Located on North Hutchinson Island, Round Island Beach Park offers recreation while also protecting…read morea historic site. This part of Florida has a lot of WWII history. You can see it all over in the parks named for key events or people who served in the war. During WWII the Germans were sinking ships in Atlantic shipping channels and hiding along the coast of Florida in their submarines. On May 5, 1942, German U-333 torpedoed and sunk the Java Arrow, a United States tanker eight miles off Fort Pierce. Two crew members were killed. A auxiliary volunteer Coast Guard rescued 22 survivors in a fishing boat but two other ships, the Amazone and the Halsey were hit by torpedoes off of Fort Pierce that same night. To protect the shore massive concrete tank traps with steel rails protruding were sunk offshore. The Fort Pierce Amphibious Training Base opened in Fort Pierce on Jan. 26, 1943 to train soldiers for WWII. Round Island became part of this base, a 19,000 acre military installation. The soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day were trained here. 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 neighboring 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. At the museum you can learn more about the part Ft. Pierce played in WWII. You can still see some of the underwater obstacles used for training between the picnic pavilions and parking area along with interpretive signs. In addition to some amazing history, this beautiful 11.36 acre park has free parking, beach access, five picnic pavilions with tables and grills, a playground, shower, restrooms, and a walking trail in the park. Lifeguards are on duty between 9:10 a.m. and 4:50 p.m. daily. Along the beach are areas blocked off to protect sea turtle nests. Across the street is Round Island Riverside Park where you can launch a canoe or kayak on to the Indian River Lagoon where you can see dolphins and manatees. I really enjoyed my time at Round Island Beach Park with its clean beach, clear water, well-maintained facilities, quiet setting. and WWII history.

Pretty & safe beach area that's not too crowded but not deserted either. Lifeguard's, picnic…read moretables, showers & bathrooms for convenience. Even historical/informational areas of interest.

This is a beach access park on the north side of Hutchinson Island. It is across the street from…read moreQueen's Island Preserve, the site of an ancient fishing camp. I love the beaches on Hutchinson Island but the low rating is because there is no parking. Only locals can enjoy this unspoiled oasis. Possibly you can park at the Queen's Island Park Preserve across the street but it would be a hike with your beach stuff. There are signs prohibiting parking on the shoulder of the road. Another drawback to this beach are there no amenities but if you are looking for wide, white sandy beaches with few to no people, this beach is ideal. If you have a vehicle there a number of better beach parks just north with free and low cost parking, picnic pavilions, and restrooms. These include Avalon State Park with a $2 honor system parking and Round Island Beach Park with free parking and a playground. I am fine with leaving this beach to the locals and sea turtles.

This is a 54 acre beach front park in Ft. Pierce. This park is named after long term democratic…read moreFlorida senator Claude Pepper who passed away in 1989. Pepper Park is located directly behind the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum. The Fort Pierce Amphibious Training Base opened here on Jan. 26, 1943 to train soldiers for WWII. This 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. This park is popular with snorkelers and divers because are several shallow nearshore reefs located less than 100 yards off the beach. Pepper park also the site of state's first underwater archaeological preserve, the Urca de Lima, which is located in about 20 feet of water. The shipwreck was discovered in 1928 by William J. Beach off of the coast of Ft. Pierce. Attempts to salvage the cargo yielded little except for one silver bar and cannons since the Spanish recovered most of the ships cargo in 1715. In 1985 and 1987 the wreck was mapped and in 1987 Florida's first archaeological underwater preserve opened. In 2001 the wreck was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Urca de Lima is featured in the Starz show Black Sails which was devised as a prequel to Treasure Island. Captain Flint buried the gold from the Urca de Lima on Treasure Island. Other park amenities include lifeguards on the beach, fishing, picnic pavilions with tables, grills, restrooms, and a playground shaped like a ship. There is so much history here and so much to enjoy and they don't even charge for parking. There is even overflow parking across the street. This is a great alternative if you don't want to pay the $6 entrance fee at the nearby Fort Pierce Inlet State Park.

Pepper Beach Park is a nice beachside park in Port St Lucie county. It is next to the Navy Seal…read moremuseum which is certainly worth a visit as well. You'll find lots of parking here. The times SCW and I have been through here it's never been full. You'll also find restrooms, a kids playground, tennis courts and a baseball field. Of course the expected beach access as well. They have outdoor showers as well. Pepper Beach Park is a great Park along the A1A.

The trails to view the island are beautiful! There are binoculars located at some stations to see…read morethe wild life from afar. I am so greatful to have found this place. There are real restrooms near the entrance not just which is great because there are a lot of trails.

A very nice hike and view inside Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge…read morePelican Island National WIldlife Refuge is located south of Sebastian inlet on the river, not ocean, side of the island. It has the distinction of being America's first National Wildlife Refuge. It may be a little island in the Indian River Lagoon but it is 5400+ acres of protected waters and lands. There is no fee. The roads to drive to the various places are hard dirt. There are several trails located within the refuge. One of the is Pete's trail. Joe's Overlook is off of that trail and is accessed by a short drive off Jungle trail and parking in the Viewing area and then hiking about 0.8 miles to the overlook. Bicycles are not allowed on Pete's trail but the hike is level and flat and typical Florida grass path through the mangroves until you come to the overlook. It is a very nice walk but I would suggest bringing a hat, water and possible bug spray depending on the time of year. Joe's overlook is a wooden walkway to a shaded viewing platform overlooking a pretty wetland area. It is a very pleasant trail, walk and view that I would recommend for the nature lovers in the crowd.

Fort Pierce Inlet State Park is small but beautiful State Park, it's unique in its offerings with a…read morevariety of things to do, a small beach is nestled along a man-made jetty that wasn't exactly installed to fish off of but there were a number of hardcore fishermen that crawled the uneven slippery surfaces to get that perfect spot to cast a line into the rushing waters of the Inlet while other challenge the Inlet on their jet skis, fishing and sail boats, I love these inlets that connect the Intracoastal Waterway to the ocean up and down the east coast of Florida and if you happen to be here when the tide changes its really something to see, the massive volume of water that pour through is phenomenal. This park offers recreational opportunities for the locals as well as for those of us that are just passing through. It's was pretty clear during our visit that it's a great place to spent the day relaxing, the parking is adequate but the walk to the beach can be quite long if you have to park in the over-flow lot so you may want to bring along a wagon or lots of friends to help you tote everything you'll need for a day at the beach. There are some beautiful hiking trails and the park boost to be the home to a variety of birds and wildlife including bobcats - although we didn't see any on this visit.

We visited this park today to take part in the get up and go kayaking, we had a great tour guide…read moreTod, who was very friendly and a wealth of knowledge about different mangroves as well as many other very interesting facts about Florida wildlife, plant life and the inlet systems. There is a lot to see, and it's a great time to explore and bond with your group, get up and go is a franchise so check and see if they are in your area! Great way to get outdoors and explore! Hope to do this again one day!

Museum Pointe Park is locate at the base of South Bridge. This is the park that surrounds the St…read more Lucie Regional History Center and the St. Lucie County Aquarium. If you plan on visiting either pack a picnic and enjoy it in the park after for a fun and inexpensive family day out. Museum Pointe Park is on the Indian River so it has great water views. The park also has plenty of free parking, picnic pavilions, a playground, and a lot of large shade trees The paved walkway along the water was my favorite part of the park. I noticed that there were a number of rock agama lizards sunning themselves on the rocks. Rock agama lizards are an invasive species from Africa. They were first introduced to Florida in 1976 from the pet trade. Adult males have distinctive red heads and black bodies and can grow up to a foot long. Their range has been expanding and they are now found as far north as Jacksonville and as far south as Big Pine Key. Unfortunately they like to feast on Florida's endangered butterfly species. Scientists are currently studying their effect on the environment. If you enjoy fishing there is a pier underneath the South Bridge close to the right of the park and South Causeway Park is to the left for more picnicking and swimming. Museum Pointe Park is filled with history, science, and nature. It is the perfect place to take the family this summer.

This is a very pretty one acre park located in Sebastian Florida north of County Road 510 off…read moreCounty Road 512. The canoe launch is located on Canoe Launch Cove. Park amenities include a canoe launch onto the South Prong of the Sebastian River, a pavilion, 3 picnic tables and paved parking. There isn't any rental concessions so you have to bring your own canoe or kayak. There also are no restrooms or water. The Sebastian River is protected waterway. On the river you may see alligators, manatees, native birds, and fish. From the launch you can paddle north to Donald MacDonald Park, Dale Wimbrow, or to the Indian River Lagoon. these trips average three to four hours. I didn't have a boat with me but I would love to paddle this river someday. Instead I hiked the Ansin Riverfront Conservation Area which shares a parking lot with Canoe Launch Park. I love how natural Florida was preserved in this area to protect the health of the river and the plants and animals that live here. Today you can still travel the waterways the way the first native Floridians did.

Let's face it, nothing spoils a beach visit faster than getting all settled at the beach then…read morehaving to go the bathroom and realizing you're at a beach that doesn't have any. That is not the case here at South Beach. The bathrooms are located in the park area at Hutchinson and the beach is clean and well kept. Along with restrooms, one can find an array of restaurants and beautiful shops along Ocean Drive and the side streets. Unfortunately the shops close relatively early but otherwise this beach as just a beach is highly recommended! It also has a sandbar but in some areas can drop off quickly. Vero is zero is false. Vero is hero is more likely

What a great place to start the day/greet the sun! Mom and I ventured over at "oh dark 30" to see…read morethe sunrise. What a spectacular spot to do do! This beach was easily accessible, with tons of parking and a beautiful boardwalk through the mangroves, to reach the sand. The sands are clean... and visitors are encourage to help keep them that way. There are little baskets you can take along to pick up trash while you're out there. I love that idea! There are picnic tables, restrooms, lifeguard stations and volleyball nets. While we were there, we were repeatedly greeted by other people, out welcoming the sun. It couldn't have been a brighter start to the day. I would definitely return... hopefully sooner, than later!