Page 68 - Travel Guide to Florida 2020

CENTRAL EAST FLORIDA

BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS
South of Stuart, the Jonathan Dickinson
State Park offers awesome biking and
hiking trails, ranging from normal to
rugged terrain, mangroves and river
swamps. Primitive campgrounds and
water stations are available throughout the
park. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy the
kayaking and boating experiences during
the winter months.
Have you ever dreamed of riding
horseback on the beach? Your dream
becomes a reality on the beaches of
Hutchinson Island during the cooler
months and is just one of many gems to be
enjoyed in St. Lucie County.
Sebastian Inlet State Park, situated
directly between Indian River County to the
south and Brevard County to the north, is
an excellent choice for family camping.
Spread over more than 600 acres, the park
is part of the Great Florida Birding and
Wildlife Trail and offers myriad activities
including swimming, surfing, geocaching
and scuba diving.
Merritt Island is one of only a dozen or
so places in the world where you can see
bioluminescence in nature. Night tours
are a must as you kayak along the Banana
or Indian rivers and get close to nature.
Dinoflagellates and comb jellies glow in
the dark river waters. Think neon and
maybe a hint of Avatar. This could be a
once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
Outside of Deltona, the St. Johns River
Eco Tours invites passengers to tour the
St. Johns River by boat. Once a main
highway for trade and commerce, this
river has been designated an American
Heritage River. It is home to Florida native
wildlife and tropical plants, making it
perfect for photo ops.
The seaside community of New Smyrna
Beach evokes an atmosphere of Old Florida
in its sidewalk cafés, boutiques and
charming B&Bs and boasts one of the finest
beaches on the Atlantic coast. NSB provides
a perfect venue for surfing, world-class
fishing, boating and kayaking. And like
Daytona Beach, cars are permitted on 13
miles of hard-packed white-sand beaches
found here.
HOUSE OF REFUGE AT GILBERT’S BAR, MARTIN COUNTY • VISIT FLORIDA/JACK HARDING

66 2020 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA