A Day Trip to Historic Downtown Stuart

About 25 minutes south of Port St. Lucie, Stuart has quietly become one of our favorite recommendations for a half-day trip — a genuinely charming historic downtown, good restaurants, and a laid-back riverside feel that’s a little different from the rest of the Treasure Coast.

What to do there

• Wander the historic downtown’s boutiques and galleries
• Walk the Riverwalk along the St. Lucie River
• Visit the Elliott Museum or the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center nearby
• Grab lunch at one of the riverside restaurants

Combine it with the beach

Stuart Beach itself is one of the loveliest on Hutchinson Island — covered picnic areas, restrooms, and volleyball courts, close to both the museum and the Coastal Center. It makes an easy full-day loop: beach in the morning, lunch downtown, and a wander through the shops before heading back.

Stuart calls itself the Sailfish Capital of the World, and if deep-sea fishing charters interest you, this is generally where to look for them along the Treasure Coast.