Avalon State Park
Fort Pierce, FL
Avalon State Park runs more than a mile of sand along North Hutchinson Island, a plainer, quieter counterpart to Fort Pierce Inlet just up the road. One big lot serves the whole park, and everything past it, the beach, the pavilions, the restrooms, is a walk rather than a drive.
A long, quiet stretch of sand with almost none of the crowd Fort Pierce Inlet draws is a real plus, though it's a plainer park with fewer amenities and less to see beyond the beach itself.
How we score beachesBring exact change for the honor box, there's no attendant here and the fee only works with the right bills and coins. The mile-plus stretch of sand means walking a while past the entrance if a quieter patch is the goal.
The entrance fee is 2 dollars per vehicle, pedestrian, or cyclist, paid into an honor box, exact change required. There's one main lot, with restrooms and changing rooms nearby.
The walk from the lot to the beach is flat and short, over a mix of pavement and packed sand. The mile-plus beach itself is natural sand the rest of the way.
Leashed dogs are welcome in the pavilion area, but pets aren't allowed on the beach.
Fall and winter bring the same reliable surf conditions as neighboring Fort Pierce Inlet, with cooler, easier beach weather. Summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, still leave the water warm enough to swim.
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