Recently, Sandra and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. We wanted to do something fun and special, so we went to one of our favorite places – The Prestige in Vero Beach.
As long-time readers know, this is an older property. But the good news is, it’s well kept, it has a lot of amenities and it’s within a 60-second walk from the ocean. This time, we did not get an ocean-view room. That was OK, inasmuch as we didn’t spend a lot of time there. The room was spacious and it had a great walk-in kitchen/dining area. The bed was quite comfortable as well.
A Great Lunch
We didn’t do a lot of exploring this time. Because it was our anniversary, we stuck with the tried and true.
When it comes to Vero Beach, there are some places we love to dine. It was an easy decision to have our dinner at TooJay’s. We first discovered this chain in Lake Worth. During our travels, we’ve had the occasion to eat at many of their locations, and the one in Vero is as good as any.
Sandra had a chicken salad sandwich with the beef/cabbage soup. That slow cooked soup in a word is delish. I, of course had the Classic Reuben. How could you not? We both got an order of their signature coleslaw (with a big half pickle.)
Boy were we filled up!
A Bit of Exercise
We had a chance to walk off a bit lunch in a wonderful way. When we returned to the Prestige, we headed down to the shore. This was an opportunity to enjoy the sea breeze and the sound of the waves. It was delightful. The beach was all but deserted. Sandra found a few shells as we enjoyed the crashing water. A few waves made it far enough up the beach to wet our feet as we walked.
Full Moon Over Vero
Heading back to our room, Sandra noticed the full moon rising. It was the first of a number of atmospheric attractions we would enjoy on this trip.
Surprise in the Skies
So, as we were sitting around just before bedtime, I got an alert from my Space Launch Schedule Facebook Group. A Falcon 9 rocket was getting ready to blast off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station just up the coast. According the the alert, we had 2:34 to get out of our room and down toward the beach to see it.
We made it as far as the patio area. Standing in our lounging clothes, phones in hand, we saw a spectacular launch! Starting with a bright orange glow on the northern horizon, the rocket headed straight up. It then perfectly arc’d southward, and just by us over the eastern Atlantic.
An Early Morning Favorite
When we travel to the coast, the sunrises and sunsets are a main attraction. There are not nearly as many people who get up early to watch the sun come up. However, we are some of those who get a start on the day with that beautiful view.
Our tenth anniversary sunrise did not disappoint. We didn’t even need an alarm. At first light, we headed back down to the patio area with our cups of coffee in hand. It was like a a double header. The sun first broke the horizon then disappeared behind a bank of clouds. A few minutes later it re-emerged, to signal the start of a new day.
First Watch Breakfast
Like I said, we didn’t take any chances this trip. When it comes to breakfast, First Watch is always a good choice. They have fresh offerings, and the cooks pay attention to each order. Generally, they also have a good waitstaff. It’s a step up, without a great increase in price.
I went with the works omelet, while Sandra took the standard breakfast with eggs over, bacon, home fries and toast. Save for the home fries, which were cooked on the surface of the sun, it was a great breakfast and a great end to a short trip to Vero Beach.
Other Vero Attractions
While we did some shopping in Vero Beach, there are other attractions. In the past we’ve written about McKee Botanical Gardens, and the Indian River Citrus Museum. There still are places we have yet to visit. We’ve not experienced the Vero Beach Museum of Art, the Vero Beach Outlets, or Dodgertown.
Just a reason to head back. What’s your favorite in Vero? We recommend it for a fun trip for a day – or for a week.
