Jensen Beach was named 2008's "Top Spot for Beach Volleyball" by "Prime Time" Magazine, but there's much more to this city than spiking balls and refreshing dips in the ocean. Jensen Beach's 15,000-or-so year-round residents are known for wanting to keep their quaint oceanside paradise a secret. After moving here, you'll see why!
Jensen Beach is an unincorporated community in Martin County, meaning it has no official municipal government
Jensen Beach was named 2008's "Top Spot for Beach Volleyball" by "Prime Time" Magazine, but there's much more to this city than spiking balls and refreshing dips in the ocean. Jensen Beach's 15,000-or-so year-round residents are known for wanting to keep their quaint oceanside paradise a secret. After moving here, you'll see why!
Jensen Beach is an unincorporated community in Martin County, meaning it has no official municipal government. The town is nestled along Florida's Treasure Coast, aptly named because in the 1600s a bunch of pirates plowed their ships into the coral reefs found just offshore, sinking their booty but raising legends that attract treasure hunters to this day!
Florida Law
If you're moving to Jensen Beach from out of state, it a may sound like a pain but Florida requires anyone employed in the state to establish residency (we're assuming you're able to afford a new apartment because you have a job, right?). To do this you have to obtain what's called a "Declaration of Domicile" from the circuit court clerk's office and have it notarized. After establishing residency you have 10 days to obtain your Florida license plates and tags. You're also required to get your Florida driver's license within 30 days of moving to Jensen Beach, or anywhere in-state for that matter. For more information call the Jensen Beach DMV office at 772-288-5595.
Tips for Renting
You pretty much have your pick of the litter in Jensen Beach when it comes to rental options, at least as far as style goes! The town is stocked with single-family homes, but there are also apartment communities everywhere, as well as old-school duplexes for rent, smaller apartment buildings of city apartments and serviced apartments, the occasional studio apartment, and quaint-but-cute Florida-style matchbox bungalows. Drive across the Intercoastal Waterway to the beach and you'll find condominium communities galore. Of course, these tend to be on the pricey side, but what do you expect for beachfront property?
Transportation
Like all of South Florida, Jensen Beach is spread out. Like, really spread out. Walking around town is not really an option, especially when you combine distance with the nearly year-round 90 degree-plus temperatures. Trust us when we say you will sweat through your shirt after walking outside for less than one minute. Martin County does provide bus service in Jensen Beach but routes and stops are few and far between. You'll need your own transportation to live in Jensen Beach, fo' sho!
Jensen Beach, which sits on the banks of the St. Lucie River, is made up of four distinct communities, each with its own look and demographics. Read on for more information about Jensen Beach's neighborhoods!
Sewell's Point: Sewell's Point is actually an incorporated town of about 2,500 residents on the south side of Jensen Beach. It sits on a peninsula that's bordered by Hooker Cove to the west and the Intercoastal Waterway, also known as the Indian River, to the east.
Rio: This area was an official town in the late 1800s, at which time it was called Rio San Lucie. Rio (pronounced RYE-oh by the locals) resides on the St. Lucie River west of Sewell's Point. This waterfront area is known for its distinct architecture and its many individually-owned shops and businesses.
Hutchinson Island: This is the beachiest of the four neighborhoods. Hutchinson Island is what's known as a barrier island, so-called because it blocks the mainland from the ocean. It's a thin strip of land that runs along the Atlantic Ocean, punctuated by Jensen Beach Park at the foot of the Causeway Bridge.
Ocean Breeze Park: Known locally as Ocean Breeze, this part of town sits on the Intercoastal Waterway. Originally, Ocean Breeze was just a mobile home park but now the area includes Ocean Breeze Plaza, a shopping center anchored by a Publix (grocery store) and an undeveloped high sugar-sand dune, which is the tallest natural point in Jensen Beach.
Jensen Beach is the site of the annual Pineapple Festival, which celebrates the community's legacy as the one-time pineapple capital of the world -- farmers used to ship more than one million boxes of the spiny fruit each summer in the late 1800s (take that, Hawaii!). Scuba diving, surfing, boating, fishing, water skiing, paddle boarding and, yes, beach volleyball are a just few of the pastimes pursued by Jensen Beach locals and tourists alike.
Idyllic and low-key, Jensen Beach is anything but boring. Gourmands love the city's selection of restaurants, which covers pretty much every imaginable type of cuisine. Maple Street is perfect for a romantic dinner, while Alberto's is frequented by diners seeking a delicious slice.
After dinner, venture out to partake of some of Jensen Beach's recreational options. The Jensen Beach Bowl offers -- wait for it -- laser bowling, which isn't for the faint of heart. The Regal Cinema offers the latest flicks (and air conditioning), and the Treasure Coast Square Mall provides hours of AmEx-fueled entertainment. Whatever you're seeking, you'll find it in Jensen Beach!
