My husband and I will be staying at Disney's Vero Beach Resort in the next month or so. We plan to golf and visit lighthouses in the area. Also would like tips on places to eat and other things to do. We plan to either drive down the east coast to Miami or drive to the west coast in the Gasparilla Island area to see lighthouses. Any thoughts on which of those two trips would be best?

Bobby's in Vero Beach is supposedly one of the better places to eat. They take no reservations though, so be prepared to wait. There's a very attractive little bar there that makes the wait more tolerable.

My husband got food poisoning the night before we were scheduled to eat at Bobby's so we can't give a first hand recommendation. The restaurant that put an abrupt end to our long weekend was in Melbourne Beach...I'll be glad to provide that name via email if you are interested! One other in our party got a touch of it as well, but hubby's was full blown. Culprit...mussels, evidently not an uncommon source.

We love the Boca Grande area (Gasparilla Island). The lighthouse, if you have seen the lighthouses along the Maine coast, might disappoint, but the island is pretty, as is the town. Very very quiet, compared to your other posible destination (Miami), though. These two areas are like night and day!

Hello from still snowy Canada.
There is an excellent Sunday Brunch south of Vero Beach on Hutchinson island. The restaurant is called PV Martins. It is on the ocean and just wonderful. I haven't been to the champagne brunch for a few years, but I still remember how great it was.Hutchinson island has a really nice public beach also. A lot of the treasure divers ships use the waters around Ft Pierce. Also Burt Reynolds has a dinner thetre in Jupiter, south of Port St. Lucie-just for your info, I have never been. Have a great vacation..

About ten minutes north of Vero, across Sebastian Inlet, lies the little town of Floridana. Every spring, summer, and fall (starting in May) thousands of turtles come and lay their eggs, and sixty days later they hatch. There are so many turtles they do not mark the nests. If you are there in May, do not miss this! Take a walk at 11 pm or so, and you will see them, if you are patient. It's unbelievable. By the way, no flashlights - this will scare them away. (I have relatives who live there) I am not sure, but I imagine that the turtles lay eggs south of the inlet too, at the resort. Maybe it's too "lively" though...ask the concierge?

The drive to Gasparilla will take you over four hours each way. I live on Treasure Island on the west coast and it is a BEAR of a drive. Gasparilla is even further. Plan on staying overnight.

Have fun! Joan

Alittle update from Dona's information.
The Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre is closed. There is a lighthouse in Jupiter, Fl though.