Fort Pierce Beach
Fort Pierce, FL

Fort Pierce's beaches center on South Jetty Park at the inlet, a 1,200-foot fishing jetty with a boardwalk and pavilion where the Indian River Lagoon meets the Atlantic. Fort Pierce has stood out for years as one of the few coastal Florida cities without paid beach parking, though that's beginning to change.
Historically free parking has been a real point of local pride, though the shift toward paid parking and the strict no pets rule are changing that reputation.
How we score beachesCheck current signage before assuming parking is still free, the city has been rolling out a pay-to-park pilot program at several beach lots. No pets are allowed on Fort Pierce's beaches or in its parks, a stricter rule than many nearby Treasure Coast towns.
Parking has historically been free, though the city has been introducing paid parking at some beach lots; check current signage.
South Jetty Park has a boardwalk connecting the lot to the jetty and beach.
Pets aren't allowed on any Fort Pierce beach or in city parks.
Winter and spring bring South Florida's driest, mildest weather and the biggest snowbird crowds. Summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, thin things out despite the warmest water of the year.
More Atlantic Coast beaches

Coast Guard Beach
Eastham, MA · Atlantic Coast
A National Seashore beach backed by grassy dunes and a tidal marsh, with clean Atlantic surf and one of the Cape's most scenic approaches on foot from the parking area.

Surfside Beach
Nantucket, MA · Atlantic Coast
Open Atlantic swell and a wide sandy shoreline about three miles from Nantucket town, popular with locals for its bodysurfing waves and quieter, less commercial feel.

Jones Beach State Park
Wantagh, NY · Atlantic Coast
A classic Long Island beach with six and a half miles of shoreline, a landmark water tower, boardwalk, and a large outdoor amphitheater that hosts concerts through the summer.
