Waldos

Great Food. Amazing Ocean Breezes. Even Better Views. These are the things that come to mind when you step inside Waldo's in the Historic Driftwood Resort.  It's the first place tourists discover, and the one place locals go to kick back and enjoy a cocktail or meal on the relaxed open-air deck.

It's a piece of Vero history!

The Driftwood Inn was originally a private beach house called the "Breezeway" by the owners because of the opening in the central portion of the first floor. Construction of the house began in about 1935 and was completed in 1937. Though originally built as a family home, within a short time it was being operated by Mrs. Waldo Sexton as a small resort hotel, and because of there not being any restaurant in the vicinity of the Driftwood Inn, Mrs. Sexton began to cook breakfast for the guests in the family kitchen. This success led eventually to the founding of the adjacent restaurant. Waldo's Restaurant was constructed in 1947.

Both the Breezeway and Waldo's Restaurant maintain their basic integrity, their unusual workmanship and materials, and their original design features. They are a unique example of vernacular architecture in which Waldo was able to express his exuberant personality. Waldo was a world traveler and a passionate collector. His accumulation included antiques, cannons, mosaics, paintings, bells, furniture, and relief sculpture. He incorporated into the buildings and grounds of the inn and restaurant hundreds of artifacts that he obtained from various trips. The visual display of these items was the exuberant Waldo's way of sharing his collection of the beautiful and unusual. Part of the timber used to build the Driftwood was salvaged by Waldo from a barn blown down

in a hurricane. Waldo was especially fond of bells and amassed a collection of 250 various types and sizes. Collecting them from churches, trains, ships and schools, just to mention a few. They dominate the exterior of the buildings and have always been a special part of the Driftwood Inn tradition. They were used to welcome guests on their arrival and to ring out the farewell on their departure.

Contact Information:

Waldo's Bar
Driftwood Resort
3150 Ocean Drive
Vero Beach, FL  32963
772-231-7091