Middle Cove Beach is a one acre beach park on Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce. There are no…read morerestrooms or lifeguard but there is parking for at least 12 vehicles. Middle Cove Beach is known for its natural beauty and peaceful environment. It is a tranquil spot for visitors seeking a quieter beach experience. This beach is a great escape from the more crowded beaches. Visitors to Middle Cove Beach will appreciate the clear water, gentle waves, and wide, soft sandy beach, along with the scarcity of other people. It is the ideal beach for swimming, fishing, and wildlife watching sea turtles and bird species. Middle Cove Beach is a popular sea turtle nesting site during the summer months. This dog friendly beach is open every day from sunrise to sunset.

Round Island South Conservation Center is a 59 acre natural area in Vero Beach on the west side of…read moreSR A1A. Parking and entrance to the preserve is located on the southern boundary of Round Island Riverside Park. This conservation area is ideal for an easy hike. Habitats include mangroves, a maritime hammock, and lagoon shores. Along the trail you will enjoy scenic views of the lagoon where you may possibly see native wading birds, manatees, and dolphins. Twenty species of wood-warbler have been recorded here including Cape May, Blackpoll and Wilson's. There are also boardwalks and kayak launches. This conservation area is part of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, one of the longest running programs of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It was created with the goal of encouraging conservation by encouraging connections between people and Florida's wildlife and natural land. I enjoyed my visit to this lovely conservation area that is a complement to Riverside Park. You can enjoy the amenities in the park and then cross over the bridge to the conservation area for a more immersive nature experience. Admission is free and the preserves is open 7:30am until sunset, year-round.

Nice park. Walk along the wooden boardwalks or go kayaking. If you are lucky, you might even see a…read moreFlorida manatee having an early morning swim. Don't get too close as the manatees are protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act. They are an endangered species. While you are in the area, check out the Round Island South Conservation area. Beautiful area to explore on a sunny day in Florida.

We really enjoyed our kayak adventure from start to finish. Patrick was an amazing tour guide. We…read moregot to see some amazing sites. We saw some dolphins. We got to see a lot of different plant species and fish species, as well as a lot of type of birds. We even saw a scary banana spider that had a giant spider web. Patrick was very informative about the different species of plants, animals, and habitat in the area. We really loved the tour and definitely want to do another kayak tour in the near future. Highly recommend doing the tour, but make sure you bring water, a couple of snacks, sunscreen, and maybe some mosquito spray just in case, depending on what type of time of day you go.

John and his wife Jane Murray Brooks were early environmentalists in this area. Jane has her own…read morepark named in her honor south of this park. John and Jane were leaders in the 1973 Save our Beaches campaign which resulted in public purchase of a large tract on South Beach which was named John Brooks' Park when he died in 1988. John Brooks Park Beachside is a staggering 226 acres. It includes upland and wetland preserves and two miles of beachfront dunes and one wooden ramped dune-crossover with covered viewing area. Frederick Douglas Park is currently closed so horseback riding has been temporarily moved to this park beach. One the day I visited the beach was almost completely deserted. This beach is south of the more populated beaches in Ft. Pierce. On the river side I saw one person fishing. This massive park is for the nature enthusiasts. It offers beach access, birding, fishing, and swimming. I love how this area has been left in its natural state. How different it might look if this activist couple and others who joined their cause had not managed save over 360 acres from development.

From the moment you leave your car, the smell and sound of the marina take over. Breathtakingly…read morebeautiful, from the tropical birds, to the many and varied boats to the view of the inlet with the rolling waves and occasional glimpses of sea life frolicking. People from all walks of life on the boardwalk. Restaurants and museums. The manatee center is amazing,where if you are lucky, you will see the manatees swimming slowly up to the viewing area. Having lived in Ft Pierce for a number of years I have seen the marina area grow. What a blessing to live in such a vibrant place

This beach on Hutchinson Island is 3 miles north of Causeway Boulevard, on Ocean Boulevard State…read moreHighway A1A in Jensen Beach. Dollman Beach is part of a 143 acre preserve where you can fish, swim, and enjoy the natural beauty of Hutchinson Island. This public beach was named in honor of Henry Dollman, who sold nearby Normandy Beach to St. Lucie County in 1962 for $10 as long as it was given to public use. Other land owned by Dollman on Hutchinson Island was saved from development by Jane Murray Brooks and turned into a public beach and nature preserve named in her honor. Dollman Beach has a restroom and shower but is not life guarded. This beach is enjoyed by locals and visitors who enjoy swimming and fishing but it is especially popular with surfers making it one of the more visited beaches on Hutchinson Island. Beach walkers are encouraged to pick up a basket to help keep the beach clean which is especially important as this beach is an important sea turtle nesting area. If you are looking to get something to eat nearby Conchy Joe's Seafood is a great choice.

Beach There is a…read morelong stretch of beaches along the treasure coast of which Dollman Beach is one. The ride along Hutchinson Island is nice enough and then there are a lot of these small county beaches available to the public at no cost. Dollman has a smallish paved parking area and then a grassy overflow area - they can get a decent number of cars in there without it looking like Coney Island on the weekends. The beach is accesable through a serene path with thick foliage on either side - very calming as you stroll through. The beach proper stretches north south and is deep enough that there is never going to be a time where you cannot find a spot, yet not so deep that it is a 10 minute walk to the water. This is an Atlantic facing beach so wave action varies mostly depending on the weather and there are a few large rocks in the surf line so use caution. The dunes are home to many turtle nests and sea grasses and all are marked - again, use caution and respect nature when there. This beach did not have life guards - not sure if they have them during high tourist season, so be aware of that. Outside of the above, there are no amenities available such as food or beverages- you have to bring it all in and back out with you. There are small restrooms by the parking lot and they were clean and functioning. There is a shower for rinsing sand off. Overall, a great uncrowded beach to relax and catch some rays on. Parking lot off the main road.

This preserve takes it's name from the last recorded Native America bear hunt on Hutchinson Island…read more It was purchased and restored with funds from St. Lucie County, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Communities Trust. The land serves as a mitigation site for improving water quality. The 13 acres of the preserve has mangroves that run alongside the Indian River lagoon. The mangroves provide a habitat for fish and wading birds. Manatees and turtles make their home in the lagoon. Amenities include a one mile trail, an elevated observation platform, two covered picnic tables, and a 450 foot long fishing pier. This preserve is part of the State of Florida's 2,000 mile long Great Florida Birding Trail which offers the chance to spot native and migrating birds. The best time to see the birds is early morning and and evening. Birds that have been recorded here include the Wood Stork, Great Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, Reddish Egret, Green Herons, Night Herons, and wood warblers.

This is a neighborhood park located in the the Palm Lake Gardens neighborhood completed in 2005 in…read moreFt. Pierce. The park is set up around a lake. You can exercise by walking a path that runs the perimeter of the lake. Other park amenities include grills, pavilions, picnic tables, and a playground. You can't swim in the lake but people use it for RC boat racing. The lake is stocked so it is a popular fishing spot. I saw quite a bit of wildlife during my visit including a heron, turtles, and a young alligator. This is a really beautiful spot to cook out, picnic, fish, or just take a stroll. As I was leaving I saw someone walking their dog right next to the edge of the water. I cannot not emphasize enough that this is not a smart thing to do. At a park in Davie a woman was killed doing the same thing. An alligator attacked her dogs and she was killed trying to save them. Alligators will not normally attack people but they have been known to go for dogs at the waters edge. I definitely saw alligator activity at this lake. Children and pets should not be near the edge of water where there could possibly be alligators. Prevent another tragedy and stay on the path.