Bruner Pond Park was named in honor of James Herbert Bruner, a prominent citizen of Martin County…read more James was born January 29, 1919 in Lovedale, Florida. He came to Stuart in 1925 and went on to make many contributions to the town as a civic leader, politician, businessman and developer. Many buildings, stores and improvements in Stuart were a result of his influence. He passed away on March 20, 1999 in Stuart. Located near historic downtown Stuart is this small park. I was looking for someplace to enjoy a snack and this worked out perfectly. Bruner Pond Park has a short walking path that loops around the pond. Along the way are benches and a little bridge you can walk over. This is a peaceful little spot to take a break. The park isn't very big, but the pond in the center makes it feel relaxing and scenic. I walked around the path for a bit and enjoyed the quiet atmosphere and the turtles lounging on an island in the pond. If you're already exploring downtown Stuart, it's worth stopping by.

Small but beautiful little park with a beautifully redesigned public space that features memorial…read morepanels, war plaques, and a tranquil setting with ponds, fountains, and walking paths. The addition of a beautiful amphitheater dedicated on 03/14/26 converts this little park into a community hub for events like concerts and festivals. Just blocks from downtown Stuart, FL., This park was created from a city vision that converted a drainage ditch flooding problem into a another reason to confirm why Stuart was voted #1 spot in USA TODAY's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards 2024 and 2025 for Best Coastal Small Town.

A brand new, 104.9-acre nature preserve, Rosser Lakes Preserve, opened earlier this month in Port…read moreSt. Lucie. It's the first property acquired under the city's Naturally PSL Land Bank, a new initiative to conserve and protect land. The preserve is located between Interstate 95 and Rosser Boulevard. The city purchased the property on February 20, 2026, for $2.5 million. Originally slated for 100 homes, the land has instead been transformed into a community preserve dedicated to passive recreation. Rosser Lakes Preserve is open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to sunset. The preserve features two large lakes that are popular for shoreline fishing. Visitors can also canoe or kayak on the lakes, hike the trails, and enjoy wildlife watching. During my hike, I spotted several birds, a marsh rabbit, and even an alligator in the lake. Port St. Lucie has already identified 198 acres of existing natural preserves and designated nearly 745 additional acres for future green space. The trail network has grown to 41 miles, with 20 more miles planned. Two new parks opened in 2024, and six more are expected to open soon. I applaud Port St. Lucie's commitment to conservation and its efforts to preserve natural areas for both residents and visitors to enjoy.

This park is just a boat ramp. It has both launch and staging docks. The park is at the southern…read moreend of the Indian River Lagoon paddling trail. There are channel markers in the lagoon and a paddle from this park to the Jupiter Island beach is about 30 minutes. On the island there are two marked crossovers through the dunes and the walk to the beach is 5 minutes. Mangrove canals where you can see wildlife can be accessed from the trail. Jimmy Graham Park amenities include a restroom and picnic tables. The 40 trailer parking lot is a bit of a walk from the launch. You have to launch, drive to the parking lot, and walk back to the launch. If you don't have a boat there is no need to come here. Peck Lake Park is a short distance down the road and it has picnic tables, grills, and a hiking trail.

This is strictly a park for boats. It's located a little bit down the street from Peck Lake…read more I'm not a boater, but I did walk on the dock and it looks to be very old and rickety. I was actually nervous that I was going to fall in the water. The view is pretty nice and I guess if you do have a boat, this is easy and convenient access to the water. I really think they need to update the actual dock though

I've been wanting to visit this ERM park ever since visiting its neighbor, Juno Dunes Natural Area…read more The last time I tried to visit, the very small parking lot was full. From the road, this park looks to be all scrub, but like the other park, it contains multiple habitats inside. The first paved walk leads to a very nice pavilion overlooking the River. The view was peaceful and beautiful. Trying to access the unpaved trails, however, proved problematic. We turned onto the red path, only to find that the marker stakes had most of the red faded away and were difficult to find. At one point there is a huge fork in the path with no direction on which way to go. The end of the trail is practically non existent, with no clear path, but it does return us to the park entrance. I insisted on trying to get to Ski Beach- whatever that was! It looked about a 1/3 the way of the yellow trail. The path was very sandy, and difficult to walk on for that reason, and it seemed to take forever! When we finally found Ski Beach, we found another Park kiosk, a garbage can, and a tiny path down to... a beach! and the Intracoastal. We watched fish swim by, and lots of boats go by. This could be a nice place to wade or further explore, if you lugged all of your things here. ERM, would have loved finding a bench here, so we had someplace to take our shoes on and off. We did not continue down the yellow trail due to being exhausted, but I would like to do this again. The landscape was nice- just difficult to walk in due to the white sand. We saw a cactus in bloom, a snake, and a TON of lichen. Lichen everywhere! It really looked like little fairy landscapes to me. I think I finally identified Florida rosemary too! Kudo to ERM for the map/brochures. My kids pore over every aspect of it while we walk, trying to find all the natural items pictured, excitedly matching the pictures to plants. Thank you!

Jupiter Ridge is located south of the Jupiter inlet. It is part of the Great Florida Bird and…read moreWildlife Trail. This natural area is made up of 274 acres of scrub that contain five native Florida ecosystems: scrub, scrubby flatwoods, mesic flatwoods, depression marsh and mangrove swamp, It is one of the few places you can go in Jupiter to see how Florida looked before it was developed. Thirty one plant species live here as well as threatened and endangered species like the large-flowered rosemary, the Florida scrub-jay; and the gopher tortoise. Jupiter Ridge is owned by the state Conservation and Recreation Lands project which is managed by Palm beach County. This natural area has the longest shoreline along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway of any other natural area in Palm Beach County. There is also 7,600 feet of water frontage along the Intracoastal Waterway along the Loxahatchee River/Lake Worth Creek Aquatic Preserve. There are three hiking trails, the paved Little Blue Heron Trail, (0.2 miles), the sand Scrub Lizard Trail (1.7 miles). and the sand Pawpaw Trail (0.6 miles). The sand trails really give your legs a work out and there is no shade so the sun can be brutal. The natural area has canoe and kayak access from Ski Beach and you may be able to spot manatees. There is also an observation platform on the Little Blue heron Trail that overlooks Old Lake Worth Creek. Jupiter Ridge Natural Area is open to the public, sunrise to sunset, seven days a week.

Midport Lake Neighborhood Park is a 12 acre passive park around a lake. It is one of string of…read moreparks along Veterans Memorial Parkway. Midpoint has a fitness station located next to the street with several pieces of equipment to work different parts of the body. There are no restrooms or water fountains. This park is ideal for fishing but note that nonmotorized watercraft are not allowed on the lake. During my visit people were enjoying a picnic while someone else was allowing their dog to play at the waters edge which is never a good idea because you need to assume that if there is a lake in Florida, there are alligators present. In fact there was a sign warning of alligators. This park also turned out to be a great place to birdwatch. I enjoyed watching a blue jay and the water will attract native wading birds. If you are looking for a quiet place to enjoy nature, Midport Lake Neighborhood Park is a peaceful place.

This park is big!…read more In the front is the fire department and a lot of boat trailer parking, with 2 or 3 loading docks for boats,etc.. In the middle is the (wonderful!) Loxahatchee River Center. I had never been farther than here, until recently. It is worth checking out! Behind the Center is a large parking lot with several secluded spots with picnic tables that sit along the River, a large covered pavilion that is rentable, a lot of what looks like horseshoe tossing stations, a volleyball court (without a net), a sweet little playground, and nice public bathrooms. The playground here is great - rarely busy, it has just enough different elements to keep it fun, plus swings. It is shady, with a lovely waterfront breeze, and benches for adults to sit on. While it is not fenced in, it is connected to a picnic area and generally feels pretty secluded. When the playground gets old, my kids and I walked towards the public docks. There is a paddleboard renting structure there, where you can rent one by using a credit card, but the lifejackets are pretty sun-worn-out. Really cool concept though! My kids like to walk out on the docks and check out the boats that frequent this area. There is also a kayak entrance where they can get their feet wet next to the mangroves. After hitting up this area and back in my car, I finally drove the loop behind the Center. It is all waterfront, with little covered picnic spots and river access for those with kayaks or canoes. What perfect spots for a gathering or hangout. These are almost hidden, as the road loops one way and parking is all in the grass.

This park was a stop on our Sunday adventure. You can't travel through Jupiter without paying…read moretribute to the passing of it's favorite son Burt Reynolds. The park was named for Burt who was a lifelong resident of the area. The 35.55 acre park that bears his name spans both sides of US Highway 1. The main attraction of the park is the Loxahatchee River Center which has aquariums and interactive exhibits. Unfortunately it was closed on our visit. There is also a nature area out back. If you are a boater or fisherman you can do both recreational activities here. There are boat ramps and canoe and kayak launches. 2,000 feet ofthe park is on the intracoastal. There is also a playground, sand volleyball court, picnic pavilion, picnic tables, grills, and a restroom. I think that it is really nice that Jupiter decided to honor Burt by naming a park for him. He gave a lot back to his community and although he is no longer with us his presence still looms large in the town that he loved.

People and their dogs are all very nice! The dog park is split into two fenced in sections. The…read morefirst is for dogs up to 30 pounds. The second is for dogs greater than 30 pounds. There are new benches for humans to relax while their dogs make friends and play. Its recommended that the dogs be free to roam without a leash.

This place is ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. The nicest dog park in the area. The vast majority of people…read moreare great there. Don't be alarmed when you see bigger dogs in the "30lb area" they are rather submissive/gentle. They have the two areas separated by weight class 30 Under and 30 over. Unfortunately they really need 3 areas under 30, 30-55 and 55+. It should really be regulated by small/gentle and any size/rambunctious.