Port Salerno hosts some of the country's most famous world fishing tournaments, including the Pirates Cove Sailfish Classic and the Treasure Coast Sailfish Championship. A number of world-record fish have been caught here, including a 241.9 pound nurse shark.
Covering only four square miles along Florida's Treasure Coast, Port Salerno was originally created as a small fishing settlement in the 1920s
Port Salerno hosts some of the country's most famous world fishing tournaments, including the Pirates Cove Sailfish Classic and the Treasure Coast Sailfish Championship. A number of world-record fish have been caught here, including a 241.9 pound nurse shark.
Covering only four square miles along Florida's Treasure Coast, Port Salerno was originally created as a small fishing settlement in the 1920s. With a population of 10,091, the town seems virtually surrounded by water, courtesy of the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian River and the St. Lucie River, so you almost feel as if you were on an island here -- an island with trendy restaurants and lots of tourists. An internationally famous mecca for anglers, Port Salerno hosts a number of world-famous fishing tournaments every year, but somehow the fish haven't yet learned to avoid the area, so world-record catches continue to be made every season, particularly among sailfish, bonito and kingfish. You'd think they'd have learned by now.
Getting here is easy, because Port Salerno is located just off U.S. Highway 1, that famous stretch of road that, if you stay on it, takes you all the way down to Key West.
Finding a Place to Live
Thanks to its popularity with both short and long term visitors, the area is absolutely loaded with townhouses and condo rentals, as well as studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments for rent. You may not find hi rise apartments in Port Salerno, but you'll find luxuriously appointed rentals in all sizes and price points, many built within the last 10 years.
In this part of Florida, peak tourist season is actually during the winter months, when flocks of human snowbirds come down here to escape the winter winds of their native habitats. Look for more available rentals during the late spring, summer and fall, when you might even be able to get a bargain. When you're ready to seal the deal, make sure you have all your basic identification, including references and proof of employment (in the form of payment stubs or letters) from your current or future employers. Also, the landlord or complex manager may want to run a credit check on you, but don't worry; this is standard procedure nowadays. Have ready your first month's rent and a security deposit, and be warned -- if a rental unit is really popular, the landlord might ask for the last month's rent in advance as well.
Since Port Salerno covers only four square miles, there's not a lot of room for neighborhoods, and many of the residential areas share their postmark address with neighboring town Stuart. The good news is that many homes here have their own boating docks, so you can enjoy all the scenic beauty of living on waterfront property without having to fend off beachcombers. Here are some of the more popular residential sections of town:
Landing Way: Close to the waterfront and beautiful Manatee Pocket, this bike-friendly area is especially popular because it's chock-full of convenient condos as well as homes, so keep your eye out for rentals, especially during off season. It's just minutes from Walgreens, Peggy's Natural Foods and a number of local tackle shops.
Riverboat Drive: Also located near the waterfront and just minutes from scenic Horseshoe Point, this bike-friendly area boasts lovely townhouses for rent, as well as attractive residential houses. It's also conveniently close to Winn Dixie supermarket, Walgreens and Southern Angler tackle shop.
Schooner Oaks Way: This neighborhood has a number of attractive modern condos, and is close to Southern Pride Marketing, a gourmet food store, and Sandsprit Park.
Top Apartment Complexes
Willoughby Cove: Cove Lake Circle, a bike and pedestrian friendly street, is home to this great apartment complex, which features large units and beautifully landscaped grounds just loaded with palm trees and water features. It's just minutes away from picturesque Seabranch Preserve State Park.
Salerno Village: Along 47th Avenue is where you'll find this complex, a contemporary 42-unit complex with spacious rooms and covered patios. It's also conveniently close to Walgreens and Peggy's Natural Foods.
Getting Here and Getting Around
Feel free to move down here anytime; the weather will cooperate. July highs top out at around 90, while January highs rarely go below the mid-70s. Even in the dead of a winter night, it rarely gets colder than the mid-50s here, and as for snow, fuhgeddaboudit. Bikers, motorcyclists and scooter aficionados are all welcome here, and if you prefer to leave the car at home, you can always rely upon the local bus system, thanks to the Martin County Transit Service.
Things to Do Other Than Fishing
Even if you don't fish, there's still plenty to do here. One way to get to know your new neighbors is to show up at the annual Port Salerno Seafood Festival in January, which attracts more than 35,000 folks and features live music, entertainment (think pirates and mermaids), and tons of fish prepared in thousands of different ways. For a great excursion on dry land, take a drive over to Seabranch Preserve State Park, a nature preserve and hiking area that's home to regional wildlife of the four-footed and winged variety. Just minutes outside of town there's also Saint Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park. Accessible only by boat, it has a magnificent boardwalk where you can stroll among the mangroves and watch for giant sea turtles. Closer to civilization, there's the Stuart Yacht and Country Club; you may not find sea turtles there, but you'll find plenty of golf and tennis, and several deep water docks for fishing.
Time to Eat
If you'd rather eat fish than catch them, check out Shrimpers Grill and Bar, a waterfront eatery that serves up fresh seafood entrees, pastas and conch fritters in a Caribbean-themed atmosphere. Also popular is Manatee Island Bar and Grill, a waterfront hangout that offers huge seafood sandwich platters and flatbread pizzas, along with great drink specials (try the in-house margarita).
With its natural beauty and charm, Port Salerno deserves its reputation as one of the gems of the Florida Treasure Coast. Best of all, it doesn't feel overrun by tourists (even during the peak of fishing season), and the streets aren't lined with five-dollar t-shirt stands. It may be something of a resort town, but at heart it's really a great small town to live in year round, whether the tourists show up or not.
