(Updated October 2023)
If you are looking to spend a perfect weekend in Florida and don’t want to include the magical mouse of Orlando or the fast-paced high-rise glamour & glitz of Miami, then you might find what you are looking for in the charming coastal town of Stuart. I like it so much that I have made this town on the Treasure Coast of Florida my home. Since I live here, I have a chance to visit these locations periodically during the year. Come with us as we take you on a perfect three-day weekend in Stuart, Florida.
Places to Stay:
Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa
If the beach is where you desire to stay, I recommend the Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa. This hotel has been totally rebuilt after a hurricane took out the old Holiday Inn and the facilities are beautiful. Upon arrival, you will notice the hotel’s lobby, restaurants, and rooms are decorated in coastal chic tones with bold nautical stripes and touches of driftwood. Try the fish tacos in the Drift Kitchen & Bar. They are the best in the area.
Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa: 3793 NE Ocean Blvd, Jensen Beach
Old Colorado Inn
If the beach is not your thing, then the Old Colorado Inn is located in the heart of Historic Downtown Stuart. The inn offers deluxe studios, spacious and luxurious suites, a charming cottage, and four spacious historic guest houses nestled in a casual tropical setting. If you stay here, it puts you within walking distance to restaurants, concerts at the Lyric Theatre & boutique shopping, plus you are just 100 yards from the St. Lucie River. Hotel & guest houses, while originally built 1890 – 1914, have recently been restored with a touch of modern elegance.
Old Colorado Inn: 211 S Colorado Ave, Stuart
Day One
“Confusion Corner”
One of Historic Downtown Stuart’s most notable tourist attractions is an intersection – known as “Confusion Corner”. You will just have to drive through this maze to experience it for yourself and you probably will several times over the days you will be here. This Downtown Discombobulated Disarray is the coming together of eight different streets as Flagler Avenue, East Ocean, and West Ocean Blvd, Colorado Avenue, A1A North & South, Dixie Highway, plus throw in a freight train or two and a passenger train reaching speeds up to 80 MPH and you have one of the most confusing intersections a driver could ever imagine. Confusion Corner drew legendary CBS newsman Charles Kuralt to Stuart in 1979 to film a segment for his popular “On the Road” series.
A visit to downtown Stuart is not complete until you’ve driven through this mind-boggling, circular attempt at navigating traffic. Be careful!
Check out a show at The Lyric Theatre:
Try and plan your getaway around a concert at the Lyric Theatre. This showplace is a historic theatre in Downtown Stuart that seats only 500 patrons. Take a look at the calendar for a show at the Lyric. There is seriously not a bad seat in the house.
The Lyric Theatre: 59 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart
Stuart Heritage Museum
I like to find out a little bit about the area that I am visiting. There is no better way to do this than to pay a visit to the Stuart Heritage Museum. The museum claims that it has the most comprehensive history of all Stuart and Martin County. Volunteers will be kind enough to tell some fascinating stories about the history of Stuart.
Stuart Heritage Museum: 161 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart
The Stuart Riverwalk
This boardwalk on the St. Lucie River takes you past the Stuart Boathouse, the Riverwalk stage, below the Roosevelt Bridge, and then under the railroad tracks. The path continues past The Sailor’s Return and on to Gilbert’s Coffee House where you can sip a cup of Joe, listen to some live music, and wait for the sunset.
Gilbert’s Coffee Bar
One of my favorite coffee shops in Stuart is Gilbert’s Coffee Bar. It is located right on the waterfront. It’s a great place to watch the sunset or get up early for a morning walk along the river with Gilbert’s as your destination. Grab a coffee and some baked goodies, then choose a spot on the deck and enjoy the morning. They also have indoor seating if that is your choice. Enjoy live music by the fire pit in the evening.
Gilbert’s Coffee Bar: 615 SW Anchorage Way, Stuart
Day Two
Sunrise at Indian Riverside Park
Take a stroll along the Indian River Lagoon on the 3/4 mile scenic walking path at Indian Riverside Park. This is a popular walking path for local residents. The pathway leads around a lake and down a hill to the river. The river boardwalk is the nicest part- you walk elevated looking out on the Indian River Lagoon. It makes an excellent location to view the sunrise.
The entire walk is lovely as you walk past many water birds that call the lake home. There are shade and benches to rest and watch the wildlife.
Indian Riverside Park: 1707 NE Indian River Dr, Jensen Beach
Breakfast at Jan’s Place in Jensen Beach
A good place to go for breakfast in Martin County since you are in the area is Jan’s Place in Downtown Jensen Beach. The difficulty here is picking a choice from omelets, eggs benedict, pancakes, or French toast. The portions here are huge. Make sure you get one of their delicious muffins from the grill. You can stop by their bakery on the way out and take home a bag.
Jan’s Place: 990 NE Jensen Beach Blvd, Jensen Beach
Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center
The Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center is located on a 57-acre marine life nature center on Hutchinson Island in Stuart. It is between the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. As you enter the Eco-Center you will see exhibits and galleries dedicated to protecting Florida’s coastal ecosystems. The exhibits are fun, engaging, and educational.
Programs are scheduled throughout the day including stingray and gamefish feeding. Take a hike on the nature trail that will take you to the Indian River Lagoon. Over 20 different species of fish can all be seen in Florida Oceanographic’s 750,000-gallon game fish lagoon. It’s actually a giant saltwater fish tank. We were able to see nurse sharks, stingrays, and sea turtles up close.
Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center 890 NE Ocean Blvd, Stuart
Lunch at Luna’s
Established in 1991, Luna’s Italian Cuisine often referred to as a” Stuart landmark” draws an eclectic neighborhood crowd and is located in the Historic Downtown area. With its creative mouth-watering entrees and specialty pizzas, Luna knows how to satisfy all appetites and budgets. You have to try the irresistible Garlic Knots. You can eat outside or casual dining inside.
Luna’s Italian Cuisine 49 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart
Downtown Stuart Shopping
After lunch, take the afternoon strolling the streets of Downtown Stuart. Wander in the locally owned shops and browse around. This is where you can pick up some island attire from the many fashion boutiques to wear on your vacation. Stuart is dedicated to maintaining a distinctive appearance in keeping with downtown’s “Old Florida” charm. We loved wandering in and out of the stores on Osceola Street. You can visit stores like Gumbo Limbo, Island Cotton Company, Simple Pleasures, Monkee’s, and Earthtones for many cool retro items. Cool off with a cold beer or cocktail on the water at The Boat House.
Dinner at The Gafford
After a dip in the pool and a siesta at your hotel, you are going to want to head back for some upscale dining in Historic Downtown Stuart. Look no further than The Gafford. This popular family-owned restaurant serves creative, Southern-style comfort food. The Gafford has a full bar and takes martinis to a whole new level. Instead of the typical martini, The Gafford’s are handcrafted. Bartenders infuse their cocktails with pineapple or blood orange – giving the dry martini a burst of fruity flavor. Try their famous Pineapple Martini. If you go, I recommend you make reservations.
The Gafford: 47 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart
Kilwins Chocolates & Ice Cream
If you have a sweet tooth for ice cream or homemade chocolates, then walk over to Kilwins after dinner. Kilwin’s offers more than 30 flavors of original recipe ice cream and over 100 chocolates, fudge, caramel apples, and much more. They will even cut up your caramel apple for you.
You can get some ice cream and go for an evening stroll on the Riverwalk.
Kilwins Chocolates & Ice Cream: 31 SW Osceola St, Stuart
Day Three
Breakfast – Berry Fresh
My personal favorite breakfast spot is The Berry Fresh Cafe. You will enjoy made-from-scratch foods and a farm-to-table experience. They make their own delicious jellies, jams, and apple butter at Berry Fresh. The menu changes with the seasons. Try a sack of their blueberry fritters. Great food at reasonable prices and always served with a welcoming smile. It can get crowded on weekends, but that’s because their food is so good and their portions are huge. You won’t be disappointed.
Berry Fresh Cafe: 1429 SE Federal Highway, Stuart
After Breakfast: Head to The Market on Main Street
The Market on Main Street operates all year, bringing you the finest locally-made foods, crafts, arts, and entertainment the community has to offer. You can find local produce, farm eggs, bakery items, pet specialties, coffee, handmade soaps & body products, art, & music. Located in Flagler Park downtown next to the river.
Market on Main Street: 201 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart
Rock n’ Riverwalk
Rock n’ Riverwalk in Downtown Stuart is a concert series held every Sunday at 1 p.m. Come out and set up your chairs under the shade of the trees and listen to some good ole foot-stomping music.
The House of Refuge
Step back in time with a visit to the House of Refuge Museum at Gilbert’s Bar. Constructed in 1876, this is the oldest building in Martin County. Built as one of ten refuges along the East Coast of Florida, it is the only remaining House of Refuge on the East Coast. Sailors used to be rescued from stranded ships in hurricanes or shipwrecks. Food, medicine, clothing, and a bed were provided to victims who were found after a storm. The house is just like it was in times when it was used. A great piece of history to learn about.
The beaches surrounding the structure are gorgeous. When guests come and visit, this is always one area that I take them to impress. One of the best Instagram-worthy locations in Martin County. If you time your visit to arrive about one hour before high tide, you will get a terrific show of the waves crashing against the rocks.
The House of Refuge: 301 S.E. MacArthur Boulevard, on Hutchinson Island east of Stuart, Florida
Santa Lucea Beach
There are several beaches to pick from if you are visiting Stuart. Bathtub Beach is great if you have kids, Stuart Beach is the most popular beach that many people go to, but if you are looking for a beach that is not as crowded make your destination Santa Lucea Beach. The beach is just north of the House of Refuge. Take the wooden boardwalk from the free parking lot to the beach. Be careful, and don’t park next to clumps of trees as there have been reports of thieves hiding in the forage ready to break into cars unseen. There are no lifeguards or facilities at this beach, but the views are outstanding.
Santa Lucea Beach: 55 NE McArthur Blvd. Hutchinson Island
Dinner at The Sailor’s Return
One of the most relaxing places to have dinner and an excellent choice to wrap up your three-day weekend in Stuart is a restaurant that gives you one of the best sunset views on the St. Lucie River. The Sailor’s Return offers dramatic views of the water and sunsets every night.
It was a nice evening to sit outside enjoying cocktails and dinner. I would recommend making reservations here in advance as it does get crowded on a nice evening.
The Sailor’s Return is located on Stuart’s Riverwalk, which is a perfect way to walk off a great meal and talk about what a great weekend this was. It is hard not to fall head over heels for the town of Stuart.
The Sailor’s Return: 625 SW Anchorage Way, Stuart
Downtown Stuart is the winner of the “Great Places in Florida” award by the American Planning Association for its “Old Florida” charm, laid-back coastal elegance, and friendly residents. Sometimes that small-town charm is just what you need to slow down and hit the refresh button. It is the perfect place for a three-day weekend or more.
If you have visited Stuart, please comment below and tell me about your favorite experience.
