The Jensen Beach Causeway Park is a great little park located under the approach to the Jensen…read moreCauseway bridge. It is a passive park (i.e. no ball fields, etc.) with benches and green space. This is a great spot to see great sunsets and, I'm told, to watch launches from the Kennedy Space Center. Unfortunately, there were no launches occurring while we were in Jensen Beach but we DID SEE some amazing sunsets.

The Jenson Beach Causeway Park makes great use of land under the 1.9 mile long Jensen Beach…read moreCauseway Bridge that would otherwise be wasted. Head under the bridge to discover a host of great amenities along with free parking. Along the Indian River Lagoon there are a number of picnic shelters with tables and grills. The beautiful view of the water makes this a wonderful place to enjoy a meal al fresco or just read a book and take in the scenery. For boating enthusiasts there are boat ramps on both the east and west sides. On the west side of the park there is a playground with a rubber mat bottom for the kids and next to it is a convenient restroom with water fountains. On the east side of the park is a long fishing pier beloved by anglers or you can fish from the shade of a pavilion. The pier has lights so you can fish at night. This park is also great for relaxation. All you need to do is pick your spot, pull out a chair, and feel free to do nothing. You could even hook up a hammock between two trees and drift off in a tropical breeze. The bridge provides wonderful shade and you get the air flow from the water. People zipping over the bridge might not even know what they are missing beneath them. Whether you are fishing, boating, relaxing, taking the kids to play, having an outdoor meal, or just looking for a place to beat the heat, Jensen Beach Causeway Park has something to appeal to everyone.

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.

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.

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!

Loved this beautiful park with the beach and water views. Have an annual state park pass so took…read moreadvantage of visiting the Fort Pierce State Park. Well worth it.

Queen's Island Preserve is a 400 acre coastal property managed by St. Lucie County. This natural…read morearea is located on the north side of Hutchinson Island. Queen's Island Preserve is an ancient archaeological site that once was the site of a Native American fishing camp. A midden was discovered here. Middens are a kind of ancient garbage dump that can tell you a lot about the ancient people who used to live here. Shells, bones, and tools, are often found in middens. The preserve is ideal for launching a canoe or kayak that can take you around the small islands in the Indian River Lagoon. The county has worked to remove invasive plants and restore the old-growth maritime hammocks with large gumbo limbos and other native trees. The preserve has a nature trail and three miles of impoundment levees, from which you can fish.

Just north of the Fort Pierce Inlet along A1A is Avalon State Park. While the park spans the island…read morebetween the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean most people come for the beach. The park is open 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year and the cost is $2 per vehicle payable in a box on the honor system. The more than one mile beach in this park provides a safe habitat for wildlife like the threatened and endangered loggerhead, Atlantic green, and leatherback sea turtles who nest on the beach during the spring and summer. While this beach is popular with nesting sea turtles, people love it too. Swimmers, surfers, snorkelers, anglers, and sunbathers flock here for unspoiled beach recreation. Park amenities include a restroom, picnic pavilion, and shower station. This is the perfect spot for a quieter beach day free from crowds. This part of Fort Pierce was once a naval training base during WWII where sailors practiced with high-explosive rockets, bombs, and underwater demolitions. It is important to note that underwater obstacles left behind by amphibious warfare exercises are still being recovered to this day.

I love the fact that Florida has so many beautiful beaches that it only takes a two dollar fee to…read morekeep people moving a little further down the road where there aren't any charges. The sand and water here is absolutely amazing, so on this beautiful Saturday with temperatures in the mid 80's there's no other conclusion I can come up with. There were only six other people on the beach when I pulled into the parking lot, seems a little odd so maybe it's the mere fact it's a State Park although I didn't see any Park Rangers to collect the fee, only a small money box attached to a post. The dunes are filled with native grasses, and the two paths leading to the beach are short so packing a few chairs and a cooler is a breeze. I can't make the claim that this is the absolute best beach in the area but seriously are there really any bad beaches - clean water, silky sand, and no crowds can't say I need much more than that...

Super cool to see remaining wildlife: alligators, manatees Hope it stays like it is foreverread more

Sooo, this morning rather than go to the gym. I went to White City Park in For Pierce and Kayaked…read moredown the St. Lucie River. Thanks to Steve Ware for the invite. We paddled thru the scenic St. Lucie River on the North Fork and observing all the gorgeous oak hammocks bordering either side. Amazing how tranquil the trip is, you would have thought you were in a time warp, because this surely represents how Olde Florida used to be. Just think it is in our backyard and it is FREE. White City Park has a Pirate playground for the kids, boat ramps, fishing access, plenty of picnic tables and much more. #lovingtreasurecoastlife #ftpierce #treasurecoast

Finding this state park was a very cool discovery. It is located about a mile north of the Fort…read morePierce Inlet. You go down a road and there is a small parking lot at the end. The cost to use the preserve is $2 cash on the honor system. From the parking lot you cross over a bridge that takes you over the Indian River lagoon on to the preserve. In the summer you can see manatees swimming but on the day I visited the waterway was being enjoyed by paddle boarders. This 1,342 acre preserve has been managed by the State of Florida since 1963. It has more than 4 miles of dirt and grass trails along mangrove lined canals. I saw so many mangrove crabs scuttling around. Little blue herons fly overhead and I also saw great blue herons, great egrets, snowy egrets, wood storks, and ibises. Osprey and roseate spoonbills have also been noted in the preserve, There are two trails to the the observation tower. A one mile direct trail or a two mile perimeter trail. I opted for the direct route to avoid an impending rain storm. The tower has stairs that take you 30 feet above the lagoon. From the top you can see the bird rookeries on surrounding islands. As you hike the island you will see culverts that are part of a system for flushing mosquitoes from their breeding areas. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in mud along the island and water is released through the big metal pipes to flood the areas normally used by the mosquitoes for breeding from April to October. Two other islands make up the preserve, Kings and Queens but they have to be explored from the water. Jack Island is the only one that offers hiking trails. Since Jack Island is located on the lagoon it gets fewer visitors than other state parks on the beach. I had the whole preserve to myself. I saw so many birds, it really is a paradise for bird watchers and photographers. The hike is an easy one and I would have stayed longer if it wasn't for the lightning. The island is also popular with anglers who fish for mullet, snook, and sheepshead and runners. You can walk for miles and never encounter any one else. Jack Island is the perfect place to enjoy Florida the way Mother Nature intended it to be.

Good hiking spot, there's multiple length hikes to choose from. You can either take a direct one…read moremile (one way) walk to the observation tower or take the loop which is 2 miles either way. The tower provides a 360 lookout over the mangroves and the river. Saw herons, crabs, butterflies and large flying fish. Dogs are allowed on short leash. Path is sandy and currently muddy due to afternoon showers today. If you're coming from Ft Pierce Inlet SP or the Avalon State Park this is a 10 minute drive from either one and is worth a stop. We created a state parks map and this was not on it. We saw a state park sign (pictured) and whipped a U-ie to check it out. Glad we did. It is a $2 honor system admission fee payable at entrance. Entrance is where a residential street dead ends and you'll see a McMansion on your left. Park anywhere, pay the fee and walk toward the bridge. No amenities. No restrooms or water fountains. If you're an outdoor person consider getting the Florida state park pass. It's $120 per family and lasts 12 calendar months.

Beautiful venue. Pleasant air condition. Wi-Fi! Definitely recommend this place! Plenty of space to…read moredo your thing.

ive been to this space for a few different events and it never ceases to amaze me on the…read moreaccomodations and transformations this space can proivde. thumbs up st lucie county.