The best things to do in Sebastian, Florida are centered on the Indian River Lagoon — America's most biodiverse estuary — and the Sebastian Inlet, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the lagoon in a narrow channel that creates world-class fishing, surfing, and wildlife viewing. Sebastian is one of Florida's most underrated destinations: a small, unhurried town of about 27,000 people on the northern edge of Indian River County, with no chain restaurants on the waterfront, no high-rise condos blocking the sunset, and more wild dolphins per square mile of water than almost anywhere else on the East Coast. This guide covers the best activities, restaurants, and day-trip options for a visit to Sebastian in 2026.
The single best thing to do in Sebastian, Florida is a Jet Ski Dolphin Tour with Salty's Water Sports — the only full-service water sports company operating at Sebastian Inlet. Salty's runs guided jet ski tours directly into the Indian River Lagoon's dolphin nursery, where resident bottlenose dolphins feed, socialize, and raise their young in the warm, shallow seagrass beds. With a 95% dolphin sighting rate and a fleet of brand-new Sea-Doo GTX watercraft, this is the most reliable and most exhilarating way to experience the lagoon that defines Sebastian.
Salty's Sebastian location operates at the inlet, where the tidal exchange between the Atlantic and the lagoon keeps the water clear and the wildlife active. USCG-licensed captains lead every tour, and the 90-minute format gives riders enough time to explore the lagoon's sandbars, mangrove channels, and open water while following the dolphins at a respectful distance. The tour is suitable for ages 16 and up for solo riding, with younger children able to ride as passengers. No prior experience is required — Salty's provides a 15-minute on-site orientation before every tour.
Salty's is a family-owned company with five locations across the Treasure Coast (Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Jensen Beach, Sebastian, and Vero Beach), over 1,300 five-star reviews, and the distinction of being the only water sports company in St. Lucie County. At Sebastian, they offer jet ski rentals, dolphin tours, boat rentals, sunset cruises, and banana boat rides — making them the natural starting point for any water-based day in Sebastian.
Book: saltyswatersports.com/destinations/sebastian or call (772) 448-4516.
Sebastian Inlet State Park is consistently ranked among the top state parks in Florida and is the anchor attraction of the Sebastian area. The park straddles the Sebastian Inlet — the narrow channel connecting the Indian River Lagoon to the Atlantic Ocean — and offers a remarkable variety of activities within a compact, easily walkable area.
Surfing: The inlet's north jetty creates one of the best surf breaks on Florida's East Coast. The "First Peak" at Sebastian Inlet is famous among Florida surfers for its consistent, powerful waves — a rarity on the typically flat Atlantic coast. The park hosts professional surfing competitions, and the surf shop inside the park rents boards and provides lessons for beginners.
Fishing: Sebastian Inlet is one of the premier saltwater fishing spots in Florida. The jetties on both sides of the inlet provide access to snook, redfish, flounder, and tarpon. The park's fishing pier extends over the inlet channel, and the Indian River side offers excellent spotted sea trout and redfish fishing in the seagrass beds. A Florida fishing license is required for anglers 16 and older.
Beaches: The park's Atlantic-facing beaches are uncrowded, undeveloped, and beautiful. Sea turtle nesting season runs from May through October, and the park conducts nighttime turtle walks during nesting season that are open to the public (advance registration required). The beach is also an excellent shelling location, particularly after storms.
McLarty Treasure Museum: Located within the park, this small museum tells the story of the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet — eleven ships that sank in a hurricane off the Sebastian coast, carrying gold and silver from the New World. The museum displays artifacts recovered from the wrecks and explains the history of the disaster and the subsequent salvage operations that continue to this day.
Admission: $8 per vehicle (up to 8 people). Open 8 AM to sunset daily.
Mel Fisher was the most famous treasure hunter in American history — the man who spent 16 years searching for the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, a Spanish galleon that sank in 1622 carrying an estimated $400 million in gold and silver. When Fisher finally found the Atocha in 1985, it was the largest underwater treasure discovery in history. The Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum in Sebastian (1322 US Highway 1) is dedicated to Fisher's life, his methods, and the ongoing recovery of treasure from the 1715 fleet wrecks off the Sebastian coast.
The museum displays gold bars, silver coins, emeralds, and jewelry recovered from the wrecks, along with the story of the legal battles Fisher fought to keep his finds. It's a genuinely fascinating museum — not a tourist trap, but a serious collection of historically significant artifacts with excellent interpretive displays. The Sebastian location focuses specifically on the 1715 fleet, which is distinct from the Atocha (the Key West museum covers the Atocha). Many of the artifacts on display were recovered within the past decade by active salvage operations that are still ongoing.
Hours: Monday–Saturday 10 AM–5 PM, Sunday 12 PM–5 PM. Admission: $7 adults, $3 children (6–12), free under 6. Address: 1322 US Highway 1, Sebastian, FL 32958.
Pelican Island is one of the most historically significant wildlife sites in the United States — it was the first National Wildlife Refuge in America, established by President Theodore Roosevelt on March 14, 1903, to protect the brown pelican colonies that were being decimated by plume hunters. The island itself is closed to visitors to protect the nesting birds, but the refuge includes an observation tower, a boardwalk through the mangroves, and a canoe/kayak trail through the lagoon that provides excellent wildlife viewing.
The refuge is located on the Indian River Lagoon just south of the Sebastian Inlet, accessible via a short drive on A1A. The observation tower provides elevated views of the island and the surrounding lagoon, and during nesting season (typically February through August) you can observe hundreds of pelicans, herons, egrets, and roseate spoonbills from the tower without disturbing the colony. The canoe trail winds through the mangrove fringe of the lagoon and is one of the best paddling experiences in Indian River County.
Admission: Free. Open sunrise to sunset daily. Bring binoculars for the best wildlife viewing.
Capt. Hiram's is Sebastian's most beloved waterfront institution — a marina, resort, and restaurant complex on the Indian River Lagoon that has been a local gathering place for decades. The restaurant serves fresh seafood with views of the lagoon and the sunset, and the outdoor tiki bar is one of the best places on the Treasure Coast to watch the sun go down over the water. Live music is a regular feature, and the marina hosts a variety of fishing charters and eco-tours that depart from the dock.
The resort offers waterfront rooms and cottages for overnight stays, and the marina provides boat slips for visitors arriving by water. Capt. Hiram's is the kind of place that defines Old Florida — unpretentious, genuinely local, and centered on the water. It's the natural dinner destination after a day of activities at the inlet or on the lagoon.
Address: 1606 Indian River Drive, Sebastian, FL 32958. Phone: (772) 589-4345.
Riverview Park is Sebastian's community gathering place — a waterfront park on the Indian River Lagoon in the heart of downtown Sebastian that hosts farmers markets, craft fairs, seafood festivals, and community events throughout the year. The park has a fishing pier, a boat launch, picnic pavilions, and a playground, and the waterfront promenade is an excellent spot for a morning walk with views of the lagoon and the pelicans that congregate along the shoreline.
The park is rated 4.7 out of 5 on TripAdvisor and is consistently praised by visitors for its relaxed, authentic atmosphere. Unlike many Florida waterfront parks that have been overdeveloped, Riverview Park retains a genuine small-town character that feels increasingly rare in South Florida.
Sebastian's closest Atlantic beach access is at Wabasso Beach and Treasure Shores Beach Park, both located on the barrier island east of Sebastian via the Wabasso Causeway (CR 510). These beaches are significantly less crowded than the beaches near Vero Beach to the south or Sebastian Inlet to the north, and they offer free parking, lifeguards during peak season, and excellent conditions for swimming, shelling, and surfing.
Treasure Shores Beach Park is particularly popular for shelling after storms, when the beach is replenished with shells from the offshore reefs. The beach is also a sea turtle nesting site, and turtle nests are marked and protected during nesting season.
Sebastian is compact enough that you can cover the highlights in a single day without feeling rushed. Here's a suggested itinerary:
Sebastian is located in Indian River County on Florida's Treasure Coast, approximately 90 miles north of Miami, 30 miles south of Melbourne, and 25 miles north of Vero Beach. The most direct route from I-95 is Exit 156 to CR-512 (Sebastian Boulevard) east. From the Florida Turnpike, take Exit 193 to SR-60 east, then north on US-1 to Sebastian. There is no commercial airport in Sebastian — the nearest airports are Orlando Melbourne International Airport (MLB, 35 miles north) and Palm Beach International Airport (PBI, 90 miles south).
Sebastian, Florida is known for three things: the Indian River Lagoon (America's most biodiverse estuary), the Sebastian Inlet (one of Florida's best surf and fishing spots), and the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet wrecks that lie just offshore. Sebastian is also home to Pelican Island, the first National Wildlife Refuge in the United States, established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903. The town has a strong reputation for dolphin watching, with the Indian River Lagoon serving as a year-round dolphin nursery.
The best water sports activity in Sebastian is a Jet Ski Dolphin Tour with Salty's Water Sports. Salty's operates at the Sebastian Inlet with a fleet of new Sea-Doo GTX watercraft and USCG-licensed guides, offering a 95% dolphin sighting rate on guided tours through the Indian River Lagoon. They also offer jet ski rentals, boat rentals, sunset cruises, and banana boat rides. Salty's is the only full-service water sports company at Sebastian Inlet and has over 1,300 five-star reviews across their five Treasure Coast locations.
Sebastian, Florida is approximately 100 miles southeast of Orlando — about a 1.5 to 2 hour drive depending on traffic. The most direct route is I-95 south to Exit 156 (Sebastian Boulevard). Sebastian makes an excellent day trip from Orlando for families looking to combine a beach/lagoon experience with the theme parks. The Indian River Lagoon dolphin tours at Sebastian Inlet are a popular add-on for Orlando visitors who want to see Florida's natural wildlife.
Yes — Sebastian is one of the most underrated destinations on Florida's Atlantic coast. It offers world-class fishing and surfing at Sebastian Inlet, dolphin and wildlife tours on the Indian River Lagoon, the Mel Fisher Treasure Museum, Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, and excellent waterfront dining at Capt. Hiram's — all without the crowds, traffic, and overdevelopment that characterize most Florida beach towns. For visitors looking for authentic Old Florida character combined with genuine outdoor adventure, Sebastian is an exceptional choice.
Start your Sebastian day on the water with Salty's Water Sports — the Treasure Coast's most trusted water sports company. Book your Jet Ski Dolphin Tour, boat rental, or sunset cruise at the Sebastian Inlet location at saltyswatersports.com/destinations/sebastian or call (772) 448-4516. Morning slots fill fast — reserve yours today.
Choose your Salty's experience, select the most convenient launch location, and reserve online. Questions? Call (772) 448-4516.