce inlet because of our love for the water and all related activities (beach, fishing, diving, paddling, etc).

 

[Freedom56]

Hi All,

Heading from north Florida to Vero Beach and Stuart area - just goofing off, but also perhaps looking for new place to live, or have second house.

Any specific recommendations on where to stay in Stuart or Jensen Beach areas for a few days?

Going to spend the night on the way down in The Villages - never been there . Anyone have hotel likes there?

Comments and thoughts on living in these areas are also much appreciated.

There is the Doubletree on PGA Blvd. We stayed there several time when we went condo shopping back in 2011.

 

[NYEXPAT]

Parents lived at Atlantic Beach Club on NHI for many years. Well built, by a Venezuelan Engineering firm. Always well maintained. In SE Florida always buy a SE exposure. Vero Beach was a nice town that I spent a lot of time in. They had some good restaurants, but they roll up the streets at night. GL.

 

[USA]

Vero Beach: Costa ‘D Esta

 

[stephenson]

Just back - quick trip, but had great time with friends in VB.

Tried to keep drive short on the way down from NW Florida, so ended up staying in a quick Hilton chain hotel in The Villages - hotel OK, but don't think The Villages works for us.

Then drove to Sarasota for a few hours at a Mennonite owned furniture store - apparently many Amish winter over in Sarasota. Stayed at a placed called the Carlisle Inn and Conference Center (Dutchman Hospitality Chain - ends up being Mennonite also - very nice hotel with amenities. Walked a couple of beaches. Great dinner at little restaurant on St Armands Circle (very busy area). Kinda liked Sarasota - diverse, busy, lots of housing options - not just a retirement community.

On to Stuart via three hour drive across state, just touching the tip of Lake Okeechobee. Lots of driving around. Dinner that night at a small restaurant on the water inside a gated trailer park - good food, dockside. Stayed at the Marriott Hutchinson Island Beach Resort - way time for the component we stayed in (hotel nearest main road) to be shut down and refurbished - not awful, but run down.

Vero Beach area nice ... part of the string of beauty communities from Jacksonville Beach to Space Coast to Treasure Coast to West PB, to Miami ... VB set up for growth, looks like a strong tax base. May do a trip and spend. a few days in Melbourne area next time.

Epiphanies?
- The Villages didn't appeal to me, and there may be some demographics at work with many shops empty at the various town squares there - question in my mind was "Can The Villages survive the coming demographic changes?"
- Kinda like Sarasota
- Big time labor shortage everywhere - signs across the state

 

[firemediceric]

No time for Blind Creek Beach?

 

[stephenson]

No, but now see where it is.

After touring north out of Stuart, on Hutchinson Island, we decided didn't want to live or play that close to nuclear power plants ... so, headed a bit further north to continue the search

Thanks!

 

[Nick12]

Just back - quick trip, but had great time with friends in VB.

Tried to keep drive short on the way down from NW Florida, so ended up staying in a quick Hilton chain hotel in The Villages - hotel OK, but don't think The Villages works for us.

Then drove to Sarasota for a few hours at a Mennonite owned furniture store - apparently many Amish winter over in Sarasota. Stayed at a placed called the Carlisle Inn and Conference Center (Dutchman Hospitality Chain - ends up being Mennonite also - very nice hotel with amenities. Walked a couple of beaches. Great dinner at little restaurant on St Armands Circle (very busy area). Kinda liked Sarasota - diverse, busy, lots of housing options - not just a retirement community.

On to Stuart via three hour drive across state, just touching the tip of Lake Okeechobee. Lots of driving around. Dinner that night at a small restaurant on the water inside a gated trailer park - good food, dockside. Stayed at the Marriott Hutchinson Island Beach Resort - way time for the component we stayed in (hotel nearest main road) to be shut down and refurbished - not awful, but run down.

Vero Beach area nice ... part of the string of beauty communities from Jacksonville Beach to Space Coast to Treasure Coast to West PB, to Miami ... VB set up for growth, looks like a strong tax base. May do a trip and spend. a few days in Melbourne area next time.

Epiphanies?
- The Villages didn't appeal to me, and there may be some demographics at work with many shops empty at the various town squares there - question in my mind was "Can The Villages survive the coming demographic changes?"
- Kinda like Sarasota
- Big time labor shortage everywhere - signs across the state

There are a few Amish restaurants in Sarasota. We've eaten at Yoders.I highly recommend.

 

[Amethyst]

How does an Amish restaurant work? Do they get special permission to use electric or gas appliances? Or do they do everything the Amish way...no electricity, etc.?

There are a few Amish restaurants in Sarasota. We've eaten at Yoders.I highly recommend.

 

[Nick12]

How does an Amish restaurant work? Do they get special permission to use electric or gas appliances? Or do they do everything the Amish way...no electricity, etc.?

That's a good question. Yoders seemed like a modern restaurant, AC, lights etc. It was real Amish food like in Lancaster PA. I had the fried chicken and it was finger licking good.

 

[Amethyst]

They must get permission to use technology when in business among the English.

That's a good question. Yoders seemed like a modern restaurant, AC, lights etc. It was real Amish food like in Lancaster PA. I had the fried chicken and it was finger licking good.

 

[SunnyOne]

Interesting thread."Gated trailer park" - can't say I've ever seen one of those what was it like? in Stuart?

 

[stephenson]

The food was pretty good - the waitress was a bit, er, out there with a couple of diatribes about why the Florida governor (DeSantis) "would be a great president, just like trump" ... she looked like she needed the money, so I tipped her well, anyway

The location was pretty charming with outdoor dining next to boats ...

Sauder's Landing Restaurant - north on A1A and left on Nettles Road.

 

[Dtail]

That's a good question. Yoders seemed like a modern restaurant, AC, lights etc. It was real Amish food like in Lancaster PA. I had the fried chicken and it was finger licking good.

+1 on the fried chicken, but was a little disappointed with the shoofly pie.