Things To Do in Port Saint Lucie
December 12, 2016
Port Saint Lucie
Things to do in Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie and the surrounding area offer a variety of things to do for people of all ages, interests and incomes. There are museums and learning centers, frequent sporting events, fitness activities, musical performances, outdoor activities, art shows, theater performances, and a diversity of shopping and dining opportunities.
Scenic activities
The beautiful environment of the Port St. Lucie area can be observed from many places:
- St. Lucie River cruises:
- Woodstork Trail
- Oak Hammock Park nature trails
- Mariposa Cane Slough Preserve
- Oxbow Eco-Center (hiking trails, education center)
- Savannas State Preserve Park (canoeing, hiking trails, education center)
- Horseback riding on St. Lucie County Beach
- Veterans Memorial Park (monuments to armed forces, WWII, Korean, Viet Nam wars)
- Veterans Park at at Rivergate (lighted boardwalk along river)
- Spruce Bluff Preserve (Native American burial mound, nature trails)
Botanical Gardens
- Heathcote Botanical Gardens (in nearby City of Fort Pierce)
Boardwalk on the St. Lucie River
Museums
- Civic Center Art Gallery (new exhibit every eight weeks)
- Official Navy Seal Museum (in nearby City of Fort Pierce)
- St. Lucie County Regional History Museum (in nearby City of Fort Pierce)
- A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery (in nearby City of Fort Pierce)
- Elliott Museum (in nearby City of Stuart)
- Elliott Museum (Baseball Gallery)
- Stuart Heritage Museum (in nearby City of Stuart)
- House of Refuge at Gilbert’s Bar (in nearby City of Stuart)
- The Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast (in nearby Jensen Beach)
- Zora Neale Hurston Dust Tracks Heritage Trail (in nearby City of Fort Pierce)
Theater
- Sunrise Theatre (in nearby City of Fort Pierce)
- McAlpin Fine Arts Theatre (Indian River State College – Fort Pierce)
- Pineapple Playhouse (in nearby City of Fort Pierce)
- Lyric Theatre (in nearby City of Stuart)
- Barn Theatre (in nearby City of Stuart)
Science and learning
- Oxbow Eco-Center (hiking trails, education center)
- Savannas State Preserve Park (canoeing, hiking trails, education center)
- Hallstrom Planetarium (Indian River State College – Fort Pierce)
- Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit (National Museum of Natural History)
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (in nearby City of Fort Pierce)
- Florida Oceanographic Society (in nearby Jensen Beach)
- The Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast (in nearby Jensen Beach)
- Manatee Observation and Education Center (in nearby Fort Pierce)
Dog friendly
Beaches and water fun
Port St. Lucie is close to several popular beaches where swimming, surfing and sea shell hunting continue all year.
- Fort Pierce beaches
- Martin County beaches
- Sailfish Splash water park (in nearby City of Stuart)
- Ravenswood pool and splash playground
- Interactive fountain at Civic Center
- Interactive fountain at Tradition Square
Boat ramps
- Veterans Park at Rivergate (three 24-hour ramps leading to St. Lucie River, Intracoastal Waterway, St. Lucie inlet)
- Oak Hammock Park (one ramp to C-24 Canal, no ocean or St. Lucie River access)
Other boat ramps into the St. Lucie River and the Intracoastal Waterway (which leads directly to the ocean) are a short drive away in the nearby cities of Stuart and Fort Pierce. Local waters are popular for sail boats, power boats, canoes and water skiers.
Fishing
For people who enjoy fishing, there are many freshwater and saltwater fishing spots. The St. Lucie River, Indian River Lagoon, Intracoastal Waterway, Lake Okeechobee and offshore waters of the Atlantic Ocean are popular destinations for amateurs and professionals. Local catches include marlin, sailfish, swordfish, dolphin, wahoo, kingfish, cobia, grouper, snapper, tarpon, snook, pompano, red fish, trout and flounder.
Golf
The city-owned Saints Golf Course and a Club Med-owned golf course are at the center of town, and several others are nearby. The PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance here is one of the most prestigious training facilities in the country, and the PGA Museum of Golf features artifacts that would intrigue not only golfers, but anyone interested in historical documents and paraphernalia.
- The Saints at Port St. Lucie golf course (owned by the City of Port St. Lucie)
- PGA Historical Center (golf museum with historical artifacts)
- Center for Golf Learning and Performance
Baseball
The New York Mets hold their spring training in Port St. Lucie at Tradition Field, which also is home to Minor League Baseball’s St. Lucie Mets.
The Elliott Museum Baseball Gallery may have the most comprehensive signed collection of baseball-related items outside of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
Tennis
The Tennis Center at Whispering Pines Park has 14 courts, with a court for tournament play. The tennis center has been recognized by the United States Tennis Association with an Outstanding Facility Award, and is available for every level of ability from beginners to professional players.
In addition to the Whispering Pines Tennis Center, city-run tennis courts can be found at:
- Lyngate Park (two lighted courts)
- Jessica Clinton Park (two lighted courts)
- Sportsman’s Park (two lighted courts)
- Charles Ray Park (two lighted courts)
Community events
Special events are common in Port St. Lucie, where several annual festivals and parades regularly draw large crowds to the Civic Center and the amphitheater at the Martin Health System Village Square. These include celebrations for Martin Luther King Day, St. Patrick’s Day, the Fourth of July, Oktoberfest, the Fall Festival, the Annual Bonfire and Hayride and the Holiday Festival of Lights.
The city also hosts a weekly Green Market, a weekly Latin Dance Night, a comedy forum, several Botanical Garden festivals and plant sales, and a variety of music and art shows for all tastes.
Read a description of Port St. Lucie’s recurring public events.
Civic Center
Port St. Lucie’s 100,000 square-foot Civic Center is the region’s premiere location for festivals, conventions, banquets and live performances. With basketball and racquetball courts, the Humana Fitness and Wellness Center, a game room and daily classes, the 100,000 square-foot multi-purpose Civic Center is the community’s favorite venue for fitness and physical activities.
Shopping and dining
The websites of the St. Lucie County Tourism Bureau and the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce are filled with information about places to shop and eat.
Major Florida attractions
Port St. Lucie is a 2-hour drive to major attractions such as Disney World, Sea World and the Kennedy Space Center. West Palm Beach area attractions, such as Lion Country Safari and the elegant Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, are a 50-minute drive south, and the Brevard Zoo is a 50-minute drive to the north.
Miami area attractions are a 2-hour drive from Port St. Lucie and include the Miami Seaquarium, Jungle Island, Monkey Jungle, Vizcaya, the Miami Science Museum and Planetarium, Coconut Grove and South Beach. Major Miami area athletic teams include the Miami Dolphins, the Miami Heat, the Florida Marlins, the Florida Panthers and the University of Miami Hurricanes.
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