I love the story of Paul Kroegel who was what we would call a conservationist or eco-warrior today…read more The Kroegel family name is well known in this area. German immigrant Paul Kroegel arrived in Sebastian in 1881 and homesteaded across from what is now Pelican Island. He fell in love with the birds on the island and became increasingly distressed by the plume hunters arriving daily to kill pelicans, egrets, herons and spoonbills for their feathers during a period of Florida history known as the Feather Wars. In response he started protecting the birds with his shotgun. He partnered with the Audubon Society to get federal protection for the birds. Frank Chapman an ornithologist and curator of the American Museum of Natural History brought Kroegel's story back to Washington, D.C., where it eventually gained the ear of President Theodore Roosevelt. President Roosevelt made Pelican Island the first National Wildlife Refuge on March 14, 1903 and Paul Kroegel was hired as the refuge manager, a position he held until 1926. It was a dangerous job and one of Paul's fellow wardens, Guy Bradley, was killed in the Everglades. In honor of his contributions to conservation and the centennial of Pelican Island, there is this statue of Paul Kroegel with his pelicans in Riverview Park in downtown Sebastian. It was created in 2003 by local resident Rosalee Hume who actual knew Paul Kroegel when she was a child. He was known as a gentle man and a renowned boat builder. The statue was placed facing Pelican Island so Paul could keep watch over his beloved birds forever. The inscription on the stature reads "One person can make a difference." and he surely did.

On Pelican Island in Florida in the late 1800s, plume hunters were hunting the birds to sell their…read morevaluable feathers to the fashion industry. Paul Kroegel was a local resident who took it upon himself to protect the island's bird inhabitants. Pelican Island was established as the first National Wildlife Refuge in the country and Kroegel was appointed as its first manager thanks to his efforts. In his honor, this statue stands on the mainland. His eyeline over the Indian River focuses on the Pelican Island refuge. The statue was unveiled in 2003 and depicts Kroegel smoking his pipe with a few pelicans standing safely at his feet. There is a caption that reads, "One person can make a difference. Paul Kroegel, 1864-1948. Audubon Warden, 1901. First Refuge Warden 1902-1926. Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge Established March 14, 1903." The statue is next to Sebastian's Riverview Park where you'll find parking. [Review 19299 overall - 1647 in Florida - 269 of 2023.]

Historic Cocoa Village is a fantastic place to spend a wonderful day and evening for everyone in…read morethe entire family. At Cocoa Village they have several places to shop and also several places enjoy a nice meal. They have a lovely park, collectors shops, and antique shops, coffee shops and ice cream parlors. At times they have live music playing at Cocoa Village, and you can even enjoy a nice rooftop dinner with a view of the water here at Ryan's Village Pizza & Pub.

If you're visiting the cape, this area is a must. They have a lot of quaint antique shops, a…read morebeautiful park on the water, tons of mom and pop restaurants. We spent the day bar hoping on foot and even got tattoos. Such a nice/safe area for a day date.

The Wabasso Bridge has historically been an important crossing point over the Indian River for…read morelocal residents and visitors to this part of the Treasure Coast. The original bridge in Wabasso sat on what was known as Two Dollar Bluff, a navigational aid for ships on the Indian River since 1887. It was located on property of pioneer and citrus grower A.B. Michael who made Indian River citrus world famous. The bluff was an Ais Indian midden, a kind of ancient garbage dump for the original inhabitants of this area. In 1927 the midden yielded shells, pottery shards, and bones that were used for road material. At different times this area was part of Brevard, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties. The bluff became the Michael family dock. Eventually it was replaced in 1927 with a narrow, wooden bridge with a metal swing span that crossed to the community of Orchid. This bridge allowed travel between the Orchid Island groves and the railroad for transport of citrus. It also opened up the northern part of Indian River County to tourism and land development. During World War II the bridge tender would only allow island residents to cross to prevent German spies from infiltrating the island and signaling to U Boats offshore. On October 5, 1964, a 400-foot section of the old wooden Wabasso Bridge caught on fire. Before it was scrapped the old swing bridge was purchased by Walt Disney World and refurbished for use in the Main Street Railroad. In 1970, a modern, high-arch bridge causeway was constructed over the main channel. For years it was the known as the A.B. Mitchell Wabasso Bridge. In 2020, it was renamed the A.B. Michael Bridge to correct a typo made over 50 years ago. Today the bridge properly honors A.B. Michael who brought Indian River Citrus to the world. The Wabasso Bridge takes travelers to the beaches of the Treasure Coast which got its names from Spanish Treasure Fleet that sunk off the coast in a hurricane in 1715. During storms it still yields its treasure to the shore. On the island side of the bridge is Sebastian Inlet State Park and the McLarty Treasure Museum. You can get a great view of the underside of the bridge from Wabasso Causeway Park which is a popular fishing spot.

It's seem that today's bridges don't get the press that the bridges they replaced may have gotten…read more This can be attributed to the fact that bridges today in most cases are replacement bridges and not the original bridge built to span the river, bay, etc., so they are basically taken for granted, in today's world since we expect there to be one in every location for our convenience. As time passes fewer of us ever think about or remember how challenging or inconvenient it must have been to get to the other-side. I'm sure when this bridge was opened in 1970 it was thought of as quite the accomplishment by those that drove across the former rickety wooden structure that preceded this concrete monster and even more so by those that had to rely on a ferry, a boat or a canoe to cross this span of water. The former bridge built in 1927 must have had a far greater impact on those living in the area than any of us realize, for the first time they could travel at will and only had to deal with the bridge tender's obligation to open the old draw bridge to river traffic or a fire which temporarily closed the bridge in 1961. This old bridge remains operable today even though it no longer links the shores at it original location. The antique steel beams and girders were so nostalgic it was re-purposed by Disney prior to the opening of Disney World in 1971. The names of hundreds of boats that were scratched into the tired old bridge trusses by the pen knives of lonely bridge tenders over the many years the bridge stood sentinel over the river remains intact after being purchased by Disney, redesigned and reassembled over the canal on the route of the "Main Street Railroad" where millions of happy tourists from every corner of the world have ridden since the opening. It is unlikely many of them are aware of the history of the old bridge. The Imagineers may have been more interested in saving an old bridge than in saving money, it seems this old bridge will join Mickey Mouse in immortality...

Heart in the Park is a 75' tall stainless steel sculpture donated to the City of Port St Lucie by a…read morelocal home builder. It's highly polished stainless steel skin reflects a constantly changing view of the sky, clouds, traffic, people, etc. I'm told there is a glass walkway (visible in some of the pictures) that can be booked for weddings but I don't know any of those details. It's an amazing site to see.

Heart in the Park is a 73-foot heart sculpture in a park that is being built at Village Parkway and…read moreDiscovery Way. Heart in the Park was designed by Filipino American, Orlando-based artist Jefre Figueras Manuel, known as JEFRË. Manuel started Studio Mattamy Homes, the largest privately owned homebuilder in North America, in 2008 after he had a heart attack at the age of 35 followed by triple bypass surgery which gave him a new perspective on life. He transitioned from urban planning to focusing on his art full time. He has gone on to complete large scale art works all over the world. About the artwork he has created, he has said ""I love public art just for the fact that it's actually public. That is my job: to create icons for cities that the public can view and appreciate, that tell the history of the city." You can see more of Manuel's art in the Lake Nona Sculpture Garden. I have been JEFRË fan since first discovering his work in the Orlando Museum of Art. This art piece is meant to be a symbol of inclusivity. Heart in the Park will be adjacent to the 71,000-square-foot Shoppes at the Heart of Tradition commercial center, currently finishing up construction. Heart in the Park is being built along Tradition Trail, also known as the T-Trail. T-Trail will also include Stars and Stripes Park, nature trails, and Tradition Regional Park.

The city of Melbourne, Florida has certainly grown and continues to grow. My first introduction to…read moreMelbourne, Florida was when I was a child and my cousin had moved here and we came down for a vacation. I might have been maybe tnirteen years old at the time. The current Melbourne, Florida is certainly a different place from that time and the memories of my childhood. Change is inevitable and I think most of the changes in Melbourne, Florida have been for the positive. Of course, Melbourne will always have its beaches, but Melbourne should be recognized now for the additional positives now. Interestingly enough, Melbourne is not named for the city in Australia. Well, maybe indirectly it was. Melbourne was named to honor its first postmaster, Cornthwaite John Hector, an Englishman who spent much of his life in Melbourne, Australia. A cool other tidbit is that Jim Morrison, the lead singer of the Doors, was born in Melbourne, Florida. All in all, Melbourne continues to evolve and is a cool.enough place to visit or live.

Place was nice before. I lived here for 20 years used to have no traffic and decent people. Now all…read morethese people moving down from new york, detriot, Chicago California etc etc and they bring their bad habits and atitiudes with them. Traffic is crazy and the area has more crime and congested. If you not goi g to act right stay in your city we don't want you here.

Issa bridge. What else can be said? One of my favourite things are all the "local flavor" or…read morelandmark listings. Especially in this area so here is a "review." Generally boat under this on the way out of the banana river. A few cars will drive across but only obviously locals. Seems in good repair and operation. Not a ton of larger boat traffic through here but loads of fishing, pleasure boats, kayaks, and a healthy amount of manatees and dolphins. What can you rate a bridge really? A middle of the road score? Is it possible for a five or six star bridge experience?! Vibes you know. No notes. Good bridge.

The locals come here to fish, and this bridge is of historic interest to the area. The bridge was…read morebuilt in 1927, and the current metal truss bridge was moved here in 1952 from Nassau County in Florida. This is how you get onto Merritt Island without driving north to the Pineda Causeway. The views from the bridge are also incredible in the evening hours, and it's fun to watch the boats.

The Heights is a pizza slice shaped neighborhood of 1,500 single family ranch and two story homes…read morein Jupiter, Florida. The official name is North Palm Beach Heights but most people just call it the Heights. The Heights is located off of Donald Ross Road and is between I-95 and Abacoa. The Heights neighborhood really loves Christmas and Florida Power and Light really loves the Heights. Every December the Heights shows their love of the holidays by decking out their homes with lights, inflatables, and all kinds of decorations. Almost every home in the Heights is ornately decorated but the most decorated of all award goes to the Who-ville Experience. Every inch of the property is covered in custom made How the Grinch Stole Christmas decorations, inflatables, and lights. "Snow" blows over the whole thing and the Grinch himself can be seen walking around. This is a walk through experience so take a minute and park and come in. The Who-ville experience is free to visit and runs until December 31st. Wednesday through Sunday 6 to 10 PM. I really appreciate this family for giving up their Christmas Eve and many evenings to make such a wonderful display for the community to bring families together.

This experience was amazing it is a must go to if you are in the Jupiter area!!!! We even met the…read moregrinch too and took picture go visit!!

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.

I was disgusted by how filthy the bathrooms were. There was a man literally peeing outside of the…read morebathroom behind the building. You can smell the stench from afar. I came here to see alligators, as recommended per my uncle. Sadly, no alligators to be seen. This is a catch and release fishing site due to the Bass Competition held here. The literal petrified stench that lingers through the air, attracts the many vultures through the area. No thank you. I will not be returning. Edit: on my way out, there was a turtle lost in the middle of the busy street. We saved him by placing him near the water, away from the poisonous snake.

Free park ready to explore. Wish we had time! Mostly open air with no shade so come prepared…read more There are a few picnic tables and portable johns. Better then no facilities! Come check out all the birds and maybe see an alligator. Or pay $50ea and go on an airboat tour and see lots of alligators. And birds all over !