Things To Do in Stuart and Jensen Beach

One of the most scenic areas on this stretch of the coast is Jonathan Dickinson State Park, 12 miles south of Stuart at 16450 S. Federal Hwy. (U.S. 1), Hobe Sound (tel. 772/546-2771). The park intentionally receives less maintenance than other, more meticulously maintained parks in order to resemble the rough-around-the-edges, wilderness-like environment of hundreds of years ago, before Europeans started chopping, dredging, and "improving" the area. Dozens of species of Florida's unique wildlife, including alligators and manatees, live on the park's more than 11,300 acres. Bird-watchers will be delighted by glimpses of rare and endangered species such as the bald eagle, the Florida scrub-jay, and the Florida sandhill crane, which still call this park home. You can rent canoes from the concessions stand to explore the Loxahatchee River on your own. Admission is $6 per car of up to eight adults, $4 per single-occupant vehicle, and $2 for hikers, bikers, and walkers. The park is open from 8am to sundown.

Close to Jonathan Dickinson State Park is Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, on North Beach Road off S.R. 708, at the north end of Jupiter Island (tel. 772/546-6141). This is one of the best places to spot sea turtles that nest on the shore in the summer months, especially in June and July. Because it's home to a large variety of other plant and animal species, the park is worth visiting the rest of the year as well. Admission is free but it costs $5 per car to park, and the preserve is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Exact times are posted at each entrance and change seasonally.

The non-profit Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, 17855 Rocky Pines Rd., Jupiter (tel. 575-3399) is another critter-rich attraction, featuring 20 acres of nature trails and habitats of protected and rehabbed species including deer, fox, screech owls, hawks, bald eagles, squirrels, birds, reptiles, and more. Nearly 6,000 animals a year are admitted to the Sanctuary for treatment, mostly from human-related injuries. Daily programs include gator and bird feedings, otter experiences, and story times. Kids especially love the Reptile Complex. Admission is by donation and they’re open daily from 10am to 4:30pm.

Summertime sea turtle walks are another eye-opening and wonderful nature activity, offered at several parks and center. The Hobe Sound Nature Center, 13640 SE Federal Highway, (hobesoundnaturecenter.org; 📞727/546-2067), does them Thursday and Fridays at 8pm  from the end of May through July for $5 donation per person; and in Stuart, the Florida Oceanographic Society, 890 NE Ocean Blvd., (floridaocean.org; 📞772/225-0505), offers the most scientific, comprehensive night walks Thursdays May through July for $35 per person.

A Boat Tour

The Loxahatchee Queen II & III (tel. 561/746-1466), 22- and 60-passenger pontoon boats in Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound, make daily tours of the area’s otherwise inaccessible backwater, where curious alligators, manatees, eagles, and tortoises often peek out to see who’s in their yard. We prefer the tours that include a stop at Trapper Nelson’s home, an add on to the regular boat tours, which we highly recommend (this one’s a 2 hour tour). Known as the “Wildman of Loxahatchee,” Nelson lived in primitive conditions in a log cabin he built himself, now preserved for visitors. Tours leave four times daily—at 9am, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm and cost $25 for adults, $15 for children 6 to 12, and $30 for adults, $16.50 for children 6 to 12 including that stop at Trapper’s house.