Discover a slice of old Florida where pristine beaches meet wild nature preserves along the Treasure Coast. Kayak through mysterious mangrove tunnels at Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, where wildlife sightings feel inevitable rather than exceptional. Jonathan Dickinson State Park offers trails with gopher tortoises plodding along with prehistoric determination. At Blowing Rocks Preserve, limestone formations create natural geysers when waves crash through at high tide. Bathtub Beach lives up to its name with reef-protected waters that remain calm even when the Atlantic shows its temper. Local tip: arrive at beaches early - parking lots fill faster than a snowbird's calendar in January. The lack of high-rises means stars outnumber streetlights when darkness falls.
