bathtub reef

A popular and often very busy beach that features a reef which traps water at low tide and offers a nice swimming environment in warm water (hence Bathtub Beach) Also a great beach for walking but watch the tides some places would be difficult to get back from at high tide.

Most of the beaches on Hutchinson Island have too rough of surf to actually swim but the reef at bathtub beach helps calm the waves substantially. We came midway between tides and most of the reef was underwater but it was great to be able to spend more time in the water. The beach has a fairly sharp drop off on the two sides do if you have young kids keep them in the center section where it stays shallow fairly far out.Restrooms are available in a trailer in the parking lot but they are probably the cleanest beach restrooms I've ever seen.

Our son's family, who moved to the Stuart area only this past October from the west coast, really enjoys this beach, because the water is warm enough to swim year round, a big change from the beaches in southern Ca. The day we were there, while our granddaughters waded, the air blowing in from the ocean was both cool and windy. Nice "beachy" views, with waves breaking over the reef.

The best beach experience I've had inside the USA. Safe, clear water, lifeguards are very attentive. There's a pavilion for shade. This place rocks!

Near Sailfish Point, this beach features a natural worm reef that, opposing the shore, forms a bathtub shaped basin of warm, calm, clear water with a sandy bottom that is about 100 feet across at its widest. Beyond the reef is fine for snorkling--schooling fish, cobia, and even sluggish nurse sharks are common. Parking lot is small...rest rooms at south end.

It's a great beach and the drive to it is fabulous between the river and the ocean. Sand is clean, lots of shells and the water is wonderful. Shallow a long way out to the reef and warm. If you're in the area, make this a must visit.

Safe for kids and awesome place to swim and snorkel...go there all the time to swim and if you like surfing you can go over 1 beach to go surfing. The reef is loaded with fish and if adventurous you can swim out on the other side to see bigger fish and sharks.

Nice beach, lots of pretty fish to see snorkeling! Good for all ages, many shallow areas and tide pools for kids when tide goes out!

With ever changing views and abundant wildlife, Bathtub Reef Beach is worth a visit if just to sit on your beach chair and gaze out at the ocean. It's a short walk from the parking lot and the facilities are clean and adequate. The term bathtub comes from the protected are of water, a few acres in size just in front of the parking area visible at low tide. A stretch of reef is responsible for the outer rim of the tub keeping the water generally smoother and warmer within the tub area. This makes for safe and easy wading around and frolicking especially for the children. The other great geographical aspect of the beach is how it stretches to the jetty about one and a half miles to the south. Here one can walk or run while admiring the 10,000 sq. ft. mansions along the way and the squadron of pelicans likely to fly overhead. And when one arrives at the jetty, be sure to watch the yachts come and go as this is the main access from the ocean to the town of Stuart. If you have a dog, this is a perfect way to let them play and tire them out at the same time. I am amazed how the landscape has changed every time I visit this beach. It is a never ending chore to keep sand clean and properly allocated but the town thus far has done a great job with this. One caveat about this beach is that the tide needs to be at or near the low along with other favorable conditions to take advantage of the best the beach has to offer. The ideal conditions may be difficult to find.

This is a beautiful beach. Reef and shallow water for small children, not crowded. Good for sun bums or if you want to snorkel bring your sunscreen and enjoy our good nature.

This beach is somewhat calmer then the other beaches on Hutchison Island. Certain times there are excellent opportunities for shelling. There Is an observation deck and primitive washrooms.

Significant erosion so the size of the sandy beach can be tight. I was there right after a storm and found a huge shell. Nice viewing platform by the parking lot. The bathrooms were in a trailer in the parking lot.

We sought out this beach to snorkel, but it is rarely calm enough for that. There is a coral reef not too far out from shore and we have seen some good-sized sharks caught there from the shore. This made us wary of swimming out there! We do like to hike the beach down to the inlet and have found some nice sand dollars there.

Great beach and view. Due to continuing erosion, the parking situation is grim. All of the beaches along this strip are a great choice and family friendly.

New Years Day, beach was wonderful. Very crowded parking lot, though, get there early. Tons of shells, but no 'facilities'. Had to walk half a mile south to a private resort.