Indian River County, Florida: Where Business Needs to Be
Indian River County—Vero Beach, Sebastian, Fellsmere—strikes a perfect balance between business and pleasure. Those who live, work, or visit Florida’s Central East Coast experience a safe and affordable community rich in history and natural resources, with year-round mild temperatures and the azure waters of the Atlantic Ocean providing a variety of outdoor activities. From paddle-boarding on the Indian River Lagoon to bass fishing in Blue Cypress Lake, or just some quiet time with a book on the beach, the county offers something for everyone. Corporate executives locate their companies to this area because of their positive vacation experience, plus many have winter homes in Vero Beach.
The county’s superb quality of life attracts innovative businesses and talented professionals from around the country and the world. The area offers easy access to markets with none of the urban sprawl, traffic, or congestion. Commute times within the county are no more than 30 minutes, and less than an hour within the tri-county region.
It’s also a cost-competitive place to locate or expand business. The Indian River Chamber participates in the national Cost of Living survey, comparing a variety of cost factors with 300 other markets throughout the country. Year-after-year, the Vero Beach-Sebastian area is typically on par, or slightly lower, than the national average.
County tourism representatives are seeing the area’s visitor demographics grow exponentially. Visitors are coming from new markets such as Charlotte, Atlanta, and Chicago, while the county promotes its attributes in New York, Maine, and Philadelphia. These promotions focus on Indian River County’s 4-and-5-star beach resorts plus its many other beachside and mainland hotels along with properties along I-95.
Visitors might remember Dodgertown in Vero Beach, the former spring training grounds of the NY/LA Dodgers. Now taken over by MLB, it is now the Jackie Robinson Training Center, to honor the first African American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era. The Training Center is now utilized year-round for a wide variety of professional and youth sporting competitions – including baseball.
The area’s restaurant scene is a foodie’s delight, with a wide variety of delicacies to enjoy. One of the oldest beachfront restaurants in Vero Beach, The Ocean Grille, opened in the 1940s by the eccentric Waldo Sexton, who also built The Driftwood Inn, an eclectic ocean-front resort, and Waldo’s Restaurant, a favorite hang-out for the locals. Visitors can also experience Old Florida at Marsh Landing Restaurant in Fellsmere, where you can enjoy frog legs, gator tail and blue grass music. Want to kick it back a notch? There’s a place for that, too. Capt. Hiram’s Resort in Sebastian offers a sandbar atmosphere to enjoy live music, great food and a “no worries” vibe.
The area’s brew pub scene has grown substantially over the past several years, now with five locally-owned pubs and an Ale Trail where visitors and locals alike can experience all the stories and history within the region. Vero Beach is also home to two local distilleries, complete with tasting rooms for visitors.
Because location is central to success, Indian River County isn’t just where you want to be—it’s central to where you and your business ought to be.
