Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
A scenic drive with Old Florida charm
The Indian River Lagoon is too wide to build a lot of bridges across it. As a result, some stretches on the west side of the lagoon have remained immune from extensive development — good news if you love Old Florida flavor.
One of the best sections is the 20-mile stretch between Stuart and Fort Pierce, which offers a scenic drive with enough interesting places to make it a good day trip or weekend destination.
The scenic drive
Starting at the south, you will want to leave Stuart via Sewall’s Point, a lovely residential island only a few blocks wide with the Indian River Lagoon to its east. The lavishly landscaped mansions are fun to gape at, and as you head north, the road begins to hug the shore of the lagoon, which it does for the next 20 miles. The views of the lagoon with palm trees along the shore and long docks stretching into the shallow water are the stuff of postcards.
As you approach Jensen Beach, you pass through a few blocks of picturesque cottages, many painted tropical colors and looking like a scene from Florida in the 1950s.
Downtown Jensen Beach
The historic riverfront downtown in Jensen Beach starts at the corner of Northeast Jensen Beach Boulevard with Mulligans Beach
House cafe, 2019 NE Jensen Beach Blvd., which sets the tone with its outdoor seating along the sidewalk. There are two or three blocks of shops, galleries and restaurants, wrapping around onto Maple Avenue, where more Old Florida cottages house commercial establishments. The downtown is cute, but not extensive.
A few blocks north of downtown along the lagoon is a classic stop: Conchy Joe’s Seafood, 3945 NE Indian River Drive. Conchy Joe’s, with its big chickee roof, spectacular lagoon views, local seafood and reggae music, looks like it has been here forever. It hasn’t: It opened in 1979 and has been a favorite ever since.
Between Jensen Beach and Fort Pierce
This 15 mile stretch is pure Old Florida, with great views the whole way. Take your time: The speed limit is 35 miles per hour. You’ll see a mix of cottages and mansions, but no condos or high rises. In the distance, you’ll see the two towers of the FPL St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant across the lagoon.
If you’re looking for a spot to stretch your legs, take a hike or have a picnic, look for Walton Road and head west. The low-lying two-lane road (which can be underwater after heavy rain) looks like it’s going nowhere, but just 2 miles west of the lagoon is Savannas Preserve State Park, 2541 Walton Road.
The savannas are extensive fresh water marshes. The park preserves a 10-mile section of these marshes, which once stretched all along Florida’s southeast coast. Savannas Preserve is the biggest piece that has been saved. The park has an extensive trail system.
The nature center is worth a quick visit for its well-executed display about Jensen Beach’s heyday as “Pineapple Capital of the World.” In 1895, pineapple plantations covered the coastal ridge from Stuart to Vero Beach, with more than 1 million crates shipped a year. Freezes, fires and financial calamities killed the pineapple business and the land was planted with citrus. (And that’s why we’ve all heard of Indian River citrus and not Indian River pineapples!) The nature center is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Savannas Preserve State Park has some attractive picnic spots, including waterfront tables near the canoe launch, which is three-quarters of a mile up a dirt road from the visitor center.
Once you’re back on Indian River Drive, watch for lovely little Old Fort Park, 1001 S Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce. The park was the site of the original fort of Fort Pierce during the Second Seminole War. It also holds a burial mound built by the Ais Indians, who inhabited this coastal area until they were wiped out in the 1700s.
Things to do in Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce has made the most of its location on the Indian River Lagoon. It’s easy to spend time hanging out in its City Marina ,1 Avenue A, right at the base of downtown. There are great views and benches, a chickee hut bar/restaurant, fishing boats and, if you’re lucky, visiting manatees. On our stop, a manatee mom and baby were floating in the marina’s southwestern corner, where a boat captain told us one often sees manatees basking.
Indeed, the Fort Pierce Manatee Observation and Education Center, 480 N. Indian River Drive, is a one-block stroll from the marina and might appeal to visiting families. Admission is $1 per person to the educational exhibits.
The marina is the place to take boat trips into the lagoon in search of dolphins, manatees and birds.
We took the Indian River Lagoon and Swampland Boat Tours (90 minutes; $23 for adults, $15 kids under 15) and were rewarded with many dolphins and informative commentary about the region’s history and the lagoon’s ecology.
The Manatee Center also offers a 90-minute wildlife boat tour with similar pricing.
Little Jim’s Bridge Bait & Tackle
My favorite place in Fort Pierce, however, is a historic fish camp on the North Beach Causeway. This place is full of Old Florida history.
Little Jim’s, 601 N. Causeway, dates to World War II, when thousands of sailors and soldiers were being trained on Hutchinson Island. Only authorized personnel could go to the barrier island and the building that is now the bait shop was the guard shack and checkpoint at the bridge.
Among those men being trained were members of the Navy Combat Demolition Units, later called the Underwater Demolition Teams or frogmen, and then, even later, Navy Seals. A fascinating museum about the Navy Seals is on the beach just across this bridge.
After the war, the abandoned guard post quickly was opened as a bait shop and it’s been selling cold beer and live bait ever since. Along the way, WWII vets came back to visit their training site and often stopped by. That’s how Little Jim’s acquired all sorts of Navy Seals signs and memorabilia.
Little Jim’s serves fish and subs in a general-store sort of atmosphere. There’s outdoor seating, a great view of a mangrove-lined bay called Shorty’s Slough and live music on some afternoons. When, a few years ago, the city (which owns the property) looked to replace the bait shop with a business that would bring in more revenue, the locals rallied and the city decided to let Little Jim’s live on.
Little Jim’s is a good place to put in a kayak and explore the wildlife-filled waters and shore of the lagoon. The bay is a quiet spot, with much of the land belonging to Fort Pierce Inlet State Park.
You can rent kayaks from Little Jim’s. Call 561-371-2756 for details.
Smithsonian Marine Station
Here’s one final stop to fill out your Indian River Lagoon exploration: a tiny outpost of the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian Marine Station, 420 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, is a small aquarium located on the South Causeway Bridge very close to downtown Fort Pierce. There’s a large living reef exhibit and a variety of smaller tanks and exhibits.
That large tank was originally in the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., where it was one of the first living reefs ever on display. Today, while aquariums have gotten more sophisticated and tanks larger and larger, this, one of the originals, is still a dazzling display.
The museum attracts great volunteers, who answer questions and make sure the touch tanks are engaging and interactive.
You can see everything in the museum in about 25 minutes but it’s worth the $4 admission. The aquarium is closed on Mondays.
Having experienced the west side of the lagoon, a good return trip is along A1A on the east side of the lagoon. It’s full of great scenery, funky beach bars and pristine beaches. But that’s a story for another day.