There are some great fun things to do in Hobe Sound within just a few minutes’ drive from each other. I want to guide you through some of the top Hobe Sound attractions to get you inspired for your trip.

Hobe Sound is a wonderful place to visit in Florida if you’re going on one of your first road trips, if want a bit of breathing space from the delights of nearby Orlando, or, you just want a relaxing holiday in the sun, in the US of A.

– The 25+ murals are the most popular thing to see in Hobe Sound 

14 Fun Things to Do in Hobe Sound

Watch my video to see more fun Hobe Sound activities! 

Check out my YouTube for more videos, and I’d love it if you subscribed!

Hobe Sound is a charming little community within Martin County, in Florida. It’s a land rich with beautiful coastlines, easy to drive roads and a chilled out friendly vibe.

If you’re wondering what to do in Hobe Sound on your trip to Florida, then here are 15 activities in Hobe Sound to keep you busy. 

– This trip was sponsored by Visit Florida

1. Breakfast at Harry and the Natives

Harry and the Natives Restaurant has been around since 1941. It’s so old that it has the 9^th alcohol licence in the district, and places 1 to 8 are no longer up and running. Harry and the Natives is a definite favourite with the locals.

We went.

Couldn’t miss this Hobe Sound restaurant out from our Hobe Sound itinerary, could we?

It was a tough choice between the Coconut Pancakes and what I eventually went for, but seeing as I’d never seen Carrot Cake Pancakes on a menu, and decided they’d be all out American gluttony with a frosting and maple syrup, I chose them. And they were everything, especially with a bit of bacon on the side.

Please see indulgent picture above. 

• 

• 

The new Tiki bar at Harry and the Natives brings people in on the weekends, apparently the place is rammed thanks to their Mimosa brunch and the Bloody Mary Bar, where you can pimp your mimosa to your heart’s content.

Also, they have live music so as our new friend Angela told us, “she can bring her kids, they can be as noisy as they like, and no one can hear them over the band”.

Harry and the Natives is a real family place. Harry prides himself on moving with the times, listening to his customers, and giving them what they want – cue the three new electric car chargers out the front.

Visiting here is one of the top things to do in Hobe Sound Fl!

---

Where is Hobe Sound Fl?

Hobe Sound is on the east coast of Florida, above West Palm Beach. It’s a two-hour drive from Orlando, and an hour and a half from Miami.

I’ve plotted most of the Hobe Sound activities on this Hobe Sound map. The most northern, Stuart, is just 37 minutes from the most southern, the Blowing Rocks. As you can see, the activities are mostly close together, and the roads are so chill here, you’ll welcome the drive when you get to do one!

---

2. Drive down South Beach Road on Jupiter Island

I presume you’ve got a rental car in Hobe Sound? Check out my tips and advice for hiring a car in Florida if you have.

We picked up a Toyota Yaris from Hertz at Fort Lauderdale Airport for £165ish for the week, including return to Orlando. That was the basic level, but they have cars for all kinds.

A soft top drive down South Beach Road would be amazing, but at least with our little Yaris we got to listen to our carefully curated Spotify playlists as we went.

The mansions on Jupiter Island are incredible – there was one that even had an entrance AND an exit driveway. This is where the rich people live – turn your Tinder on!

The mansions line both sides of the road. Most are set back a bit to enjoy the views over the Atlantic Ocean.

You can cruise along at a nice 40mph speed limit here so you can get a good look as you drive to the bottom of the island and round again.

Choose your favourite house name – mine was ‘Wit’s End’.

Make sure to drive along Bridge Road too. The way the trees arch over the street is pretty special. Watch the video above carefully and you can see it in the back window.

All this is just a 12-minute drive from the centre of Hobe Sound.

---

3. Check out Blowing Rocks

The Blowing Rocks are a ‘point of interest’ in Hobe Sound. At first I didn’t think they seemed that impressive – given our beautiful rocky coastline in the UK – but stick around to watch as the water blasts up and over and you’ll realise it is actually a pretty cool sight.

Look out for the water coming up through the blow holes, they make for the coolest pics.

Oh and the beach is pretty cool to sit and admire too. Bring a picnic!

4. Hobe Sound Murals

I lurrrved the Hobe Sound murals. In fact, I have over 100 photos on my phone of them, with me stood in front in varying states of uncomfortable and awkward.

The idea behind the Hobe Sound murals is that locals, and local businesses, sponsor an aspect of them.

In Stuart they’re currently creating a huge under the sea one and the turtle has been sponsored for $25,000. All the money raised goes to a local charity to stop human trafficking.

Here’s a little look at my favourites from Hobe Sound’s top things to do.

Hobe Sound Beach

Ocean Jazz

Live Learn Loggerhead

There are 25 murals in Hobe Sound, with another 10 planned for the future.

You can either take a guided walk round (definitely would’ve liked to do this), walk around on a self-guided tour with a printed guide from the Chamber of Martin County, or drive around Hobe and play ‘Spot the Mural’ – which is kinda what we did.

Whichever way you seen them, the murals are one of the most popular things to do in Hobe Sound. Make sure to include them on your Hobe Sound itinerary. 

5. Jonathan Dickinson State Park

– Climb up the tower for this view over Hobe Sound’s Jonathan Dickinson State Park

With almost 11,500 acres the park is full of wildlife and fun activities to do in Hobe Sound Fl.

The Loxahatchee River runs through so if you have the time and the inclination you can rent kayaks, canoes or go on a boat tour (just check out my video above). There are also cycles for rent with paved and off road trails.

We climbed up to the highest point and then went for a slow drive along the paved roads. Had an epic lunch we needed to get to so we had to be quick…

6. Lunch at Flash Beach Grille

– Wondering what to do in Hobe Sound? Eat! 

To be honest, I was expecting a beach bar when we were recommended the Flash Beach Grille, but it’s set just off the Dixie Highway, looking out over the Ocean Jazz mural.

The wonderful food totally made up for the lack of beach, and to be fair, there was sand.

• 

• 

Emily and I shared the chicken tenders – which came with three types of fries, amazing idea – and the bacon wrapped shrimp with fried noodles. Looked delicious, difficult to eat, but worth the challenge. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen shrimp so big.

The staff here were really lovely by the way. We were there for a midweek lunch but I’d definitely recommend trying it at night too as they have live bands out the front.

This was one of my favourite places to eat in Hobe Sound Fl. 

7. Hobe Sound Beach

If you’ve got time to relax on Hobe Sound Beach, and if it’s sunny, make the most of it. With white sand and (usually) blue skies you can set up camp for the day and chill out.

Hobe Sound beach is only two minutes drive from the Flash Beach Grille, so when you get a bit peckish you can just drive on over along the famous Bridge Road I told you about.

The weather wasn’t the best for us on our January visit, so we didn’t stick around for too long. 

Hobe Sound Beach was one of my favourite things to do in Hobe Sound Fl, even if it was a little chilly.

8. Aperitivo at Casa del Vino

Unfortunately, we just didn’t have time to visit, BUT, I have it on good authority that the Casa del Vino Wine Bar is excellent.

I didn’t want to miss it off this list of things to do in Hobe Sound.

The Italian family that run it have a vineyard back in Italy and ship in local wines especially for their clientele. Gutted we didn’t manage to fit this one into our Hobe Sound adventure.

Let me know what you think of it if you get there!

9. Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge

The Nathaniel P. Read Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge is a great way to see some of the animals native to the area. They’re protected here, but they’re not caged so you can still get the thrill of spotting one from afar.

Don’t forget your binoculars! 

10. Cloud Nine Kiteboarding

Have a go at something new on your holiday and book in for a lesson with Cloud Nine Kiteboarding. To be honest I actually found kiteboarding quite hard, and just couldn’t get the knack of it. 

Emily who I went with had a great time though, so I think it was probably user error on my part. Sign up for a session with Cloud Nine Kiteboarding and you’ll get amazing views of the Atlantic too. 

And with all this Hobe Sound nature around, who knows what you might see in the ocean!

11. Check out the River Walk

Every Sunday in nearby Stuart you can grab a beer and enjoy music from local bands on the riverbanks, at the Rock ‘n’ River Walk.

If you’re wondering what to do in Hobe Sound on a weekend – this is your answer!

12. Enjoy seasonal events & festivals

When I was in Hobe Sound there was the Art Studio Open House Tour, where you could walk around and see the artists at work. It happens in January every year.

Check out the events on DiscoverMartin.com to find everything from wildlife painting to sailfish regattas. They love a festival around these parts.

13. Explore Florida’s Oceanographic Society

Florida’s Oceanographic Society is home to tens of Stingrays who’ve been rescued from the oceans. The tank has windows on the side so as well as seeing them from above, you can also see their funny little faces from the side.

Here’s a shark though, cause sharks live there too. This is in Stuart, not far from Hobe Sound.

Florida’s Oceanographic Society is a 57-acre educational & research site with a network of nature trails, a lagoon & saltwater tanks. Loads to see in Hobe Sound!

14. Paddleboarding on the Ohana Bus

Ride the Ohana Bus and travel to the best paddleboarding spots in Martin County – for us it was just up the road near the House of Refuge (another good spot to see).

We paddleboarded out as far as we dared, explored the mangroves, and came back again.

Great fun and good exercise in the January sunshine!

Going paddleboarding near Hobe Sound Fl totally ignited the passion for paddleboarding I have today!

---

Where to stay near Hobe Sound

Hutchinson Shores Resort

• 

• 

We spent two nights at the Hutchinson Shores Resort on Hutchinson Island, about a 30-minute drive from Hobe Sound Fl. It’s new and super plush.

There are two heated pools, a jacuzzi, a delightful restaurant and of course bars too. It’s located right on the beach so the views from the room are amazing.

Also, you can fall asleep with the balcony doors open and the sound of waves.

Dreamy.

Old Colorado Inn

Alternatively, stay at the Old Colorado Inn in Stuart. It’s about 25 minutes from Hobe Sound and is a great spot if you like your hotels with a bit of history. It’s one of the oldest buildings in Stuart and has accommodation to suit all prices and party sizes.

We stayed in the Key West Suite and I loved the space, and the bagel breakfast delivery every morning. It was well located for the bright lights of Stuart and had the little Tiki bar next door with it’s live music and tasty rum cocktails.

---

4 more restaurants nr Hobe Sound

Looking for more places to eat near Hobe Sound Fl?

1. Drift Kitchen at the Hutchinson Shores Resort

Number one on the list of the best places to eat in Hobe Sound would be the Drift Kitchen at the Hutchinson Shores Resort, because that Salmon and Mushroom risotto dish was my absolute favourite from the week.

As I’ve just said in the where to stay section, Hutchinson Shores is half an hour away, but it’s totally worth it.

And if you end up staying, even better.

NORTHERN HARVEST SALMON $25

Pan Seared, Capers, Heirloom Tomatoes, Fresh Herbs, Baby Spinach, Maine Lobster Sauce, Mushroom Risotto

Errhhmaghod, so good. And also, I tried tuna poke for the first time for my starter. That was special too. Super fresh, lots of it and that soft avocado was waaaay tastier than any avocado you get this side of the Pond.

TUNA POKE $13

Avocado Salsa, Citrus Ponzu, Scallions, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Spiced Orange Oil

They also do a great breakfast at Hutchinson Shores, as I was lucky enough to discover…

2. Banyan 320

STUART

Another one of Martin County’s latest offerings, and I can confirm that Banyan 320 is a great little brunch spot in Stuart, just 20 minutes from Hobe Sound.

They’re popular for their all-you-can-eat buffet, featuring all kinds of breakfast goodies, and apparently their Bloody Marys are the best (so they tell me). Although, it was kinda late when we went and so my brunchy desires dissolved when I spotted The Cuban on the menu.

I lurrrrve me a gherkin, and meat, and cheese, and bread – and so it was ordered, and served, and then looked like this… ^

Those fries were absolutely everything.

Oh and this little lot cost $18 (£13ish).

3. The Gafford

STUART

This is the swankiest of the restaurants on my list. Somewhere special to go to celebrate your holiday. Located on the hight street in Stuart, just a short walk from where we were staying at the Colorado Inn, the Gafford is kind of like a bistro-style affair, with epic portions and tasty ingredients.

My order:

CORIANDER & COCONUT CRUSTED GROUPER

Market selection of local grouper, crusted and pan roasted with caramelized pineapple-rum butter sauce with cilantro pesto over wild grains

THOSE GRAINS. And I had two massive fishies. Definitely no room for dessert unfortunately. A great welcome to the cuisine of this part of Florida though.

4. Kai Kai Farm

INDIANTOWN

The Kai Kai Farm is the epitome of Farm to Table eating. Book in for a meal and you’ll go on a tour of the grounds before feeding time, to see how and where the food is grown.

Visiting the Kai Kai Farm really gives another angle to the whole experience of eating, and the provenance of food, to help you enjoy the indulgence even more. It was a great experience, and just a 15-minute drive from Hobe Sound.

Hope this has given you a little inspiration for where to eat around and in Hobe Sound, Florida. Let me know if you’d recommend anywhere else!

READ MORE: How About the Emerald Coast for Your Florida Adventure?

What to do in Hobe Sound Florida

From my week in Martin County, I decided Hobe Sound is a great place to visit in Florida. Absolutely perfect if you need to chill after the craziness of Orlando (an easy 2-hour drive away – go to Disney!), or, if you’re just looking for a more relaxed break in the Sunshine State.

Hobe Sound had great food, fun and lots of adventurous things to do, and despite being January, it was warm enough to go in the water, just.

Let me know if you have any questions at all about visiting Hobe Sound!

---

*I was in Hobe Sound thanks to Love Florida and Discover Martin County. All views my own, obviously. Hope this has opened your eyes to some of the Hobe Sound things to do!

---

More on Florida

---

Pin these things to do in Hobe Sound for later

• 

• 

•