Things to Do in Jensen Beach and Hutchinson Island
Reef-sheltered beaches, three seaside museums and a lagoon-front village.
See top-rated activities »About Jensen Beach
Hutchinson Island is the long barrier island east of Stuart, reached by the Ernest Lyons and Jensen Beach causeways. The Martin County end holds most of the county’s ocean beaches, each with parking and lifeguards in season. Stuart Beach is the busiest, Jensen Beach Park sits at the end of the north causeway, and Bathtub Reef Beach, near the south tip, is the one families seek out: a reef of tiny worm-built rock lies just offshore and turns the water behind it into a calm, shallow pool at low tide. Storms wash away its sand often, so check its status before you go.
Three of the county’s best-known attractions sit within a mile of each other on Ocean Boulevard. Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center has a large saltwater lagoon tank, stingray touch pools, nature trails and guided sea turtle walks in summer. Next door, the Elliott Museum, run by the Historical Society of Martin County, mixes local history and art with a collection of classic cars. A few minutes south, the Gilbert’s Bar House of Refuge, built in 1876, is the last of the lifesaving stations that once sheltered shipwrecked sailors along this coast.
Jensen Beach itself is on the mainland side of the Indian River Lagoon. The little downtown around Jensen Beach Boulevard has restaurants and bars, and Indian River Drive runs north and south along the water past fish houses, docks and views of the lagoon. The town was once a center of pineapple growing, and its history shows in old cottages and street names.
Indian RiverSide Park, on the lagoon in Jensen Beach, is the county’s showpiece park, with a long fishing pier, a splash fountain, the historic Mansion at Tuckahoe and the hands-on Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast. Sewall’s Point, the narrow peninsula between the St. Lucie and Indian rivers, is mostly residential, but the drive along it gives some of the best water views in the county.
Don’t Miss
A worm-rock reef just offshore creates a calm, shallow swimming area; sand is often rebuilt after storms, so check conditions first.
A large lagoon tank, stingray touch pools, nature trails and summer sea turtle walks.
History, art and classic cars on the beach road, run by the Historical Society of Martin County.
An 1876 lifesaving station on the rocks above the ocean, furnished as it was when keepers rescued shipwrecked crews.
The county’s two main lifeguarded ocean beaches, with parking, showers and picnic areas.
A lagoon-front park with a long fishing pier, a splash fountain and the historic Mansion at Tuckahoe.
Hands-on exhibits for young children inside Indian RiverSide Park.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in Jensen Beach
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Get free trip quotes »Jensen Beach — FAQ
Is Bathtub Reef Beach good for snorkeling?
It is good for beginners and children at low tide, when the water behind the reef is calm and shallow. Do not stand on the reef itself; it is a living structure built by marine worms.
Can I see sea turtles nesting in Martin County?
Yes, on a guided permitted walk. Florida Oceanographic and the Hobe Sound Nature Center run night walks in early summer that usually book up well ahead.
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