Encompassing the communities of Port Salerno, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Indiantown, part of Jupiter Island, Hobe Sound and Hutchinson Island, Martin County serves up beautiful beaches and more than 75 parks – not to mention one of the most bio-diverse lagoon ecosystems in the nation, the St. Lucie Inlet.
Jensen Beach
Jensen Beach is bustling with excitement. Locals and visitors alike flock to the sandy shores of this park on Hutchinson Island. Several picnic pavilions, as well as volleyball courts, bathrooms and showers make this a complete all-ages park.
Stuart Beach
Stuart Beach overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and golden sand beach, featuring a 250-foot boardwalk. Volleyball and basketball courts are on site, as well as a playground and the Elliott Museum, which houses a collection of Americana dating back to 1750.
Bathtub Reef Beach
Bathtub Reef Beach is an undeveloped 1,300-foot beach with a shallow offshore reef that is good for snorkeling and diving. During low tide, inspect the tidal pools of the rocky reef for sea life. The park features lifeguards and a river boardwalk on the west side of MacArthur Boulevard leading to the Indian River.
St. Lucie Inlet State Preserve
The St. Lucie Inlet State Preserve is set on the north end of Jupiter Island. This 928-acre park has 2½ miles of remote beach accessible only by boat. A boardwalk leads from docks to the shore. Inland you can explore the mangrove-lined creeks, or offshore, search the limestone reef for unique underwater life.
Blowing Rocks Preserve
Blowing Rocks Preserve has extensive rock formations on and off shore. Fishing, snorkeling and diving are popular along this beach on Jupiter Island. There are no lifeguards on duty, but there is an extensive boardwalk area on the Intracoastal side on the park, as well as a nature center. You can enjoy the park even on days the ocean is too rough for swimming. Just be careful as you watch geysers explode through the formations when the waves crash on the rocks.
Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge
The Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge is a pristine 967-acre park featuring 3½ miles of beach on Jupiter Island. It's one of the state's most popular turtle nesting beaches, so if you are here in the spring or summer, you'll be sure to spot some nests. On the mainland, preserved nature trails weave along the Intracoastal Waterway.
