What is Barefoot Bay?
Barefoot Bay is one of Florida's largest 55+ manufactured-home communities — approximately 9,800 residents across 4,900 homes on 1,500 acres, three miles south of us on US-1. Founded in the 1970s, it's structured as a Special Recreation District governed by an elected board of trustees, which funds its amenities via a modest annual fee (~$700/year per home).
What's inside the gates
- · 2 pools (one heated, one Olympic-sized)
- · 9-hole golf course — walkable, resident and guest tee times
- · 12 pickleball courts — leagues, ladder play, and weekly clinics
- · 6 tennis courts
- · Shuffleboard, bocce, horseshoes
- · Community theater with year-round productions
- · Building A pub with karaoke, trivia, and live music
- · Marina on the C-54 canal — direct access to the Indian River Lagoon
- · Community garden
- · Dog park
Who lives there
Median age inside the gates is 71. Roughly 35% of residents are Canadian snowbirds — French Québécois is the second most spoken language in season. The remainder split between full-time retirees, Midwest snowbirds, and a growing cohort of remote-working 55–65-year-olds.
Guest access
Guests are welcome inside the gates when they are accompanied by a resident, or when they hold a guest pass issued by their host. If you're a snowbird staying with us and know someone in Barefoot Bay, ask them for a guest pass — you can use the pools, pickleball courts, and pub freely.
How our guests use Barefoot Bay
Even without a resident host, plenty of Barefoot Bay perimeter benefits are open to the public:
- · The C-54 canal boat ramp at the marina end is a de facto public launch.
- · The Building A pub hosts open-to-public events on trivia nights.
- · The annual Barefoot Bay Craft Fair (early March) is public and huge.
Real estate
If Barefoot Bay might be your next chapter, homes typically sell in the $60,000–$180,000 range — manufactured homes on leased land with a ground-lease fee of around $770/month covering land, community amenities, water, sewer, and lawn care. Cash sales dominate. Realtors specialized in Barefoot Bay are the way to go — the community has rules of its own.
Restaurants and services in the immediate area
- · Publix (Micco) — 5 min, full grocery
- · Winn-Dixie (Micco) — 6 min
- · Ay Jalisco — family Mexican, 6 min
- · Whitey's Bait & Tackle — 5 min
- · Sebastian River Medical Center — 12 min, ER + urgent care
Why this matters for our guests
For snowbirds staying at Sunrise on the River, Barefoot Bay is essentially your amenity extension — pickleball, pool, live music, and a community of people your age three miles away. Many of our winter guests renew year after year specifically because they've made friends inside the gates.
Frequently asked
Do I need to be 55 to visit Barefoot Bay?
To visit as a day guest of a resident, no. To purchase or rent a home, at least one occupant must be 55+ (federal 80/20 rule).
Can I bring a dog?
Yes — Barefoot Bay is pet-friendly. There's a dedicated dog park and dog-walking is common on the interior streets.
How do I get a guest pass?
Ask any resident you know, or the trustee office at the main gate on entry. Guest passes are free but require the resident's information.