Middle Cove Beach is a one acre beach park on Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce. There are no…read morerestrooms or lifeguard but there is parking for at least 12 vehicles. Middle Cove Beach is known for its natural beauty and peaceful environment. It is a tranquil spot for visitors seeking a quieter beach experience. This beach is a great escape from the more crowded beaches. Visitors to Middle Cove Beach will appreciate the clear water, gentle waves, and wide, soft sandy beach, along with the scarcity of other people. It is the ideal beach for swimming, fishing, and wildlife watching sea turtles and bird species. Middle Cove Beach is a popular sea turtle nesting site during the summer months. This dog friendly beach is open every day from sunrise to sunset.

South Causeway Park is located at S A1A and South Bridge. It is across from Museum Pointe Park…read morewhere you can visit the St. Lucie Regional History Center and the St. Lucie County Aquarium. South Causeway Park is a linear beach park on the Fort Pierce Inlet. It has free parking, grills, picnic pavilions, restrooms, and showers. The real star of this park is the quarter mile long white sandy beach and calm gentle waters of the inlet which are ideal for the youngest of bathers. The waters off this park are busy with kayakers, sailors, and pleasure boaters. Pelicans, egret, and herons are some of the many birds you may see here. People flock to this beautiful park for swimming, picnicking, and fishing. I saw a lot of people setting up their own canopies and staking out their spots so they can make a full day of free fun here. The great thing about this park is there is room for everyone. South Causeway Park is a fantastic alternative to the beach parks when you would rather avoid the ocean.

This is a free park on A1A near the St Lucie History Museum and the St Lucie Aquarium. It has…read morepicnic areas, grills and a beautiful white sand beach. The park is on an inlet which makes it nice for families with young kids. Good for swimming and kayaking.

Harbour Pointe Park is a remote park but well worth searching out. You need to drive down a dirt…read moreroad for a quarter mile while ignoring the numerous no trespassing signs along the way. Don't give up, you are in the right place. When you can't go any further you end up at a 20 acre waterfront park that is on the Fort Pierce Inlet and Taylor Creek. The park is rustic with no restrooms but the view is wonderful. The sandy beach is used for swimming and for fishing by people who appreciate being in nature. This hidden natural oasis might not stay a secret. Plans are in the works over the next 4 to 6 years to add a large restaurant with outdoor seating, sundries shop, boat charter offices, dock master, an event lawn with a big pavilion, landscaping with shade trees, sandy beachfront and walking paths, and a small-boat launch and public marina at the north end and a marine research and education facility. The park will connect to a greenway bike trail. The entire port project is expected to be completed by 2040 and is estimated to cost between $82 million and $130 million with some of the money coming for grants. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for this park.

This past Saturday, I decided I needed some much-needed sun and drove over to Hutchinson Island. I…read moreusually park near the jetty and walk over, but unfortunately that section of the beach was closed due to sand restoration from erosion. Luckily, if you drive a bit further down the road, you can find other access points along the island. I kept going and found a small parking area with a beach entrance. I got there early, so I had no problem finding a spot--but just a heads up, parking is very limited. I always recommend getting to the beach early, especially in spots like this. The entrance itself is a little tight, and there's a random piece of wood sticking out of the ground that could easily trip someone if you're not paying attention--definitely something to watch out for. That said, this stretch of beach is really nice and much less crowded. You can even see the area where they're adding sand in the distance. It's a great option if you're looking to avoid the usual tourist crowds... although I'm sure they find their way here.

A real beautiful beach, was very clean and super quiet. No one on the beach when I went so I was…read moretoo excited about that. There's a small parking lot. Beach access isn't wheel chair accessible for those who may need it. I can't wait to come back.

Named after famous African American abolitionist and author Frederick Douglass, this is one of the…read moremany parks on South Hutchinson Island that allow free beach parking along the ocean side. The beach is very clean, parking is free, and there is a restroom. What makes Frederick Douglass unique is it is the only park where you can horse back ride on the beach and through the parks equestrian trails although a permit is required. If you don't have a horse you can take a hour ride for $45 with Tours on Horseback. They are one of the few vendors licensed to do beach rides in the state and the only one in southeast Florida. Now that I know about it I am definitely going to come back and ride with my daughter.

Nice beach area on the south end of Hutchinson Island. The only beach in the area I know that…read moreoffers horseback riding. Picnic areas, pavilions, restrooms, horseback riding trails, etc. This is a saint Lucie County Park, much more information is available st the county web site below. http://www.stlucieco.gov/things-to-do/recreation/beaches/frederick-douglass-memorial-park Enjoy....

Tracking Station Beach Park is a 6.37 acre park in Vero Beach. The entrance is a little hard to see…read morebut it is located off Highway A1A between the CVS Pharmacy and 7-11 store. The park takes its name from the university ocean research facility located by the park entrance. Park amenities include a beautiful 624 feet of life guarded beach from 9:10 am - 4:50 pm, one pavilion with picnic table and grill, water fountain, restrooms, outdoor shower, and best of all there are 74 free parking spaces. I love free beach parking which is sadly lacking in Broward County. Inside the park is a memorial to 17 year old Lynn Carol Elliott (1965-1983). Elliot was a student of Vero Beach high school. She was hitchhiking with her fourteen year old friend Regan Martin when they were picked up by serial killer David Alan Gore who committed crimes with his cousin his Fred Waterfield. The pair were dubbed the killing cousins. When Elliot escaped outside of the house while Martin was being attacked, Gore followed her and shot her in the head which was witnessed by a neighbor boy riding his bicycle. The police were called and the pairs crime spree came to an end. Gore was executed by lethal injection in 2012. If not for Elliots courage in trying to escape, there may have been many more victims. This is such a sad story of promising lives cut too short. This beach is ADA accessible. It is favored by surfers and sun worshippers. It is also beloved by nesting sea turtles so stay off the dunes, watch out for the nests, and take your garbage with you. Sea Turtle nesting season is from March 1-October 31. All sea turtles are protected by state and federal laws. I was disappointed to see that a new condo complex called Indigo is going to be built at the entrance to the park. I hope that this does not negatively impact the sea turtles. For now this remains a lesser known beach in Vero and a great place to enjoy the ocean and outdoors.

Best beach in Vero beach! Parking can be difficult depending on time of day, I would suggest coming…read moreduring non-peak hours. The beach does have restrooms and showers and lifeguards do supervise the beach during normal hours.

It's a great thing to have lifeguards that are trained and professional (and friendly) to help…read moresafeguard the time at the beach. Thankfully we have not have any serious safety concerns / but they are here just the same and it makes me feel more at ease with my family out on the beach and in the water!

Wabasso Beach Park is small beach park at just under a half an acre but if you are looking for a…read morebeach day, this is a delightful spot. The park is located next to Disney's Vero Beach Resort. It is open daily from 7AM until sunset and lifeguards are on duty from 9:10 AM until 4:50 PM. Beach Bites, a deli, convenience store, and beach sport rental business is located next to the parking lot. Park amenities include a restroom, boardwalk, pavilions with picnic tables and grills, a bike rack and showers. There is ADA beach access. This park is ideal for fishing, surfing, scuba diving, sunbathing, and picnicking. This beach is also an important sea turtle nesting area from March 1-October 31. While this beach is popular with surfers and snorkelers it is also a favorite of treasure seekers. In 2015 the Queens Jewels, a Spanish shipwreck from the 1715 Treasure Fleet was discovered six feet off the coast. Three hundred and fifty gold coins valued at $4.5 million were recovered.

John and his wife Jane Murray Brooks were early environmentalists in this area. Jane has her own…read morepark named in her honor south of this park. John and Jane were leaders in the 1973 Save our Beaches campaign which resulted in public purchase of a large tract on South Beach which was named John Brooks' Park when he died in 1988. John Brooks Park Beachside is a staggering 226 acres. It includes upland and wetland preserves and two miles of beachfront dunes and one wooden ramped dune-crossover with covered viewing area. Frederick Douglas Park is currently closed so horseback riding has been temporarily moved to this park beach. One the day I visited the beach was almost completely deserted. This beach is south of the more populated beaches in Ft. Pierce. On the river side I saw one person fishing. This massive park is for the nature enthusiasts. It offers beach access, birding, fishing, and swimming. I love how this area has been left in its natural state. How different it might look if this activist couple and others who joined their cause had not managed save over 360 acres from development.