Florida's 'Sunrise City' Is A Beach Paradise With Serene Snorkeling, Fun Shops, And Small-Town Vibes

If you're looking for a relaxing beach vacation in Florida and you're an early riser, then you can't do better than Fort Pierce. Known as "Sunrise City," Fort Pierce is located 110 miles north of Fort Lauderdale on Florida's eastern coast, and rewards those who awake with the dawn with some of the most beautiful sunrises anywhere in America.

But that is just one aspect of Fort Pierce that makes it an excellent choice for a vacation. Florida is awash with spectacular, award-winning beaches, and Fort Pierce doesn't disappoint with its own offerings of sun, sea, and sand. To the east of downtown across Indian River Lagoon, visitors are treated to some of Florida's loveliest beaches, including dune-laden, nudist-friendly Blind Creek Beach on Hutchinson Island, Blue Heron Beach — which is ideal for swimming, fishing, and sunbathing — and Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, a 340-acre paradise the waters of which are teeming with tropical fish, making it an ideal place for snorkeling and scuba diving, with a maximum depth of 20 feet and an average visibility of 11 to 15 feet. To the north, Round Island Beach Park is a quiet spot perfect for meditative nature walks and birdwatching.

And there is more to Fort Pierce than its beaches. The town itself is a fun place to explore, with a charming vibe and plenty of tempting restaurants, fun shops, and cultural attractions to discover.

Relaxing at the beach can be surprisingly hunger-inducing, especially if you've been swimming or snorkeling. Thankfully, Fort Pierce is awash with great eateries, including the waterfront Archie's Seabreeze, a much-loved burger joint frequented by bikers which boasts a large vintage-style outdoor beach bar, and the motto "no shoes, no shirt, no problem." Meanwhile, 12A Buoy on Fisherman's Wharf is the place to go for freshly caught seafood, known for its oysters, clams, lobster club sandwiches, and New England clam chowder. For authentic Mexican, try Sonora in the center of town, which also operates a bakery and serves delicious hot dogs alongside their tasty tacos and other Mexican classics.

Among the quaint shops definitely worth stopping in on your visit to Fort Pierce is the Wanderlust Book Boutique, an indie bookstore open Wednesday to Saturday through spring and summer that's the ideal place to stock up on beach reads. The family-owned department store Rosslow's is something of a Fort Pierce institution, which has been supplying Floridians and visitors to the Sunrise City with beautiful designer objects, jewelry, clothes, and more since first opening in 1950.

Galleria of Pierce Harbor is a must-visit in Fort Pierce, which, in addition to offering restaurants and bars, is the home of a changing roster of art exhibits, designer shops, and beauty services. In the evening, be sure to check out the Sunrise Theatre, a retro venue staging fun musical concerts, stand-up, and more.

Fort Pierce is served by Treasure Coast International Airport (FPR), located at 3000 Curtis King Boulevard in Fort Pierce. It is just a 12-minute drive to the town center. However, though it received certification for commercial flights in 2024, its service options are currently limited for regular tourists. Instead, you can fly into nearby Vero Beach (VRB), which is just a 25-minute drive up the coast, or West Palm Beach/Palm Beach (PBI) to the south, from which you can drive up the coast or take the bus in just under four hours.

For a quaint beachside stay in Fort Pierce, think about booking a Hotel Seahorse Beach Bungalow, which comes with a garden, beach access, and barbecue facilities. Oceanfront Inn on Hutchinson Island offers rooms with balcony views over the Atlantic — ideal for casually catching the sunrise each morning — as well as an island beach bar and restaurant. Camping options are widely available in Fort Pierce, with Fort Pierce Downtown KOA Journey centrally located and Savannas Recreation Area offering camping pitches alongside canoe and kayak rentals, while Easy Livin' RV Park is right nearby.

If you're still shopping around for exactly where to go in Florida, be sure to check out this funky city with waterfront shops and food sandwiched between Tampa and Sarasota. And while you're at it, be sure to familiarize yourself with the most common and worst mistakes people make on a Florida vacation — so you can do the opposite.