Farming, trails and festivals shape Fellsmere’s small-town vibe
Fellsmere began to thrive in the early 20th century when developers drained its marshes for farmland and built the Trans-Florida Central Railroad. Despite recent issues with flooding, agriculture continues to support the economy of this Indian River County town, and the railroad has since become a multi-use trail. Other places to hike, fish and hunt also surround the community. Homebuyers are drawn to this natural location, west of Interstate 95 and close to the larger towns of Sebastian and Vero Beach. “It’s a great place for families who need commuter access, but also want to be near parks and beaches,” says Jennifer Goodall, a Realtor with Re/Max Crown Realty, who has sold several homes in the area. Fellsmere also offers a small-town atmosphere, with around 4,500 residents, eclectic local restaurants and the world’s largest frog leg festival.
Fellsmere has gridded streets and farmland
Housing mainly includes ranch styles, occasionally with Mediterranean and Spanish influences. Palm and pine trees dot gridded streets near the town’s core, while citrus groves and vegetable crops surround roads on the outskirts. Home prices can range from $280,000 to $750,000, depending on age, condition and size. Empty lots can start at $14,000 and reach $450,000, based on acreage.
Places to hike, fish and hunt are near Fellsmere
Several plots of conservation land are less than 10 miles away from Fellsmere. St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park has trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. A portion of the 3-mile-long Trans-Florida Central Railroad Trail passes through the state park before it crosses over I-95 with a pedestrian bridge and ends at North County Aquatic Center. The 10,000-acre Fellsmere Reservoir is a popular place to catch largemouth bass, while the marshy Blue Cypress Conservation Area has areas to hunt for waterfowl, deer and wild hogs. The white sand shorelines of Wabasso Beach and Vero Beach are less than 20 miles away.
Little League Park hosts the Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival
Little League Park has a baseball diamond, a batting cage, and a basketball court at the center of town. In January, the small green space transforms into a carnival with rollercoasters and games for the Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival. The event began in 1990 when locals, hoping to raise funds for new recreational facilities, drew inspiration from the frogs that live in the surrounding marshlands. Today, it attracts around 80,000 visitors who eat roughly 7,000 pounds of fried frog legs every year. “It holds a Guinness World Record for being the world’s largest frog leg festival, so it’s a big deal,” Goodall says.
Public schools get B-minus grades or higher
The School District of Indian River County serves the community and offers inter-district open enrollment. Kids can attend Fellsmere Elementary, which Niche grades a B-minus. They may continue to Sebastian River Middle and Sebastian River High, both of which get Bs. Less than 70 miles south of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the high school earns a Purple Star Campus designation for its programs that help military families transition to new schools.
Flooding has been an issue in Fellsmere
Frequent heavy rainfall and tropical storms can cause Fellsmere’s drainage system to overflow, making flood insurance mandatory for some homeowners. Most recently in 2023, flooding shut down roads and destroyed crops. “You drive through the area, and the tree line still looks a little bare in places,” Goodall says. In 2024, the city allocated $1.2 million to clean ditches and canals as part of its efforts to improve drainage. “There hasn’t been a major flood since then,” Goodall says.
Local eats range from frog legs to conchas
Fellsmere has convenience stores, Mexican supermarkets and a few stand-alone restaurants. Conchas sit under a glass case at Garcia Plaza Bakery, where tacos and a few groceries are also available. Marsh Landing serves frog legs, gator tails and burgers in a 1926 Spanish Mission-style building that once housed the town’s development office. People can also buy produce at the Fellsmere Farmers Market, held every other Saturday on Orange Street. Sebastian, about 10 miles east, has waterfront restaurants and big-box grocery stores, including Publix and Walmart Supercenter.
I-95 is easily accessible
Fellsmere is a car-dependent community with asphalt and unpaved roads. I-95 reaches the Space Force Station and places like Orlando and West Palm Beach, both about 90 miles away. A 19-mile drive south on the highway takes drivers to Vero Beach Regional Airport. County Road 512 leads to Sebastian, where major employers include Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital. GoLine provides bus routes around Fellsmere and the rest of Indian River County.
