BEYOND TYPICAL TOURIST SPOTS ON THE SUNSHINE STATE
Florida’s Treasure Coast isn’t all beaches, swamps and alligators. You can enjoy a margarita at a tiki bar, go for a sail and cheer on a baseball team. Complete your itinerary with these excursions.
Get cultured: Whether you want to ponder the meaning behind Oriente-Poniente, a compelling sculpture of wooden chopsticks surrounding a collection of plastic forks, marvel at a lifelike sculpture of a security guard sitting in the corner or walk around the impressive Alice and Jim Beckwith Sculpture Park outside, there is much to see at the 75,000-square-foot Vero Beach Museum of Art. Details: verobeachmuseum.org.
Go treasure hunting: In 1715, a fleet of 12 Spanish ships were heading home with a year’s worth of silver and gold from the New World. A hurricane destroyed the wooden ships and left enormous amounts of treasure at the bottom of the ocean. At McLarty Treasure Museum in Vero Beach, guide Ed Perry may show you the Spanish reale he found with a metal detector on the beach. He now wears the reale on a chain around his neck. Details: Look up the museum on Facebook.
Try the fish dip: The house rule at Captain Hiram’s Resort beachfront restaurant in Sebastian is: “When you’re by the water in Florida, you have to order fish.” There’s plenty of it on the menu, including fish tacos, peel ’n’ eat shrimp and Dirty Oysters, and fresh-shucked oysters served with caviar, sour cream, onions and hot sauce. You can enjoy your feast of fish inside or outside on an old surfboard, or in an old fishing boat. Details: hirams.com.
Enjoy the music and margaritas: A legendary spot among locals, the Kona Beach Café’s two tiki bars, impressive selection of fish tacos and margaritas have seen the establishment clean up at the annual Taste of Jensen Beach competition time and time again. If you go on a Thursday, head to Jammin’ Jensen after dinner and wander around downtown Jensen Beach for music and an arts and crafts market. Details: konabeachcafe.com.
Take in a ball game: The St. Lucie Mets, a minor-league team that plays in the Florida State League, is the High A affiliate of the New York Mets. The team plays in the gorgeous Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie, where you can enjoy a hot bratwurst and cold beer while cheering on the team. You’ll also cheer when a young man about 18 catches a fly ball and happily gives it to a little boy a few rows back. Details: stluciemets.com.
Take a sunset sail: Get comfortable on Capt. Bruce Jackson’s luxury catamaran Moonraker and enjoy a couple of hours cruising up the Indian River Lagoon. Wave at the other boats — people on board will wave back — watch the sun go down, and admire gorgeous mansions up and down the river. You’ll want to try the hammock in the stern, but don’t hog it because everyone else on board will want to try it, too. Details: sailmoonraker.com.