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Fort Pierce is a city of about 48,000 people on Florida's Treasure Coast, the seat of St. Lucie County, set on the Indian River Lagoon across from Hutchinson Island and the Atlantic Ocean. It grew around an army post built in 1838 during the Second Seminole War, named for Benjamin K. Pierce, and later became a center for citrus, cattle and fishing.
The city has a strong cultural story. Writer Zora Neale Hurston spent her final years here, and the Florida Highwaymen, a group of African American landscape painters, were inspired by local artist A.E. Backus, whose museum stands on the downtown waterfront. During World War II, the Navy trained its first frogmen on these beaches, remembered today at the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum.
Downtown Fort Pierce has the restored Sunrise Theatre, a popular Saturday farmers market and a manatee center. Across the inlet, Fort Pierce Inlet State Park and South Jetty Park offer beaches, surfing and fishing, while Heathcote Botanical Gardens and Jack Island Preserve add quiet green spaces.
The official museum of the Navy SEALs, on North Hutchinson Island where the first Navy frogmen trained in World War II. Exhibits include weapons, boats, vehicles, a lifeboat from the Maersk Alabama rescue and an outdoor obstacle course. Allow two hours; there is an admission fee.
A waterfront museum honoring Florida landscape painter A.E. Backus, who mentored the young African American artists later known as the Florida Highwaymen. It shows his paintings, rotating exhibitions and Highwaymen works, many for sale. Small and easy to visit in an hour.
A restored 1923 vaudeville and movie theater on Second Street downtown, now a performing arts center hosting concerts, comedy, Broadway tours and community shows. The ornate hall seats about 1,200. Check the schedule, and arrive early for dinner at a nearby downtown restaurant.
The small concrete-block house where author Zora Neale Hurston lived in her final years, now a National Historic Landmark. It is part of the Zora Neale Hurston Dust Tracks Heritage Trail, a series of markers around town telling her story, ending at her grave in the Garden of Heavenly Rest. View it from outside.
A state park on North Hutchinson Island at the mouth of the Fort Pierce Inlet, with a wide beach, a rock jetty, good surf breaks and a short dune trail. It is popular with surfers, anglers and families. There is a per-car entry fee; lifeguards are present only at limited times.
A small county park on the south side of the Fort Pierce Inlet, with a long rock jetty for fishing, a beach and views of boats heading out to sea. Dolphins are often seen in the inlet. It is a good spot for sunrise; parking is limited on weekends and during good surf days.
A three-acre botanical garden with themed areas including a Japanese garden, a palm walk, herb and native plant gardens and one of the largest public bonsai collections in the region. It is a peaceful, shaded walk of about an hour, with a gift shop and plant sales.
A small nature center on the downtown waterfront where manatees often gather in the cool months near the Moore's Creek outflow. Exhibits explain the animals and the lagoon, and a viewing deck overlooks the water. Visit from December to March for the best chance to see manatees.
A small aquarium on Seaway Drive, once the Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit, with tanks recreating local habitats from seagrass beds and mangroves to coral reefs, plus touch tanks for kids. It is an easy one-hour visit, often combined with the nearby beaches and inlet parks.
A popular Saturday morning market held on the downtown waterfront by the marina, with produce, seafood, baked goods, plants and crafts, plus live music. It runs year-round and is a good way to start a day downtown. Come early for the best selection and easier parking.
A state-owned mangrove island in the Indian River Lagoon reached by a footbridge off A1A north of Fort Pierce, with a four-mile loop trail and an observation tower over the water. It is good for birding and spotting dolphins. There is little shade, so bring water and a hat.
A walkable historic downtown along the Indian River Lagoon, with restaurants, galleries, shops, the Sunrise Theatre and a marina. A waterfront promenade links the Backus Museum and the Manatee Center. Visit on a Saturday for the farmers market or on Friday evenings for events.
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