Indian River Club

Indian River Club is a private, gated golf community tucked into 300 acres at the southern end of Vero Beach, Florida, less than a mile from the Indian River Lagoon. Founded in the mid-1990s and designated the second-ever Audubon International Signature Sanctuary in 1995, it's built around an 18-hole, 6,914-yard par-72 championship course designed by Ron Garl that weaves through pine woodlands, coastal sand dunes, ancient live oaks, wetlands, and a protected Florida Scrub Jay habitat. The community sits on the Atlantic Coastal Ridge — an ancient 100,000-year-old sand ridge with elevations up to 50 feet, a rarity in Florida. The residential side is organized into nine distinct neighborhoods: Bridgewater, Carolina Circle North, Carolina Circle South, Hampton Woods, Oak Hammock, Pine Valley (estate homes on the 5th and 6th holes, built by LifeStyle Homes), Summerwood, Water Oak (condominiums overlooking the third fairway), and Wood Haven. Architecture blends Old Florida vernacular, Riomar coastal style, and Carolina low-country cottage design — broad verandas, rocking-chair porches, shuttered windows, French doors, and indoor/outdoor living rooms opening to park-like grounds. Home choices include custom estates, courtyard homes, patio homes, cottage homes, and two- or three-bedroom condominiums with private garden entrances and attached garages. Floor plans run roughly 1,650 to 3,500+ square feet, with some estates exceeding 3,300 square feet. GHO Homes currently offers new-construction opportunities on remaining homesites. The clubhouse is the social heart: an open-air dining veranda, indoor grille room, card room, fully appointed men's and women's locker rooms, and a golf shop. Amenities include two heated pools, a state-of-the-art fitness center, pickleball courts, tennis courts, a full-length driving range, a renovated golf practice facility, and walking/jogging trails. Unique to the community are radio-controlled sailing on the lakes and monthly bird expeditions hosted by the Audubon Society. Club membership is optional and non-equity, with tiers including Full Golf, Sports, Social/Fitness, Young Executive, and Corporate — covering the member's spouse and resident children under 22. The vibe is casual, unpretentious, and conservation-minded. Residents skew toward retirees and second-home owners drawn to the Old Florida atmosphere, the challenging-but-friendly golf, and the rare natural setting. Vero Beach itself is an upscale, walkable beach town with a small-city feel, the Vero Beach Museum of Art, Riverside Theatre, McKee Botanical Garden, and miles of Atlantic beaches just a short drive east.