St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park
Stuart, FL
St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park sits on the northern tip of Jupiter Island, reachable only by private boat since there's no bridge or public ferry. A 3,300 foot boardwalk crosses from the dock to a beach that stays a real sea turtle nesting site precisely because so few people make the trip.
A boat-only beach with a real boardwalk and genuine turtle nesting activity is hard to find this close to the Treasure Coast's more developed towns, though the boat requirement keeps it out of reach for a casual visit.
How we score beachesLaunch from Cove Road or Manatee Pocket marina if you don't have your own dock access nearby. A free tram runs the boardwalk route on weekends for anyone who'd rather not walk the full length in the heat.
There's no vehicle access here at all. Launch a boat from Cove Road or Manatee Pocket marina, the park itself has no entrance fee beyond whatever your own boat costs to run.
The 3,300 foot boardwalk from the dock to the beach is flat and easy walking, one of the longer boardwalks in the state park system. A weekend tram covers the same route for anyone who'd rather ride.
Leashed dogs are welcome in designated areas of the park, but pets aren't allowed on the beach.
Summer brings peak sea turtle nesting and the warmest water, alongside hurricane season, June through November, and rougher boat crossings. Winter and spring offer calmer water for the trip out and cooler, more comfortable walking on the boardwalk.
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.