Florida's Vero Beach

Two hours by car from Orlando on the Atlantic Coast, it’s dubbed Velcro Beach because no one wants to leave its crowd-free white sand. But Vero is more than just another pretty beach: It’s got personality. Make that multiple personalities. Vero lies partially on a barrier island, with the ocean for its front yard and a river for its back. The Indian River flows past the McKee Botanical Garden, an 18-acre jungle hammock that harbors egrets and herons and lots of lizards. Ocean Drive, the minuscule main drag, where you can find swimsuits in tropical colors, caters to the local golf-and-tennis set (retired racket star Ivan Lendl and his golf-champ daughters have a place in town).