I remember the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center fondly from my childhood, and it's good to see…read morethat they've expanded on their property for a nice little afternoon outing. Admission is $20 for adults, with child and military discounting. There's a lot of outdoor walking space around the main lake/lagoon where you can see the nurse sharks and sea turtles amongst the many other fish there. The weather was really nice the day we went, so we took a stroll through the nature trails. They are mostly boardwalk trails with a few covered stops with benches. The main trail is a 1 mile loop but there is also a 1/3 mile loop that is good for kids. The main trail will take you to the Indian River Lagoon for some nice storefront views! The main building has some cool artwork made of reclaimed beach litter that makes you really think about proper waste disposal. There's also a few tanks with cool fish and such to see. The entire center has a few different spaces for bathrooms that are easy to access. I'd recommend coming here for a nice day in the fresh air and sunshine to enjoy the flora and fauna of Florida!

Really nice place to understand marine life and see some. Kids would love the place. Starts off…read morewith stingray petting tank cool even if you have done it before. Then the starfish area. Each leg has something different to see and handle. Then we went inside the building and checked out the tanks and all interactive things. Walked up to 3rd for nice view of the place and back down to watch the feedings. There is talk about stingrays but no food. Next they feed the fish in the huge open air aquarium. Nurse sharks, rays, jacks, and lots more. The feeding was interesting as was the talk after about pollution and algae. Next off the green sea turtles feeding. They were having romaine lettuce. They put colored pole with a shape that each knows. They swim over bump the Pole and get fed. These had boat injuries so they would never be in the wild. Again another talk about them while they are being feed. Good for adults and great for kids. Highly recommended.

Had our wedding here in February! Great location with lots of potential! Basically you're given a…read moreblank palette to make into whatever dream you desire. All vendors have to be approved through them, so I highly recommend getting a wedding planner to help navigate that process. Also everything is a la Carte, including the downstairs area, definitely pay attention to what is actually included. Gorgeous venue overall and the view is spectacular!!

Located within Indian Riverside Park in Jensen Beach, this historic mansion once belonged to a Coca…read moreCola heiress sits on top of a 4,000 year-old Indian midden named Mt. Elizabeth. The midden which is a ancient garbage dump was created by the Ais Indians. It was originally 60-feet high but now is only 40 feet high. Inside it archaeologists have found broken pottery, tools, fish bones, shell ornaments, and other refuse from their every day lives. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 14, 2002. The midden and surrounding property were purchased by explorer William Henry Racey in the late 1850's. His son, Charles Racey built a three story wood frame family home on the mound in 1891. He farmed a pineapple and citrus plantation on the land. The home burned to the ground in 1921 and the Racey family sold the property to judge Edward Seann. In 1936 Atlanta businessman Willaford Leach and his wife Anne Bates Leach, a Coca Cola heiress, purchased Mt. Elizabeth and the surrounding property. They built the Mediterranean Revival mansion that sits on top of the mound and named it Tuckahoe, a Native American word that means welcome. The estate was completed in 1939 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 30, 2005. The Leach's property was 54 acres of riverfront woodland and lawns. The couple entertained in the mansion and hosted the society in Martin County. Their parties were attended by socialites and WWII soldiers from Camp Murphy. Mrs. Leach founded the Garden Club and was a benefactor for the original building for the Bascomb Palmer Eye Institute in Miami. The University of Miami named a hospital after her. After the Leach family moved out of the mansion in 1950 it was sold to the Catholic Church who gave it to the Sisters of St. Joseph. They added a dormitory and used it as a 2 year degree religious college until 1972. The Florida Institute of Technology then purchased the property and offered 4 year degrees in marine science. The mansion was used by the college administrators. The college closed the campus in 1986 leaving the building and surrounding land vacant for the next 10 years. Martin County purchased the property in 1997 and created Indian RiverSide Park which opened to the public in 2001. Renovations on the mansion were completed in 2009 by the Friends of Mount Elizabeth. Bert Bender from Key West was chosen as the architect of the renovation. The created an Art Deco design for inside the mansion. A wedding suite and grooms room were added as well as a catering kitchen and banquet room. Today the mansion is operated by the Martin County Parks and Recreation Department. It is rented for weddings and private events. Historical tours of the mansion take place every first and third Wednesday through May at 10 and 11 a.m. On the day I visited the mansion was being used for a prom while a wedding was taking place in another part of the park. I love how Martin County preserved 4,000 years of history in a way that is still benefiting the community of Martin County today.

What a lovely, little museum. There are 3 buildings, the entrance with gift shop, a side building…read morewith video, and the house of refuge itself, all surrounded by a lovely, well kept garden. Al, the volunteer guide, was great. Gave us lots of background information, then let us free to see the museum ourselves. The displays are lovely, filled with objects and lots of history. Make sure you go to the "immersive" exhibit in the lower level. An amazing artwork.

The house of refuge is one of Stuarts most historical sites! The House of Refuge near Gilbert's…read moreBar, in Stuart Florida, is the oldest structure in Martin County. It's the only remaining House of Refuge of the original ten built by the U.S. government along the Florida coast in the late 1800s to shelter shipwrecked sailors and travelers. These houses provided food, shelter, and assistance to those stranded due to storms or other maritime disasters. The Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge played a crucial role in saving lives during a time when shipwrecks were common along the treacherous Florida coastline.

This museum is a labor of love. It is chock full of everything someone collected at some time and…read moretells many stories about the area. We were greeted warmly and let to go on our own through the rooms filled with so much stuff. I especially liked the Seminole corner, though their definition of the term Seminole is incorrect.

A fun and informative look back on the history of Stuart and Jenson Beach. I particularly loved…read morethe photos and books on Trapper Nelson. Enthusiastic tour guides greet you and lead you through the exhibits. There are photos, maps, and realia that explore local history. There is a free coffee every week for seniors.

I did not know what it expect from this local history museum. I was so wonderfully surprised. The…read moreexhibits in the main building tell the history of the region from early Spanish shipwrecks, to the people (Seminole, cow catchers, etc), a walk through the old shops, and introductions to many of the families in the community. There is also the neighboring house the shows how people lived in the early 20th century and the barn filled with agricultural material. Give yourself the time to wander the grounds, see the placards, and the mosaic bench. The staff was very welcoming.

The museum is located next to the Indian River in Museum Pointe Park. The St. Lucie Aquarium is…read morelocated next door. The St. Lucie County Regional History Center was formerly known as the St. Lucie County Historical Museum and it opened in 1968. The Museum is currently owned by St. Lucie County and run by the volunteers of the St. Lucie Historical Society. There is an admission fee. The museum provides a nice overview of the history of St Lucie County, including the days of the Seminole Indians. The museum includes a lot of artifacts, displays of historic significance and some recreations. The ladies working in the museum would very knowledgeable and very willing to answer any questions. This is NOT a large museum but it includes a LOT of history and historical artifacts. Well worth a visit - allow 1-2 hours minimum.

It is a beautiful location. Parking lot was hard to walk in with formal dress and shoes.read more

We had multiple venues set up to go see, and The Lake House was the first one we actually went to…read more After stepping foot into The Lake House we knew immediately this was the one, and we never had to go anywhere else. This place met a lot to me because my husband grew up in Fort Pierce. We were greeted by Barb who was so welcoming and friendly, and showed us the whole venue with all of the options we had. Not only did Barb take care of us that day, but she was always there for us answering questions throughout the whole process and even gave us another tour of the venue so my mother could see it. Jen, who was our month of and day of coordinator was nothing short of amazing as well, she made sure everything was perfect for the day of and made sure everything ran smoothly on our actual big day. Jen was so patient and kind and really took care of us. I also want to say thank you to Susana and Kyle for being there for us that weekend. Kyle took such good care of the grounds when we were there for the 3 days, and Susana was a huge help along side Jen...right before I walked down the isle Susana made sure I had everything I needed. This venue is absolutely STUNNING, and you can tell the staff loves what they do. Throughout the year we had them booked they made multiple upgrades to the venue including the ceremony spot which was breathtaking. Our guest had nothing but amazing things to say about The Lake House and also some of the vendors that they recommended to us. I wish I could relive our special day over and over again. I do not think I will be able to thank the staff enough for all that they did for us the year leading up to our wedding, and on our wedding weekend. I would 10/10 recommend this venue to anyone I know, and it always makes me happy to see all the couples after me who get to spend their special day there. I hope in the near future I will be able to attend a friend or families wedding here to relive all of the amazing memories!! Thank you Lake House..we love you!! - The Martin's 2.12.22

Katie, Lauren, and Dave were amazing. they gave good recommendations to some questions asked and…read moreoverall made the boat ride not just educational but also fun

The tour was amazing!!! Captain Lauren was the BEST! So interesting to see and hear under water.read more

This gallery is named for A. E. Backus (1906-1990). He was a self taught artist who was well known…read morefor his Florida landscape paintings. Later on he went on to teach art and a student of his and 25 other African American male artists and one woman influenced by his style became known as the highwaymen. They were a group of artists around the Fort Pierce area who quickly created Florida folk art featuring landscapes from oil paints on Uppson board used as roof sheeting. From 1950-1980 they would anonymously sell the art out of the trunks of their cars on A1A and US 1 from Daytona to Miami. The museum and gallery was established by Backus in 1960. In addition to housing the art of A.E. Backus the gallery contains the only permanent multi media exhibition of Highwaymen art. Art by Backus and the Highwaymen are available for purchase in the gallery. The museum also has four wings that display charging artist exhibits. During the year the museum hosts many events like lectures, brunch, and bingo. The outside of the building is covered in murals inspired by the Highway Men landscapes. Behind the the museum are sculptures in the park that runs along the Indian River Lagoon. Admission is $5. Students and service members with ID are free, and the first Sunday of the month is family day and it's free. A Highwaymen painting in 1950 sold for $25, now they are in demand by collectors and can command $5,000. If you can't afford to purchase one coming here to view the museums collection is the next best thing.

A small museum with some beautiful artwork and an interesting story…read more While visiting Fort Pierce, we decided to stop at the A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery and found it to be a very nice museum with an interesting story behind the artist. Admission was only $5 per person during our visit, and there is a parking lot directly in front of the museum, so parking and getting inside were both easy. The museum is all on one floor and is not particularly large, but there is quite a bit to see. The staff was very friendly and took the time to explain the layout of the museum, the different areas depicting parts of A.E. Backus's life and career, the artwork that was for sale, and the gift shop. There are numerous signs inside stating that photography is not allowed, so keep that in mind during your visit. One thing I would definitely recommend is watching the approximately 20-minute movie about Backus. It does a very good job of explaining his life, his attitude toward art, his work, and particularly his willingness to encourage and help other artists. I especially enjoyed learning about his relationship with and support of the group of African American artists who became known as the Florida Highwaymen. Backus was an excellent Florida landscape artist, but I found the story of how he helped and encouraged others to be just as interesting as his artwork. We enjoyed looking at the paintings and learning more about both him and Florida art history. Before you leave, make sure you also take a walk around the outside of the building because there is additional artwork there that would be easy to miss. Overall, this is a very nice small museum, reasonably priced, and well worth a visit while you are in Fort Pierce. Enjoy!