1. Small-town Vibe: Say goodbye to traffic, gridlock, and congestion as Martin County is known for its relaxed, laid-back lifestyle. Its shoreline is uncluttered as building restrictions have limited structures to four stories. In 2015, Martin County’s largest city – Stuart — was named as the third-best small town to visit by Smithsonian Magazine.
2. Boating/Watersports: With year-round weather ideal for water sports, it is no surprise that Martin County has more than 20 marinas to launch water adventures. Offshore, there are many dive site opportunities.
3. World-Class Fishing: Martin County residents and visitors can fish in freshwater, inshore saltwater, and offshore saltwater. Martin County not only fronts the Atlantic but also incorporates parts of the St. Lucie and Indian Rivers and extends all the way west to Lake Okeechobee, the largest freshwater lake in the South. Sport fishermen love the county, which is commonly referred to as the “Sailfish Capital of the World.”
4. The Arts: Downtown Stuart features a contemporary performing arts center called The Lyric. The theatre, which was once a silent movie house in the 1920s, was completely renovated in 2014 with all-new seating, new walls, and lobby.
5. Endless Beaches: Martin County has myriad Atlantic beaches spanning nearly 22 miles of white-sand coastline. There are individual access strips that allow for more private spots to enjoy the surf.
6. Great Schools: Martin County public school district is one of Florida’s highest-performing school districts in Florida. The Martin County School District’s new Federal Graduation Rate is among the highest in the state at 88.8 percent. Jensen Beach High, Martin County High, and South Fork High schools are ranked among Newsweek Magazine’s 2014 list of America’s Best High Schools.
7. Close Proximity to World-Famous Attractions: You can access all of Florida’s major attractions and cities from Martin County. Orlando’s Disney
World and Miami Beach are within 100 miles radius of Martin. A day trip will get you to Key West, Tampa, Jacksonville or Tallahassee.
8. The St. Lucie Inlet: The St. Lucie Inlet is the most bio-diverse lagoon ecosystem in the Northern hemisphere. The Inlet, which provides habitat for over 4,300 species of plants and animals, is important to Martin County because it provides critical access between inland waterways, centers of commerce and private and commercial docks and the Atlantic Ocean.
9. Four Major Airports in Close Proximity: Martin County is 45 minutes from Palm Beach International Airport, 90 minutes from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, almost two hours from Miami International Airport, and two hours from Orlando International Airport.
10. Shopping: Martin County offers a slew of top-notch retail centers. The Treasure Coast Square Mall, the Harbour Bay Plaza, and the shops in the downtowns of Stuart and Jensen Beach are just a few.
11. Golf: Martin County is home to more than 35 world-class golf courses. Legendary golf pros such as Jack Nicklaus and Chi Chi Rodriguez have designed golf courses here. Tiger Woods recently purchased a 10-acre estate, with a private golf course, on Jupiter Island.
12. Historic downtowns: History is preserved here in Martin County as the area boasts more than 20 galleries in the historic downtowns of Stuart, Jensen Beach, Port Salerno and Hobe Sound.
13. Ecotourism: Martin County has more than 93,000 acres of conservation land to explore. Martin County’s beautiful outdoors offers everything from horseback riding to hiking, particularly at local preserves and state parks such as Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
14. Worldwide Cuisine: Martin’s top-notch waterfront and indoor restaurants offer an array of cuisine to whet your appetite. Restaurants serving international, Caribbean, New World, Latin, and more are offered in Martin County.
15. Hospitals: Martin County Health System ranks among the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide, according to The Joint Commission, one of the most respected accreditation agencies in the U.S. Martin Health System and Martin Health System South are four-time national winners of the Top 100 Hospitals in the U.S.
16. All-Year, Sunny Weather: Martin County boasts an average annual temperature of 74 degrees.
17. “The Panama Canal of Florida”: Stuart, the county seat of Martin County, sits on the eastern point of the Okeechobee Waterway, a 54-mile long waterway and Florida’s only cross-state canal. Stuart is nicknamed the “The Panama Canal of Florida” because the waterway extends from the The Atlantic Ocean in Stuart to the Gulf of Mexico in Fort Myers.
18. Tourism: Martin County is led by a tourist-oriented economy, and hotel occupancy is on the rise here. About 91.1 percent of all Martin County hotels were occupied in March 2015, the highest occupancy rate recorded in a decade, according to research firm STR Inc.
19. The Reefs: Martin County has numerous thriving natural and artificial reefs. Each reef offers a rich aquatic life, which is perfect for recreational divers.
20. Emerging Business Center: Martin County has more than 400 manufacturers making everything from medical devices to solar and alternative energy products. Local aviation manufacturer companies like Triumph Aerostructures-Vought Aircraft Division and Paradigm Precision are thriving in global markets. Martin is also located near life science institutions Scripps Research Institute and Torrey Pines Molecular Research Institute.
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