This long, skinny barrier island, which begins in Stuart and stretches north to Fort Pierce, features a stunning array of unspoiled beaches. All beaches have free access, and are excellent for walking, swimming and even a bit of snorkeling. The beaches get less touristed the further north you go.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.58 MILES
With changing fine-art exhibitions and regular outdoor jazz concerts, this sleek, white museum in Riverside Park could easily hold its own against any big…
27.47 MILES
View recovering sea turtle patients in specially designed outdoor tanks and watch through the window while surgeons treat the animals. Volunteers stand by…
17.58 MILES
With almost 11,500 acres to explore, this is an excellent state park between US Hwy 1 and the Loxahatchee River. There's no ocean access in the park, but…
3.74 MILES
The eccentric Elliott collection has a focus on early 20th-century technology, and for good reason – the museum was founded by Harmon Elliott, the son of…
Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge
16.57 MILES
A 1091-acre federally protected nature sanctuary, Hobe Sound has two sections: a small slice on the mainland, opposite the Jonathan Dickinson State Park;…
26.23 MILES
In Vero's early-1920s tourist heyday, Waldo Sexton (of the eponymous Waldo's) and Arthur McKee joined forces to open the 80-acre McKee Jungle Gardens,…
22.77 MILES
Built in 1860, this historic lighthouse hasn't missed a night of work in more than 100 years and is among the oldest lighthouses on the Atlantic coast…
20.77 MILES
This preserve encompasses a mile-long limestone outcrop riddled with holes, cracks and fissures. When the tide is high and there's a strong easterly wind …
Nearby Stuart attractions
1. Florida Oceanographic Coastal Science Center
3.53 MILES
This center is great for kids who'll be mesmerized by the four 300-gallon tropical-fish aquariums, a worm reef and touch tanks with crabs, sea cucumbers…
3.74 MILES
The eccentric Elliott collection has a focus on early 20th-century technology, and for good reason – the museum was founded by Harmon Elliott, the son of…
15.05 MILES
A small center educating the public on the plight of the manatee. Videos and exhibits teach boaters how to avoid hurting the creatures – and the rest of…
4. Fort Pierce Inlet State Park
16.17 MILES
This 700-acre park has everything you'd want in a waterfront recreation spot: sandy shores, verdant trails, mangrove swamps with a beautiful bird…
5. Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge
16.57 MILES
A 1091-acre federally protected nature sanctuary, Hobe Sound has two sections: a small slice on the mainland, opposite the Jonathan Dickinson State Park;…
17.07 MILES
The world's only museum dedicated to the elite warriors of Naval Special Warfare, this Hutchinson Island exhibit features once-top-secret tools and…
17.25 MILES
In 1715 a Spanish flotilla was decimated in a hurricane off the Florida coast. One of the ships, the Urca de Lima, went down (relatively) intact. Today,…
8. Jonathan Dickinson State Park
17.58 MILES
With almost 11,500 acres to explore, this is an excellent state park between US Hwy 1 and the Loxahatchee River. There's no ocean access in the park, but…