Best of St. Lucie County
A visitor guide to the old river port, the big new city and the barrier-island beaches in the middle of the Treasure Coast.
See things to do »St. Lucie County at a Glance
St. Lucie County sits in the middle of Florida’s Treasure Coast, about an hour north of West Palm Beach. It is two very different places side by side. Fort Pierce, the county seat, is a small, historic river town on the Indian River Lagoon with a working inlet, a farmers market that fills the waterfront every Saturday and deep roots in Florida art and Black history. Port St. Lucie, to the south, is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, laid out in the 1960s along the North Fork of the St. Lucie River and now home to more people than the rest of the county combined.
Fort Pierce has more history than its size suggests. During World War II, the Navy trained the first frogmen of its Underwater Demolition Teams on the beaches here, the origin story told at the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum on North Hutchinson Island. The novelist Zora Neale Hurston spent her final years in town, and in the 1950s a group of young Black painters from Fort Pierce, later called the Highwaymen, began selling bright Florida landscapes from the trunks of their cars. Both stories can be traced on heritage trails and at the A.E. Backus Museum downtown.
Hutchinson Island gives the county about 21 miles of Atlantic beach. North of the Fort Pierce Inlet are state parks, a lagoon preserve and the SEAL Museum; south of the inlet, along South Ocean Drive, a chain of county beach parks offers lifeguarded swimming, a dog beach and room for horseback riding on the sand. High-rises are few, and many stretches feel empty outside of winter weekends.
Port St. Lucie draws visitors for baseball, golf and the river. The New York Mets have held spring training at Clover Park since 1988, and the PGA Village courses are open to the public. Along the North Fork, a botanical garden, a county eco-center and a new riverfront district give the city a green side that many first-time visitors miss.
The Indian River Lagoon ties the county together. It runs the full length of the coast between the mainland and Hutchinson Island, shallow and brackish, with seagrass beds, mangrove shorelines and small spoil islands that boaters use as picnic spots. Manatees, dolphins and wading birds are common sights from the causeways, and the lagoon is easy to explore by kayak from launches at Jack Island, Little Mud Creek and the Fort Pierce waterfront. Anglers work the inlet and the bridges for snook, redfish and tarpon, and charter captains run offshore trips from the marinas on Seaway Drive. Visitors who prefer to stay dry can watch it all from a waterfront table.
This guide covers three areas, each with a page of highlights and bookable tours where they exist, plus a dining guide of restaurants we checked are operating and a list of the events that come back every year. Winter and spring are the busy seasons; summer is hot, slower and the time for sea turtle nesting on the island.
Explore St. Lucie County by Area
Top-Rated Things to Do in St. Lucie County
Tours, tickets, prices and reviews from Viator (a Tripadvisor company) and Tiqets — prices are per person, from, and were checked October 27, 2026. Best of St. Lucie County may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
Where to Eat in St. Lucie County
A bait-and-tackle bar under a causeway, fish houses on the inlet, a 1940s beach bar, fresh pasta and hard cider in downtown Fort Pierce and Italian dinners in Port St. Lucie: our dining guide lists 15 places we checked are operating.
St. Lucie County dining guide »
Festivals and Events in St. Lucie County
Spring training and the county fair fill February and March. Downtown Fort Pierce throws a free street party most first Fridays, the Navy SEAL Museum holds its Muster each November, and December brings a lighted boat parade and a downtown Christmas parade.
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St. Lucie County — FAQ
Should I stay in Fort Pierce or Port St. Lucie?
Stay in or near Fort Pierce if you want the beach, the inlet and a walkable historic downtown. Port St. Lucie suits travelers coming for spring training, golf or a quiet base near I-95 and the Turnpike, and it has more chain hotels.
What is the nearest airport?
Palm Beach International is about an hour south of Port St. Lucie, and Vero Beach Regional, just north of the county line, has seasonal and year-round airline service. Orlando International is about two hours away. Treasure Coast International in Fort Pierce serves private and business aviation.
When is the best time to visit?
February and March bring dry weather and Mets spring training, and also the highest hotel rates. April, May and November are good compromises. Summer is hot, with afternoon storms, and falls in hurricane season.
Do I need a car?
Yes. Local buses connect the main roads, but beaches, parks and the two cities are spread out. Downtown Fort Pierce is easy to explore on foot once you park.
Is St. Lucie County good for families?
Yes. The Manatee Observation and Education Center, the aquarium at the South Causeway, the SEAL Museum and calm lagoon beaches all work well for children, and spring training games are an easy family outing.