Make your base: Jensen Beach
Travel dates: November
Hotel: Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa
What I Loved
When my son told me he was eager to see fighter jets (we’re somehow always out of town for the Tampa Bay AirFest), I searched online and found the Stuart Air Show, held every November. It was the perfect excuse to head to the east coast for a weekend and explore a part of the state where I hadn’t spent much time. Hutchinson Island sprawls across two barrier islands separated by the Fort Pierce Inlet. I chose to stay in Martin County and Jensen Beach, just south of the inlet, where the beaches are long and lonely.
Our luxe room at the 178-key Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa sat perched above a pristine stretch of golden sand, with very few footprints or buildings nearby—just a handful of residences. Sunrise strolls were divine and sleeping with the sliding door open to the sound of the surf was the dopamine boost I didn’t know I was craving.
When we weren’t lounging on the sand or at the hotel pool post-air show, I took the kids to spot nurse sharks, sea turtles and stingrays in the 750,000-gallon, open-air game fish lagoon at the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center. We also visited the county’s oldest structure, the House of Refuge, a historic site where shipwrecked sailors once sought shelter. The Elliott Museum was another surprise, home to an incredible cache of Florida artifacts including more than 50 classic cars stored in a three-story glass-walled garage. With the push of a button, you can summon them for a closer look.
We’d start each day with breakfast just beyond the dunes at the hotel’s restaurant, Drift Kitchen & Bar, or at the chickee hut along the beach at Seaside Café (don’t miss the delicious shrimp and grits). It’s also worth crossing over the Intracoastal Waterway for pedestrian-friendly downtown Stuart, where boutiques, bars and great seafood restaurants like Riverwalk Café & Oyster Bar await.
Next time…
Sea turtle nesting season runs from March to the end of October, and I’d love to return for one of the free guided eco-tours with Explore Natural Martin to see them (along with other wildlife, including Florida scrub jays and dolphins). Divers and snorkelers should bookmark the Georges Valentine Shipwreck. Located roughly 100 yards offshore from the House of Refuge, it’s one of 12 Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserves.
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