Jensen Beach Vacations, Attractions and Dog and Cat Repair

Jensen Beach, Florida has been named as one of the best cities for retirement in Florida, and its lists of attractions, businesses, and public services validate that designation several times over. Jensen Beach is also set among National Historic Places and State Parks on the Treasure Coast of Florida that are all refreshing and peaceful for visitors and residents alike. Some of the best attractions are described below.

• This entertaining and effective veterinary clinic and animal hospital expanded so much that they moved to a free standing building. They might not have their "Dog and Car Repair" sign at present, but they are located right next to a car wash, which probably keeps the joke going. They have been in business for over 30 years and are friendly, talented, and reliable.

Florida's Houses of Refuge -- "Houses of refuge" is a name often given to church buildings and in some modern settings, the name refer to animal rescue agencies as well. In Florida in the late 1800s and early 1900s, sailors' houses of refuge were sponsored but the United States Life Saving Service (and the US Coast Guard after 1915) to help men at sea around Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Located along major coastlines of the US, some were constructed near lighthouses.

Along the eastern coast of Florida, from the Space Coast in the north to the Treasure Coast that surrounds Jensen Beach and all the way to Miami, sailors' houses of refuge were invaluable to the men that sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to the US Eastern Seaboard and to sailors that worked mostly in the Caribbean waters.

The buildings and the families that lived in them year around were life savers to these men from hurricanes, other storms, and shipwrecks. The families helped injured, stranded, and traumatized sailors to recover, while the largest houses of refuge also maintained a crew of men called "serfmen." Whoever was living or stationed at these houses were required to walk up and down the coastline after a storm and look for sailors of all nationalities that had washed up on shore. The house could normally support 20 men for 10 days.

For Florida, at least 10 houses of refuge were constructed between 1875 - 1888 and they were used well into the 20th Century. One particularly interesting fact, is that the eastern coast of the state is rather close to the Bermuda Triangle. How many shipwrecked men were saved and brought to these houses, babbling about odd incidents? There must be a book and film in that history! Meanwhile, visit the House of Refuge at St. Gilbert's Bar.

Visitors might think that St. Gilbert's Bar is a tavern or club, but it's really a sandbar and grouping of rocks in the water in Gilbert's Bar Inlet, also called the St. Lucie Rocks . The Gilbert Bar's House of Refuge was active with the US Coast Guard until 1941 and is the only original such haven still standing in Florida. It houses a good museum a well. The facilities welcome visitors with exhibits, programs, and special activities like re-enactment events.

Two additional historic sites of former sailors' life saving stations and houses of refuge are located 25 miles south of Gilbert's Bar at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and 37 miles further south at Orange Grove (now Orange Terrace) at Delray Beach.

Reference: US Coast Guard archives at http://www.uscg.mil/history/STATIONS, retrieved May 18, 2013.

Jensen Sea Turtle Beach - This is the main beach of Jensen Beach, known for its harboring of several turtle species. The areas in which turtles lay their eggs are cordoned off, but life guards work the areas that are open to swimmers. The City of Jensen Beach began as a single pineapple plantation in 1881, commemorated by the Pineapple Festival each year in November.

St. Lucie Inlet State Park - This state park is located on the southern end of Hutchinson Island and northern end of Jupiter Island, south of the sailor's house of refuge on the north end of Huthinson. Visitors are advised to a take a boat from the mainland to the island park and enjoy the 3/5-mile boardwalk and beach where three kinds of turtles lay their eggs. SCUBA, snorkeling, and surf fishing are popular sport here and visitors may see whales and manatee in the waters. You also can see bobcats and do some bird watching. This is part of the Intercoastal Waterway, so kayakers and canoers are welcomed to bring their boats and enjoy the ride.

Florida Power and Light - The energy/utility company offers family friendly exhibits on energy called Energy Encounter and the opportunity to view wildlife on its grounds. Address: 6501 South Ocean Drive; Highway A1A, Gate B; Jensen Beach, FL 34957.

Address:464 SW Port St Lucie Blvd Port St Lucie, FL 34953

This establishment on Jensen Beach has numerous good customer reviews and bills itself as an authentic Irish restaurant and pub. The organization supports local artists of all sorts and groups like the Rowdy Micks and their friends play music there regularly. Poker tournaments happen on Sunday nights.

The menu is great and they have a fantastic All-You-Can-Eat Fisn and Chips deal on Wednesdays. Every day has a special on food and drinks and holidays bring brunch specials and theme parties.