Written by: Gabriela Young
Just off the coasts of Martin County and St. Lucie County, Hutchinson Island, Florida spans about 24 miles, with the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Indian River on the west. On this barrier island, you will find that there are a variety of activities to engage in, from kayak tours to museums, Hutchinson Island has it all. Let’s explore some of the top 10 activities to do on this beautiful island off the coast of South Florida!
1. Bathtub Beach
Courtesy to VisitFlorida.com
Take advantage of this gorgeous soft sand beach with clear waters on a sunny day with the family, or by yourself, if you need some “me time.” There’s nothing like laying back, feeling the ocean breeze, and the warmth of the sun on a nice beach day, and Bathtub Beach is just the beach for that. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, you can try snorkeling and diving at the offshore coral reef. You can even bring the kiddos since the water is nice and calm due to the reef breaking the waves. Lastly, just when you thought that Bathtub Beach could not get any better — Martin County just added more sand dunes and sea oats to keep this beautiful beach protected for years. Come get your tan on!
2. Horseback Riding on the Beach
Courtesy to VisitStLucie.com
Something so unique about Hutchinson Island, compared to other beaches in South Florida, is that they allow horseback riding tours on the beach! If you love horseback riding, then you will be in heaven horseback riding on the beaches of Hutchinson Island. Even if you aren’t an avid horseback rider, this is such a different way to experience Hutchinson Island beaches, and the entire family can stick together on their own horses. If this is something you and your family/friends would be interested in, you can head over to Frederick Douglass Memorial Park and rides are every Saturday and Sunday. These will most definitely make for amazing pictures as well!
3. Motorized Kayak Tours
Courtesy to Motorized Kayak Instagram Account
To get a glimpse of a different part of the island, take a tour on a motorized kayak. You don’t have to do any work, just sit back and relax, and be amazed by all the nature around you. Tours go through mangrove canopy forests on the Indian River Lagoon and there are also full moon and sunset tours on the St. Lucie River. With these tours, all you have to do is steer and Motorized Kayak Adventures does the rest. This is a great way to look into the ecosystems of Hutchinson Island and to be immersed in nature. Also, if you’re lucky, you might even see a dolphin right next to you!
4. Island Princess Cruises
Courtesy to IslandPrincessCruises.com
Don’t have your own boat, but want to sail around the rivers flowing through Hutchinson Island? Take a boat tour with Island Princess Cruises! They offer different kinds of boat tours ranging from boat parties, sunset cruises, and full moon cruises. Depending on your vibe, you can have a fun-filled day or a peaceful cruise down the river. A popular boat tour on Hutchinson Island is the St. Lucie River Lunch Cruise. This is a 6-hour lunch cruise and is perfect for a date or with the family. The captain narrates the history of the St. Lucie Canal while you sit back eating a nice meal and taking in the scenery around you. (P.S. there’s a full-service bar for your convenience).
5. Turtle Walks
Courtesy to VisitFlorida.com
A perfect activity for a summer-time visit to Hutchinson Island are turtle walks. Since turtles dig their nests in June and July, FPL Turtle Walks are conducted every Friday and Saturday during these months. It is a rare sighting to see these mama turtles lay their eggs, but when you do, it is so exciting! Since you don’t want to disturb these turtles, there is a limited capacity of 50 people per tour. Book your tour today with FPL Turtle Walks so you don’t miss your chance to see a turtle lay her eggs! This is a Florida tradition for families, and it would be a great way to make it one of yours too.
6. Elliott Museum
Courtesy to aacasouthflorida.club
Let’s take a shift in gears — if you’re not one for all these beach activities, Hutchinson Island offers other kinds of activities as well. The Elliott Museum was started by Harmon Elliott, son of an inventor, here in the Stuart area. He created the museum in honor of his dad, and the museum brings life to all the historical artifacts on display. Once you walk into this museum, you will be transported back into prior decades with antique Ford trucks, vintage baseball cards, and, of course, Hutchinson Island’s oldest artifacts. This is perfect for all the history buffs or just anyone who is interested in Hutchinson Island’s history. To get the full rundown, the museum offers tours to groups of 10 or more guests. Book your tour today to be transported back in time!
7. Gilbert’s Bar House and Refuge
Courtesy to fpangoingpublic.blogspot.com
When on Hutchinson Island, you might as well head to the oldest building on the Treasure Coast: Gilbert’s Bar House and Refuge. This building once served as a refuge for sailors who were looking for treasure, cue the name “Treasure Coast.” Today, this house is a museum. In this museum, you can find historical artifacts ranging from maritime artifacts, the “House” keeper’s furniture and belongings, and items from shipwrecks. You can book your tour with the same company as the tours with the Elliott Museum. Feel like a pirate for the day!
8. The Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center
Courtesy to Floridaocean.org
This one is the perfect day-time activity for the entire family! The Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center is a non-profit nature center that inspires environmental friendly practices for Florida’s ecosystems. You and your family can walk through the center admiring the marine life, and there are also events you can take part in to help make a difference for Florida’s coastal environment. A few of these events include: oyster shell bagging, world ocean day beach cleanup, oyster reef restoration project, and nighttime sea turtle walks. They truly believe education and hands on experience is the best way to help the ecosystems. Check out their center to learn something new and to help make a difference!
9. Island Dunes Country Club
Courtesy to golfpass.com
Perfect for golf lovers — Island Dunes Country Club is a nine-hole course open to the public during the summer months. This is great for those who love to golf, and to get away from all the sea life and museum activities, to just enjoy some downtown at the golf course. Island Dunes has beautiful greenery and three different sets of tees for different levels. Enjoy the bermuda grass and hit some balls while on the island!
10. Next Level Watersports
Courtesy to nextlevelwatersports.com
Last but not least, let’s talk water sport activities! Hutchinson Island offers many relaxing activities, but if you’re someone who needs a little more action, check out Next Level Watersports! The company offers lessons and rentals of their water sport machines. Next Level Watersports offers kiteboarding, wakeboarding and tubing, efoiling, and hydrofoiling. There is also a watersports kids camp — perfect for parents who need to get away from a little date on the island! The water sport activities may sound like a foreign language, but just check out their website for pictures and a break down of what each activity entails.
We hope this list helped you to enjoy your stay on Hutchinson Island! This island truly offers so many different kinds of activities and is so beautiful to stay on. Let us know in the comments if you have any other activities to do on Hutchinson Island that we missed!
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