Jensen Beach
Jensen Beach is a small city, or in this case Census-Designated Place, in Florida on the Treasure Coast. The population was a little over 11,000 people as of the 2010 census.
Understand
[edit]
Jensen Beach is a very-little talked about city in Florida, but with a downtown close to the beach, there are many fun activities for you to partake of. Most activities and festivals are sponsored by local radio stations, taking place in downtown and Memorial Park in the downtown area of Stuart, a neighboring city. JB is a common nickname of this small, hip town, and the core of the town is full of outstanding architecture and mouthwatering cultural cuisine, ranging from the streets of New Orleans to seafood and homestyle cooking. The skyline of Jensen Beach on its barrier island consists only of condominium buildings.
JB used to be served by the Florida East Coast Railway through a station within the core, and the service was terminated in the 1950s. The only mass transport serving the town is by bus.
Get in
[edit]By car
[edit]
Jensen Beach was built on US-1, locally known as Federal Highway. The town is also accessible, but not easily, by I-95 and Florida's Turnpike.
From I-95
The easiest exit used to get in is Gatlin Blvd/Tradition Pkwy, exit 118 on Interstate 95. You head east from where you exit (exit if northbound; exit and turn left if southbound) to Port St. Lucie Boulevard and turn left (East SR716). Stay on that road until you reach US-1 and turn right. Continue south and watch for the signs; you'll be in town as soon as you see the Martin County sign.
From Turnpike (Toll Road)
Port St. Lucie Blvd has an exit at number 142. From the exit, head east and continue to US-1 and turn right. Continue south and watch for the signs.
By train
[edit]The closest major train station is in West Palm Beach, serving Amtrak and Tri-Rail trains all the way from Miami, and will possibly serve future high-speed trains with the future Brightline high-speed service.
By plane
[edit]There is an airport in Martin County in the nearby town of Stuart, but it is not a commercial hub, let alone any hub for that matter. The closest hub airport is in West Palm Beach, and larger hubs are found in Fort Lauderdale and Miami, just a while down I-95 or the Turnpike.
- Palm Beach International Airport, 1000 Palm Beach International Airport West Palm Beach, ☏ +1 561 471-7400. Serving major airports from Tampa to Detroit.
- Miami International Airport is the largest airport in Florida; it is accessible from all coastal cities in Southeastern Florida, by Interstate 95, but more easily from Florida's Turnpike (a toll road). Be ready to pay tolls at the booths, or a bill with the "toll-by-plate" method.
Get around
[edit]By bus
[edit]Martin County, including Jensen and Stuart, has their own public transit system now, and its nickname among the residents is the "Marty". The Marty has one route partially served by the Treasure Coast Connector from the PSL Wal-Mart on US-1 to the Treasure Coast Connector Mall and further down south to local hospital and bank in Stuart. There are three routes, but one serves a part of Jensen Beach.
- Route 1 takes you from the PSL Wal-Mart to the local bank in Stuart.
By car
[edit]In Jensen Beach, driving is the easiest way to get around. The most traveled highway in the city is US-1, which extends from Key West all the way up to Maine. State Road A1A is also used to get from place to place, primarily along Hutchinson Island. There are miles and miles of road in the downtown area of Jensen Beach, including a street named after the town, Jensen Beach Blvd. Indian River Drive also runs from the downtown core to Fort Pierce, along the lagoon.
The 1 Roosevelt Bridge carries a stretch of US Highway 1 to link Jensen Beach to Stuart, a neighboring town that serves as the county seat of Martin County.
See
[edit]Downtown is the shopping center of town. There is a lot to do, and eat, here in this bustling area on the coast.
- 1 All Saints' Episcopal Church, 2377 NE Patrician St. Built in 1898 in the Waveland community, it's the county's oldest church building. It is also the site of Jensen Beach's only cemetery, the Alleluia Cross, and an outdoor altar.
- 2 Jensen Beach Christian Church, 1890 NE Church St. Another historic church building in Jensen Beach was constructed of concrete shortly before WWI. The interior's pulpit and pews were donated to the church by Florida developer Henry Flagler. It was added to the County Historic Register in 2010.
Do
[edit]- Hit the beach! You wouldn't want to visit a coastal city in Florida without making an attempt to catch a wave on your board. Swimming at the beach is also common amongst visitors, as well as boating in the St. Lucie Inlet.
- 1 Indian Riverside Park, 1707 NE Indian River Drive (going south on the Indian River Dr from the Causeway, it's on your left), ☏ +1 772 692-7501. Closed Tu; W-M 9AM-6PM. Park with 2 museums and a play fountain.
- 2 Children's Museum of the Treasure Coast, 1707 NE Indian River Drive, ☏ +1 772 225-7575. Closed M Tu; W-Sa 10AM-4PM; Su noon-4PM. With 12 exhibits geared for children, from a train set to a Spanish galleon, the Children's Museum opened in 2008 and has welcomed more than 100,000 visitors.
- 3 Mount Elizabeth Archeological Site (Racey's Tuckahoe) (in the Riverside Park). A Native American archeological site added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
Buy
[edit]
Jensen Beach is home of the Treasure Coast Square Mall, the biggest mall on the Treasure Coast. It was opened in 1987 and has the only big department stores in the area.
- 1 Treasure Coast Square Mall, 3174 NW Federal Hwy, ☏ +1 772 692-9401. M-Sa 10AM-9PM; Su noon-6PM. This is the largest shopping mall on the Treasure Coast. This mall has 6 department stores, including an HHGregg, and a Regal Cinemas. The food court consists of many restaurants, including Cinnabon, Subway, Chick-Fil-A, and Ocho Rios Jerk.
Eat
[edit]Jensen Beach's bustling downtown is full of many great restaurants that are locally owned and chained around the Treasure Coast. Here are some exquisite restaurants:
- 1 Conchy Joe's, 3945 NE Indian River Dr, ☏ +1 772 334-1130. Su-Th 11:30AM-11PM; F Sa 11:30AM-midnight. Local favorite, serving seafood, sandwiches, and salads.
- 2 Crawdaddy's, 1949 NE Jensen Beach Blvd, ☏ +1 772 225-3444. Su-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-midnight. N'awlinz Grill 'n' Raw Bar.
- 3 Lures Riverfront Restaurant, 3330 NE Indian River Dr, ☏ +1 772 208-5974, luresjensenbeach@gmail.com. Downtown Jensen restaurant that serves American cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are many seafood items on the menu.
Drink
[edit]Many of the restaurants in the town serve alcohol, particularly sports bars and pubs, even some bars exclusive to veterans. Not many restaurants serve exotic cocktails, but mostly beer, wine and the occasional martini.
- 1 Bunk House Coffee Bar, 3181 NE West End Blvd (near the roundabout just off Jensen Beach Blvd). M–F 7:30AM–4PM, Sa 8AM–4PM, Su 8AM–2PM. This downtown Jensen coffee bar is designed in the beach house theme, advertising its plant-based coffee.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Park View Motel, 2211 NE Dixie Highway, ☏ +1 772 334-1525. Bright rooms, a pool, and three types of rooms to sleep in. Rates start from $79/night. $79-129/night.
- 2 Courtyard Hutchinson Island Oceanside/Jensen Beach, 10978 S Ocean Dr, ☏ +1 772 229-1000. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: noon. Free WiFi, pool, and fitness center in this barrier island hotel. $126/night.
Go next
[edit]Neighboring cities include:
- Port St. Lucie - Spring training home of the New York Mets
- Stuart - Close city in the same county; the sailfish capital of the world
- Fort Pierce - A quaint, little city with a hopping downtown
- West Palm Beach - Larger city close by, named for the eponymous palm trees
| Routes through Jensen Beach |
| Daytona Beach ← Port St. Lucie ← | N  S |
→ Stuart → West Palm Beach |
| Daytona Beach ← Fort Pierce ← | N  S |
→ Stuart → West Palm Beach |