Nicknamed the Sailfish Capital of the World, Stuart, Fla., located on the Treasure Coast, is also rich in shipwreck lore and many a fortune hunter has dreamed of bringing up more gold and silver from the ships sunken in nearby waters. Good enough reason to move to Stuart? Perhaps not, but luckily it has more going for it than gold.
Stuart sits at the confluence of the Atlantic, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Okeechobee, which cuts a watery swath through the sate from the ocean to the Gulf of Mexico
Nicknamed the Sailfish Capital of the World, Stuart, Fla., located on the Treasure Coast, is also rich in shipwreck lore and many a fortune hunter has dreamed of bringing up more gold and silver from the ships sunken in nearby waters. Good enough reason to move to Stuart? Perhaps not, but luckily it has more going for it than gold.
Stuart sits at the confluence of the Atlantic, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Okeechobee, which cuts a watery swath through the sate from the ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. Its reason for being is boating and marinas and fishing; you can't escape it. Located near the Port St. Lucie Inlet, you would think the town sprung fully formed from the deep. Indeed, 2.2 square miles of its total 8.5 mile area is water; that leaves plenty of sand bars to play on, and a number of neighborhoods built to house the 16,000 people who call this place home. During the 100 years of this little city’s existence, it has sustained damage from a number of hurricanes and a couple of tropical cyclones – if you know the difference, you may know far too much about storms! Residents proudly state that their town has never had a direct hit; that’s a good thing, it seems.
Pick Your Lifestyle
Finding a land base here is not difficult. Neighborhoods vary; some are within close proximity to Stuart’s historic downtown or to one of the waterways. Beachside home rentals are, as you would expect, pricey. Housing costs have increased dramatically since 2000 and this city, with its now-stable boating-oriented/fishing charter economy, has benefited.
Some apartments for rent in the city are in resort-style communities with multiple pools, recreation and fitness facilities and park-like, security-controlled grounds. Guess you could call it full-time “Stay-cay!” Anyway, living someplace like that will set you back about $7-800 monthly for a 1-bedroom apartment. Expect to pay at least $1,200 plus utilities for a 3-bedroom.
Fishing Trumps Traffic?
The thing about Florida is that it can change dramatically within just a few miles. It can also rain just across the street from where you’re standing! And it does – often!
There’s a kind of “good news-bad news” aspect to life in Stuart – it’s cooler and less crowded than Miami; that’s good news. The snowbirds like Stuart in the winter – is that bad news? Most businesses and restaurants are locally-owned and operated, small and friendly. That’s good news except when they close because the fish are running! For the most part, Stuart is a totally relaxed and unpretentious place, but traffic can be awful, both in town and on the highway. If you fly in, the closest airport is Palm Beach, closer and better than Orlando or Ft. Lauderdale but still a 45-minute drive, minimum.
But, for most of the year, weather is great; there’s good food and entertainment. Nearby beaches are awesome and, as we said, water sports and fishing rule!
