The Kiplinger Nature Preserve Park is a 164 acre natural area in Stuart. The land used to belong to…read morethe Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. and the Kiplinger Foundation Inc. until Martin County purchased it to preserve the land. In 2020 the Kiplinger family donated another 7 acres to the preserve protecting it from retail development. Ecological communities making up the preserve include freshwater and mangrove swamps, wet prairie and estuarine river. The preserve contains stands of sand pine and scrub oak as well as pine and scrubby flatwoods. Animals that have been spotted here include the Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, the Golden Silk Spider, raccoons, and alligators. In the past I have seem sandhill cranes and this time I spotted a marsh bunny hopping across the trail. The trail that runs through Kiplinger is an easy one mile loop. It runs behind condos, past wetlands, across some raised boardwalks and back along the river. The nature center was closed for improvements to the parking lot and I was delighted to see that they are back open although parts of the trail were muddy. In addition to the trail there is a free parking lot, three foot bridges, a floating fishing dock, and a place to launch a kayak or a canoe. It is a great place to enjoy nature, get some exercise and fresh air.

This park is a natural area in Stuart. The 164 acre mangrove area is located in the South Fork of…read morethe St. Lucie River. There is easy public parking at the entrance and a picnic pavilion. I walked the easy picturesque hiking trail and crossed two of the three footbridges before reaching the river. There is a floating dock for fishing. I only spotted one ibis and the crabs in the mangrove and a variety of Florida wild flowers.

This park is part of a freshwater marsh or savana that used to cover the southeast coast of…read moreFlorida. This preserve is one of the longest remaining tracts of east coast savanna. It is 10 miles long stretching from Ft. Pierce to Jensen Beach.The term savanna for the marshland and ponds was first used by Lt. Colonel Benjamin Pierce during the Second Seminole Wars. In 1879 Captain Thomas Richards came here from Key West to plant pineapples which thrived in the sandy soil. From 1895 to 1920 Jensen Beach became the pineapple capital of the world. In 1977, 6,000 acres of land were acquired to create a park that protects this biologically unique ecosystem. Today the park offers many amenities to the nature enthusiast. There are 15 miles of trails for hikers, bikers, and equestrians. There is also a canoe and kayak launch. At 8:30 AM every Friday and Saturday morning volunteers lead two hour guided tours. Reservations are required and you can call this number: 772-398-2779. Fishing is available in the park if you have the proper license. If all of the fun outdoor sports makes you hungry there are a number of picnic shelters around the preserve. To learn more about the savannas you can go to the Visitor Center Education Center which is open Thursday through Monday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. I only got a chance to scratch the surface of this wonderful park and now I can't wait to come and explore it more fully. Admission to the park is $3 that you put into an envelope on the honor system. If you visit bring cash make sure to have the exact amount. The money goes to supporting a wonderful outdoor space rich in history, plants, and animals.

Super cool to see remaining wildlife: alligators, manatees Hope it stays like it is foreverread more

Sooo, this morning rather than go to the gym. I went to White City Park in For Pierce and Kayaked…read moredown the St. Lucie River. Thanks to Steve Ware for the invite. We paddled thru the scenic St. Lucie River on the North Fork and observing all the gorgeous oak hammocks bordering either side. Amazing how tranquil the trip is, you would have thought you were in a time warp, because this surely represents how Olde Florida used to be. Just think it is in our backyard and it is FREE. White City Park has a Pirate playground for the kids, boat ramps, fishing access, plenty of picnic tables and much more. #lovingtreasurecoastlife #ftpierce #treasurecoast

Fort Pierce has a lot of WWII history. You can see it all over the city in the parks named for key…read moreevents or people who served in the war. The Fort Pierce Amphibious Training Base opened in Fort Pierce on Jan. 26, 1943 to train soldiers for WWII. The base trained the soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. Obstacles like the ones the Germans were placing to stop the Allied Forces during the war were put in the water off the shore of Ft. Pierce so boat drivers could practice eluding them and teams could practice blowing them up. At Omaha Beach one Fort Pierce based unit lost 33 men but were able to destroy 5 of the obstacles. More than 140,000 military personnel trained in St. Lucie County from 1943 to 1945, when at the time there were only 20,000 area residents. The objects remained in the water long after people started using the beach for recreation. Unfortunately some people were injured and in 1991 the government did a national cleanup of former military bases during which time the objects were removed and some were given to the SEAL Museum created by long term democratic Florida senator Claude Pepper. This beach pays tribute to that time and is named for Normandy Beach in France where so many heroic Fort Pierce soldiers lost their lives. If you didn't know the history of the area, this would just be like every other beautiful beach in Fort Pierce. This one-acre beach spot has a free parking area and a small pavilion with table. Next to the pavilion I discovered a Pandanus Utilis tree, also called common screw pine. It is actually not a pine tree at all, but is a monocot. The tree is native to Madagascar. I usually see them in botanical gardens. Hanging from the branches of the tree are softball sized spiky balls. It turns out you can eat them after cooking. I saw a video on the internet where the inside is pureed and turned into a dessert. Squirrels enjoy them too. The leaves of the tree can be dried and rolled into mats. In coastal areas like this, the trees can help prevent erosion. You can pick up the trail for the beach from the end of the parking lot. A sandy path takes you over the sand dune to a mostly deserted beach dotted with sea turtle nests. There are no restrooms or lifeguard but what Normandy Beach lacks in amenities it makes up for in secluded beauty. This park is enjoyed by area beach goers, swimmers, and fishermen.

I was visiting Florida to see my family over winter break, and I noticed a bunch of trees so I…read moreasked that we pull over to check them out. We had a great time checking out all of the decorated trees and the different themes! This is a lovely park that is well maintained and clean! I would certainly come back to visit given the chance.

Memorial Park is a great park in Stuart, Florida. It is well maintained and the great place to kick…read moreback and enjoy a moment's respite from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. The park also serves as memorial to the brave people who fought for the freedom that our nation was built upon. There is on street parking, however it can be a bit tight and the road is a bit narrow so getting in and out of your car should be met with a bit of caution. It is a pleasant park to walk around and it is pretty much on the middle of Stuart, Florida. It does have a memorial for our military and a nice walkway throughout the park. If you find yourself in Stuart, Florida and are looking for a park to chill in, this is a great park to do so. All in all, I will definitely recommend here and I will give it five stars. Go check it out the next time that you are in Stuart, Florida. Remember our military and enjoy the break from the day to day grind of the modern world. I will give it five stars.

New Monrovia Park is located in New Monrovia, an African American community that was established…read morenear West Palm Beach in the area now known as Port Salerno. The park is across the street from Murray Middle School. Park amenities include a playground with climbing equipment, slides, and swings, a covered pavilion with several picnic tables, basketball court, and open space where cultural events are staged like the annual Bahamian Festival. As a history enthusiast I enjoyed discovering the historic 1934 Port Salerno Colored School which was one of the few schools in Martin County providing education to African-American students during segregation. Today the Salerno Colored School is one of the only single room schoolhouses left on the Treasure Coast. Next to the school is the Costella Williams Learning Center which was named in honor of one of the esteemed teachers at the school.

Visited Sportsman's Park a few weeks ago to watch our grandson play baseball. The park has a old…read moretime feel to it that I loved. Among the facilities I saw, there are baseball fields, picnic shelters, concession stands, playground, and restrooms as well as tennis and basketball courts. The restrooms were very clean. The baseball game we were watching was delayed by lightning. I was glad that this park has a lightning alarm to warn visitors to take shelter. Parking seemed a little limited so plan to arrive early if you want to find a parking spot easily.

Sportsman's Park is a 18 acre park that opened in 1975. Recent upgrades have now made it a state of…read morethe art recreational park for the residents of Port St. Lucie. The outdoor fitness area includes both cardio equipment and calisthenics and space for stretching. The two cardio bikes, elliptical cross trainer, and arm bike are bluetooth compatible which allows the user to connect the machine to the phone or tablet through the Kompan fitness app or other activity trackers which will give real time information on calories burned, speed, distance, and time. While parents are working out nearby children can enjoy a new playground that encourages group play and coordination for children of all ages and abilities. The new playground has challenging climbing spaces, spinning activities, climbing, slides, swings, and coordination and balance challenges. a You and Me swing allows a parent or caretaker to swing in a seated position facing the child so both can share in the joyful experience. Sportsman Parks is home of the National Little League. Other park amenities include four baseball/softball fields, concession stand, two basketball courts, pavilion, restroom, and two tennis courts with lights. Note that you need a free court pass in order to use the basketball courts.

Great place to walk, lots of shade, many trails, family friendly, fishing, dock, cleaning station,…read morelaunch ramp and playground. Plenty of parking.

I love this park. It's fun to walk in and enjoy the scenery. It's easy to find a space in the early…read moremorning hours. There's a pretty bench/gazebo area, perfect to take a rest and read a book. Sometimes you'll find people kayaking or even see a gator popping up!