about indialantic

Indialantic began as a popular vacation destination with a celebrated social life focused on the beach and the Indialantic Casino. The surfing history of Brevard has its origins in Indialantic as well.

The community is the only beachside community with an historic downtown and multiple beach public access points, including a dog beach. Indialantic has long been considered one of the best places to live in the county, but we’re fortunate to have a string of awesome beach towns as neighbors. Indialantic is 60 miles south of Kennedy Space Center, 30 miles to north of Vero Beach, and 65 miles west of Orlando International Airport. The Melbourne Causeway sits at the base of Fifth Avenue which places us close to the largest regional hospital, Florida Institute of Technology, and plenty of entertainment options between downtown Melbourne and the Eau Gallie Arts District.

The community demographics tell the story best—we’re all smart and good-looking. Designated a bird sanctuary in 1975 by a Town Council proclamation, we are protective of our environmental assets—birds, manatees, dolphins, sea turtles and their friends—and our depth of businesses that make leaving beachside almost optional.

There’s a little something for everyone. We have a saying—“we live in paradise”—and we mean it.

indialantic history

In 1915 — Ernest Kouwen-Hoven moved to Melbourne and purchased a strip of beachside land lying between the Indian River and the Atlantic Ocean. He envisioned this property as becoming an exclusive beachside resort. This one-square mile became known as “Indialantic-by-the-Sea.” The first map of this area was recorded in 1916.

The only means of access to Indialantic was by boat or ferry. In 1919, Kouwen-Hoven began construction of a wooden bridge across the Indian River from Melbourne to Indialantic. It became known as “Kouwen-Hoven’s Folly” because of predictions it would never be completed. The bridge was completed in 1921 and lighted by kerosene lanterns which caused the bridge to catch fire. It was not uncommon for drivers to travel with hammers to pound loose nails back into the wooden planks.

In the 1920s – The Indialantic Hotel was built and later changed its name to the Tradewinds Hotel. By 1924, the Indialantic Casino was built and later changed its name to the Bahama Beach Club. A stable community of homeowners was established in Indialantic during the Florida real estate boom that reached its peak in 1925. The one-square mile area was incorporated in 1952 with a population of 1,500.