The honest version of things to do in Stuart, FL is that the town is small, the water is the point, and the downtown is better than a place this size has any business having. You can cover most of it on foot in an afternoon and still not be done with it.
What follows is downtown first, then the water, then the handful of places still open when everything else has closed.
Historic Downtown Stuart
Downtown Stuart is a compact grid of restored buildings, independent shops and a theater, and it is walkable start to finish without moving your car.
The Lyric Theatre is the anchor. It is an Art Deco house from 1925 that started as a silent movie theater and now runs concerts, plays, musicals and dance. Check what is on before you plan around it.
The Stuart Heritage Museum sits in a building from 1901 that was once a general store and feed supply, and it is full of old photographs, memorabilia, yearbooks and indigenous artifacts. MartinArts runs rotating exhibitions out of Martin County’s original courthouse, and its ArtsFest lands in February.
Beyond that it is boutiques, galleries and public art. Murals and mosaics are scattered through the streets, including mosaic sidewalk work in the Creek District, the arts and entertainment stretch that has been building out since 2019.
The Riverwalk and the Water
The Riverwalk is a boardwalk that connects downtown to the public parks along the St. Lucie River, and it is the thing to do here that costs nothing.
The river runs about 35 miles, and the Riverwalk gives you the downtown stretch of it with benches, water views and a steady run of events. Flagler Park, at the downtown end, hosts Market on Main on Sundays, a farmers market with around 70 vendors, live acoustic music and classes on the grass. Rock’n Riverwalk puts free concerts on the riverfront on Sunday afternoons. Both are seasonal enough that it is worth checking the calendar.
For the water itself, Sailor’s Return looks out over Sunset Bay Marina, and the Stuart Boathouse, Hudson’s on the River and the Riverwalk Café and Oyster Bar all sit on the water downtown. If you only want the view, drive the Roosevelt Bridge at dusk.
Why Stuart Calls Itself the Sailfish Capital
Stuart’s nickname is the Sailfish Capital of the World, and the town commits to it harder than most places commit to anything.
You see it first downtown, where an 18-foot sailfish sculpture by Geoffrey C. Smith stands as the focal point of the main plaza. The name shows up on a waterpark, on hotel suites and on half the merchandise in the shops. The Stuart Boat Show runs annually, as does the Stuart Air Show, and charter fishing out of the local marinas is a real industry rather than a tourist novelty.
If you came for the fishing, book a charter ahead. If you did not, the sculpture is still the photo everyone takes downtown.
Beaches and Preserves Nearby
The beaches are a short drive east onto Hutchinson Island, and the three worth knowing are different enough that the choice matters.
Stuart Beach is the family one, with free parking, lifeguards, volleyball and basketball courts, a playground and the Seaside Cafe nearby for breakfast and lunch. Bathtub Beach has a natural reef that makes a calm swimming area, which is the one to pick with small kids. Jensen Beach, north, is wide and sandy and draws surfers and beachcombers.
Two museums sit across from Stuart Beach, so you can pair them with a beach morning. The Florida Oceanographic Society Coastal Center has a touch tank and hands-on marine exhibits, and the Elliott Museum covers art, local history and vintage cars.
Inland, Halpatiokee Regional Park has more than ten miles of trails through pine flatwoods and oak hammocks. Savannas Preserve State Park in Jensen Beach is the birdwatching one. Jonathan Dickinson State Park, about half an hour south in Hobe Sound, is the big one for hiking, biking, kayaking and camping.
Late Nights in Stuart
Stuart nightlife is concentrated downtown and in the Creek District, and it closes earlier than visitors expect.
Terra Fermata is the outdoor music venue in the Creek District, dog friendly, with a schedule that changes weekly. La Grande Martier, in a restored 1920s building that was once a speakeasy, does Prohibition-era cocktails alongside brunch and dinner. The Creek District’s First Friday Art Walk is the monthly reason to be out on foot.
Our Stuart bar downtown is one of the rooms that stays open late, and there is no alcohol in it. Kava is 18 and up and we do not serve it to anyone who is pregnant. At 1pm and 1am the room drinks a shell together, in 60 seconds or less, and the rest of the time it is a counter, seats and people talking. Hours and directions are on the Stuart page, and the other Florida bars are listed by city under Florida.
Whatever you plan, check hours first. This is a small town with real seasons, and the schedule in February is not the schedule in August.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do in downtown Stuart, FL?
Downtown Stuart is walkable and holds the Lyric Theatre, an Art Deco house from 1925 that runs concerts and plays, the Stuart Heritage Museum in a building from 1901, MartinArts in the original county courthouse, independent boutiques and galleries, public murals and mosaics, and the Riverwalk along the St. Lucie River.
Why is Stuart called the Sailfish Capital of the World?
It is the town’s own nickname, tied to its sport fishing history, and Stuart leans into it. An 18-foot sailfish sculpture by Geoffrey C. Smith anchors the main downtown plaza, the name appears on local businesses and attractions, and the annual Stuart Boat Show and charter fishing out of local marinas keep it current.
What beaches are near Stuart, FL?
Stuart Beach on Hutchinson Island has free parking, lifeguards, courts and a playground. Bathtub Beach has a natural reef that creates calm water, which suits small children. Jensen Beach to the north is wide and sandy and popular with surfers and beachcombers.
What is open late in Stuart, FL?
Later hours are limited here. Terra Fermata in the Creek District runs outdoor music, a few downtown restaurants and bars stay open into the night, and Kavasutra downtown is open late with no alcohol served. Most of the rest of downtown closes earlier than visitors expect.
What is there to do in Stuart when it rains?
The Stuart Heritage Museum and MartinArts downtown, and across from Stuart Beach, the Elliott Museum and the Florida Oceanographic Society Coastal Center with its touch tank. A show at the Lyric Theatre covers the evening.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Kava is served to adults 18 and up and not to anyone who is pregnant.