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 and starfish. There's an excellent menu of guided tours and nature programs, from guided nature walks at 10:15am (except Sundays) to daily stingray feedings to summer sea-turtle-spotting expeditions.
Florida Oceanographic Coastal Science Center
Stuart
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
23.95 MILES
View recovering sea turtle patients in specially designed outdoor tanks and watch through the window while surgeons treat the animals. Volunteers stand by…
John D MacArthur Beach State Park
27.55 MILES
While this state park is one of the smallest in the region (438 acres), it has some of the best turtle-watching programs around. Loggerhead, green and…
14.08 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…
0.28 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
13.05 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;…
29.76 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,…
19.25 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…
17.24 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
0.28 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…
3.53 MILES
This long, skinny barrier island, which begins in Stuart and stretches north to Fort Pierce, features a stunning array of unspoiled beaches. All beaches…
3. Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge
13.05 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;…
4. Jonathan Dickinson State Park
14.08 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…
17.24 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 …
18.56 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…
19.25 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…
8. Fort Pierce Inlet State Park
19.71 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…