Tucked into a residential neighborhood, Greenfield Park gives you access to the Indian River. While…read moresmall in size, this park has everything you need for a pleasant afternoon on the river, whether it is fishing or enjoying a cookout. Greenfield Park took a hit during Hurricane Irma in 2017 during which trees were knocked down and the fishing dock was destroyed but the park is looking great today. Park amenities include a small parking area, covered pavilion with several picnic tables, grill, a fishing pier with bait tables, and benches. I had a nice visit hanging out with a couple of pelicans on the dock and taking in the beautiful view. In the park is a memorial to John Patrick Keating placed next to a tree planted by his mother after he passed away from addiction at the age of 34. Kayaking on the Indian River was a past time he enjoyed with his mother. She comes to Greenfield Park for peace and comfort. The memorial is a poignant reminder to embrace life.

Twin Rivers Park is a great park at the junction of the St Lucie River and the Intercoastal…read moreWaterway. There are several boardwalks offering great views of the water and an island state park. The park also features great, paved walkways and trails and is a great place to walk. There is also a large open (grassy) area for recreational activities.

Twin Rivers Park is a 26 acre park located where the Indian River Lagoon meets the St. Lucie River…read moreand the St. Lucie Lagoon. Construction of the park began in 2005 at which time the county added mangroves to prevent shoreline erosion. It was decided that the park would be dedicated to passive recreation. Fishing piers were installed along with a picnic pavilion, benches, restrooms, and a quarter mile long paved trail and a .4 mile natural earth loop trail that runs through the park. Throughout the park are the burrows of gopher tortoises which are listed as a threatened species in Florida. Gopher tortoises have been hunted for meat, run over by vehicles, and sold as pets but the greatest blow to their population has been the destruction of their habitat. It was so nice to see so many safely protected in the park. The view of the water from this park is stunning. I wish I could have hung around until sunset and I plan to go back for that. Other than just sitting back and relaxing this park is excellent for fishing, a picnic, or just tossing a frisbee around. You can combine a trip to this park with a visit to Maggy's Hammock a half mile away where you can hike and see even more gopher tortoises. I love Martin County. It has so many beautiful parks like this one to discover and enjoy.

Tiger Shores Beach is one of several free beaches north of the Elliot Museum. This beach is north…read moreof Stuart Beach and south of Virginia Forrest Beach. The beaches on this end of Hutchinson Island tend to be less crowded than those south of the Elliot Museum near Gilberts Bar. Over here you are more likely to find parking at the beaches on but there aren't restrooms or lifeguards. There is however a shower and benches. This beach is popular with swimmers, anglers, and even treasure hunters. In the 1970's a local surfer discovered cannons in the water off the beach. Researchers believe they may belong to a Spanish ship carrying gold that wrecked off the beach in a hurricane in 1715. From the parking lot you follow the trail nestled between condos up the sand dune through coastal vegetation to the white sandy beach. There were a number of sea turtle nests roped off among the sun bathers. Even if you don't end up finding a piece of eight the calm clear waters and unspoiled natural beauty make this a good choice if you are looking for a more secluded beach experience.

Public beach with its own parking lot. All parking is free and was safe. Located on Hutchinson…read moreIsland in Stuart, FL. This is the Treasure Coast! Parking lot has a beach shower and foot shower. Dogs allowed on beach, leashed. People were NOT following this rule when I visited. Extremely rude and annoying, especially on the beach! Water can be a bit rough and no lifeguards, so I recommend only for strong swimmers. Beach is pretty but not super wide. Not sure about tides? I visited in early afternoon and you can see how it looked then from my pictures.

Herman's Bay Beach has human history that dates back to the Okeechobee period (A.D. 1000 - A.D…read more 1513) when Florida's earliest residents lived here. Herman's Bay Midden was discovered here and researched by a team from Florida Archaeological Services under direction of Robert Johnson, Florida Archaeological Services. Middens are a kind of ancient garbage dump and when you examine it you can discover a lot about the people who used to live here. This midden is along a beach dune line facing the the Atlantic Ocean and an estuarine system of the Indian River to the west. It was discovered that this midden contained architectural evidence of a house structure, attendant cooking hearth, and the animal remains used by the Okeechobee period people. Based on the midden evidence it was determined that the people who lived here were fisher, hunter, and gatherers who utilized the animal resources from the Indian River Estuary and from the Atlantic Ocean. These people used fish nets and other fine catch devices to fish and their main protein source came from fish and turtles. The entrance to Herman Bayh's Beach is near Diamond Sands gated community off of S Ocean Drive. Today Herman's Bay Beah Park is a one acre beach front park with free parking, beach access, picnic tables, and pavilions. A boardwalk takes you over the dune and onto the beach. Like the ancient people who once lived here, you can still fish. You can also swim and sunbathe but there are no lifeguards or restrooms.

The beach presently is a dangerous place because of hidden jagged rocks which are partially…read moresubmerged just below the surface only about ten to fifteen feet out from shore ! These rocks seems to have been exposed by recently rough sea encounter. Do not just run or dive into the water from the shoreline especially during choppy sea days!

Fletcher Beach is located one half mile south of Stuart Beach on A1A and just north of Gilbert's…read moreBar Refuge House Museum on Hutchinson Island. The Scott and Billie Fletcher Beach was purchased by Martin County in 1973. This is the only beach on this end of Hutchinson Island that I was easily able to find parking for. It does not have a lifeguard or restrooms so it is not as popular as some of the other beaches. While it may lack in amenities it is more secluded which is nice if you are looking for a more peaceful beach experience. From the parking area you just hike up a trail over the sand dune to the beach. The beaches on this part of Hutchinson Island have rocky looking outcroppings known as the Anastasia formation which was named by E. H. Sellards in 1912. The formation was deposited during the deposited during the late Pleistocene and the "rocks" are really sand and coquina limestone embedded with mollusk shells and sparry calcite. It forms cliffs and caves that form a habitat for sea life. It is not very comfortable on bare feet but it makes a lovely backdrop for pictures. If you are looking for a more off the beaten path beach, Fletcher Beach is ideal for sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, fishing, surfing, swimming, and photography.

This spot was a place that my parents decided to take me when I was visiting them in Florida for…read morethe holiday. They wanted to do something outdoorsy but safe so we decided to visit the beach for a bonfire. The beach was a quick drive from their condo and the parking was just off the road, and the parks department keeps the lot clean. You have to walk on a wooden path to get to the beach which is over a slight hill. The beach is large and well kept, we found a perfect spot to build a small fire and just relax and star gaze. As far as beaches go, it's a nice one! I didn't see any trash which is always impressive to me. This is a place I'd like to come back in the daylight to check out and do a traditional beach day. But if you want to enjoy a nice fire and beautiful night skies, this is your place! Kudos to to Florida and their awesome beaches.

Chastain Beach is named in honor of Robert LeRoy "Sam" Chastain (1904-1964). Mr. Chastain purchased…read morethe beach property and donated it to Martin County for a public beach. Chastain Beach is located on the south end of Hutchinson Island between the House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar and Bathtub Beach. Parking is free but sparse so be prepared to wait a long time to park, especially on the weekend. What makes this park unique is it has both beach and river access so you are competing for parking spots with the beach goers and the canoe and kayak people. Lack of parking aside, Chastain Beach is a wonderful place to experience the unspoiled, natural beauty of a Martin County beach. Note that it is only lifeguarded during certain months of the year. There are bathrooms, showers, picnic tables and grills. Fishing is allowed and dogs on a leash are welcome. The beaches on this part of Hutchinson Island have rocky looking outcroppings known as the Anastasia formation which was named by E. H. Sellards in 1912. The formation was deposited during the late Pleistocene and the "rocks" are really sand and coquina limestone embedded with shells and sparry calcite. It forms cliffs and caves that form a habitat for sea life. It is not very comfortable on bare feet but it makes a lovely backdrop for pictures. Interesting fact, Chastain Beach is an ancient cemetery. In 2022 heavy beach erosion from Hurricane Nicole disturbed the bones of members of the ancient indigenous Asis tribe that used to inhabit Hutchinson Island. The burial ground is federally protected and passersby are prohibited from digging up other remains, pottery, or jewelry of the Ais tribe.

Seems like a favorite surfing spot. Plenty of waves and a beautiful beach w stairs to climb.a…read morebathroom and wash areas. Nice quiet beach.

Ross Witham Beach is a scenic and historic beach in Stuart. It is named for Ross Witham who was…read moreknown as the turtle man for his environmental conservation and study of sea turtles. He served as the the Marine Turtle Coordinator for the Florida Department of Natural Resources and authored more than 30 papers on sea turtle and spiny lobster biology. He served as a mentor to many volunteers instructing them on how to identify and protect sea turtles. He released 28,000 sea turtle hatchlings from the beach that bears his name. He died in 2004 at the age of 87 and his ashes were scattered in the ocean during the time the sea turtle hatchlings leave the beach in order to begin their lives in the ocean. The beach is known for it's rocky looking outcroppings known as the Anastasia formation which was named by E. H. Sellards in 1912. The formation was deposited during the deposited during the late Pleistocene and the "rocks" are really sand and coquina limestone embedded with mollusk shells and sparry calcite. It forms cliffs and caves that form a habitat for sea life. It is not very comfortable on bare feet but it makes a lovely backdrop for pictures. Ross Witham Beach is located directly in front of Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge. Built in 1876 it is the only remaining house of refuge in existence. It was run by the United States Life Saving Service to rescue ship wreck victims off the coast of Florida. It is open for tours and looks like it did in 1904. A hundred feet off the shore of the beach and 22 feet deep is the Georges Valentine Underwater Archaeological Preserve Shipwreck Dive Site.The Georges Valentine was an iron hulled screw steamboat built in 1869. In October of 1904 the boat was sailing with a crew of 12 and a cargo of mahogany that was being taken from Pensacola to Buenos Aires. They encountered a storm and the boat sank in front of the house of refuge where seven of the crew members were rescued. In 2006 the wreck was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The depth of the wreck is shallow so you can park at the beach and snorkel or dive. I love the laid back Caribbean atmosphere of Stuart. This beach has so much beauty and history associated with it. It is a wonderful place to take pictures, experience history first hand, snorkel and dive, or just worship the sun.

This beach was named Bob Graham Beach on March 8, 1983 when it was dedicated to Daniel Robert…read moreGraham (November 9, 1936 - April 16, 2024). Graham was a lawyer, author, and democratic politician who served as the 38th governor of Florida from 1979 to 1987 and as a Florida senator from 1987 to 2005. He was famous for his work days in which he spent a day in different parts of the state working various regular jobs. Some of the jobs he worked included a police officer, a bank teller, a construction worker, a marine biologist, and rehabilitation aide. Working these jobs enabled him to understand the issues facing people living in Florida. Bob Graham established the Save Our Coast Program which resulted in the acquisition of additional Martin County beach property. Bob Graham Beach Park has a shower and parking. Less than a mile north is Jensen Beach Park where you can find lifeguards, restrooms, and food. If you are looking for a more secluded beach experience, Bob Graham is the better choice. The Hutchinson Island Coastal Trail connects this beach to Beachwalk Pasley Beach to the south. It takes about 15 minutes to walk between the two parks through beach dune, coastal strand, maritime hammock and mangrove habitats.

One of many beaches on Ocean blvd., in Martin County. This beach is closer to Jensen Beach where we…read morehad lunch. They have a private parking lot no fee, and its steps away from the beach. This is a relaxing beach and it wasn't packed when we were there. They have a shower for rinsing off. In my case, for cooling off. The waves at the beach are intense so I was not able to go in but the shower cooled me off nicely. If you need the restroom or need to change your clothes, drive north for the main Jensen beach next to the Hutchinson Island Resort.