WATER & COAST
House of Refuge Beach
Martin County · Atlantic Coast
301 SE MacArthur Boulevard in Stuart, in front of the Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge, which is the oldest building in Martin County and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1974. Ten houses of refuge were built along Florida's east coast as havens for shipwrecked sailors and travelers, and this is the only one still standing. The shoreline here is rocky. The Italian brigantine Georges Valentine went down off it, and the wreck still lies about 100 yards out and is dived. The house is run as a museum by the Historical Society of Martin County, so check its hours before you plan a visit around it.
Not identified in this guide as an officially clothing-optional beach. This is a visit category, not a safety rating—check surf, lifeguards, water quality and posted rules.
BEACH CONDITIONS
Keep comparing