Blake Walsh

15 Best Things to Do in Sebastian, FL

  • Published 2022/10/27

Discover the beauty of nature and the rich history of Sebastian, a city in Indian River County, Florida.

Sebastian is between Vero Beach and Melbourne on the Indian River Lagoon.

The lagoon is one of the most diverse estuaries in North America.

In addition to its natural charm, Sebastian is a popular vacation destination for anglers looking for deep-sea fishing to world-class bass fishing.

Get ready for the best things to do in Sebastian, Florida!

Explore Spanish Shipwrecks at Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum

Welcome sign of Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum

Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sebastian, Florida, is home to Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum.

It holds a substantial collection of artifacts salvaged from Spanish shipwrecks.

In addition, this museum features displays on archaeology and the Spanish treasure fleet of 1715.

The museum was founded by Taffi Fisher, Mel Fisher’s daughter, in a remodeled and previously abandoned fire station in December 1992.

They display an impressive assortment of artifacts and sell coins retrieved during their expeditions.

Exterior of Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum

Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The staff is quite friendly and informative about the ships and their contents.

They also screen a brief but informative documentary on the museum’s origins.

An observation window allows guests to watch conservators at work on submerged relics while they view the museum’s exhibits.

Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum is the perfect spot for anyone interested in archeology or treasure hunting.

Entrance doors of Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum

Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Explore the Riverview Park

Riverview Park is the social and community hub of Sebastian City.

It is on the banks of the Indian River, at the intersection of U.S. Route 1 and Sebastian Boulevard.

It’s an excellent spot for people of all ages to unwind and have fun.

If you’re planning a party, reunion, or other gathering, Riverview Park is a great place to hold it.

The park contains a large pavilion perfect for parties and events and a suitable playground for younger children.

Riverview Park’s splash pads, volleyball courts, and playgrounds are all great places to spend time with friends or family.

This area is wheelchair accessible, has plenty of oak trees for shade, and has clean bathrooms.

Even occasionally, you can spot squirrels there.

Unwind and take in the breathtaking panorama of the Indian River.

Fly High at Skydive Sebastian

With its gorgeous park environment, Skydive Sebastian is a top-tier skydiving facility.

Their seven-acre site features a large hangar and a vast team facility with fully equipped restrooms and showers.

It also features a restaurant and tiki bar, perfect for a post-flying happy hour.

This facility will not disappoint, from the ease of the manifest to the professionalism of the instructors and packers to the friendliness of the people in the zoo bar.

Skydive Sebastian has a fantastic, helpful, kind, and knowledgeable staff.

Their team is dedicated to making experienced skydivers, first-timers, or tourists, feel at home.

In addition, their crew does an excellent job with the keepsake video and photo packages.

You will surely not forget your experience for a long time.

Visit Stormwater Park

Stormwater Park was established in an area of the city designated explicitly for stormwater management and treatment.

In addition, the park allocated its 163 acres for active walking trails and other outdoor activities to enjoy Florida’s natural beauty.

The park’s nature paths feature a variety of essential ecosystems, from large trees to ponds and wetlands.

The parking area and entrance are on the south side of Englar Drive, between Barber Street and Schumann Drive.

This spot is always neat, so feel free to take your dog for a stroll, ride your bike, or kick back on one of the benches.

After a relaxing walk along the ponds, take a break at one of the conveniently placed benches.

Always be on the lookout since you might encounter bobcats, coyotes, and alligators, among other wild animals.

Multiple lakes and pathways offer both shady and sunny spots.

There are three separate trails ranging in length.

The green trail is flat and comfortable to walk on for those who have trouble walking long distances.

Play Tennis at Schumann Drive Park

Schumann Drive Park is a community park where the city’s asphalt tennis courts are.

They have multiple courts and a playground, though the courts are a little worn.

In addition, there are two basketball courts and six tennis courts, two of which include pickleball lines.

This park also features a pavilion, restrooms, a shaded picnic area, and a playground with swings and a slide.

They have a gazebo that offers a welcome break from the hot sun and good lighting at night.

It is an excellent park for sports enthusiasts or people who want to break a sweat.

Visit them on Schumann Drive in Sebastian City.

Bring Your Furry Friends to Sebastian Florida Bark Park

Sebastian Bark Park is the city’s lone public dog park.

Located at the intersection of Keen Terrace and South Wimbrow, the dog park opened in 2009.

This park has a lake, shaded picnic tables, public restrooms, and handicapped parking.

There are lots of covers, water, and separate spaces for large and little dogs, making it a fantastic spot to take your pet.

In addition, there is a bridge that crosses the lake, as well as a walking track around the lake.

The Sebastian Florida Bark Park spans 7 1/2 acres.

There is an off-leash dog area with ample running space, grassy areas, trees for shade, and doggie bag stations.

To be allowed in the Park, your pet should be well-behaved, immunized, licensed, wearing identity tags, and under your supervision at all times.

Dog owners are expected to pick up after their pets and restrain them while they are not in off-leash areas.

Big gazebos and benches allow people to sit in the shade and chat while their dogs run around and play.

Play a Round of Golf at Sebastian Golf Course

The city built the Sebastian Golf Course to attract more people to the sport of golf and to provide them with a service that is second to none.

In addition to junior golf programs, they host a variety of golf tournaments.

Both the fairways and the greens are in fine shape.

However, some of the bunks have odd construction around them; you should probably avoid those.

The golf course’s spacious, well-kept spaces are lovely and appealing.

It isn’t too challenging and is reasonably priced, so you’ll have a good time on the course.

Greens and fairways are in decent shape, and play goes by quickly.

Come and visit them at Brush Foot Drive, Sebastian.

Go Fishing at Schumann Lake Park

Schumann Lake Park is an excellent area for strolls and fishing.

It is easily accessible from Kildare Drive, just off Schumann Drive.

There aren’t many people around, so it’s nice and quiet.

Bring your canoe or stroll along the walking pathways.

However, any motorized watercraft is prohibited in the lake.

You will love the tranquil atmosphere during your early morning stroll or jog at Schumann Lake Park.

Learn to Swim at North County Aquatic Center

Regarding swimming, diving, and training, no other facility in Florida compares to the North Aquatic Center on County Road in Sebastian.

The facility welcomes families with young children.

It also has a heated pool, giving a pleasant place to swim and unwind.

Facilities include a competition pool, an activity pool, a diving well, and locker rooms.

The zero-depth activity pool makes it ideal for kids.

Water slides, water cannons, and other fun activities await children in the activity pool.

The 25-yard lap pool may accommodate as many as 24 swimmers.

Likewise, a swim school teaches kids as young as six months old how to swim through a program under the American Red Cross.

Basic swimming, stroke technique, and diving are taught systematically, and participants are encouraged to master water safety skills.

The diving well accommodates divers of varying heights with one- and three-meter platforms.

After swimming, you can buy hot dogs or burgers or use a vending machine.

There’s seating, tables, and shade for parents and other guests at the North County Aquatic Center.

See Various Animals at LaPorte Farms

LaPorte Farms is a must-see destination just off Roseland Road in beautiful Sebastian.

This zoo is a small family-run business that welcomes visitors of all ages.

Meeting their various animals is a fun experience for kids of all ages.

Visitors can ride and feed the horses for free.

However, donations are always welcome.

Behind the property is a playground, perfect for the little ones.

You can also host fantastic events at LaPorte Farms.

Hold a business meeting, office party, field trip, church function, or wedding.

It is a truly hidden gem in Sebastian.

Other Things to Do Nearby

Go Camping at the Sebastian Inlet State Park Campground

Aerial view of Sebastian Inlet State Park

Noah Densmore / Shutterstock.com

The Sebastian Inlet State Park in Vero Beach, Florida, has a campground ideal for any camping trip.

Find a great campground with several spots right on the water’s edge.

You will enjoy seeing the dolphins as they pass through the inlet.

The park rangers, staff, and volunteers are all courteous and knowledgeable.

Trail at Sebastian Inlet State Park

L Paul Mann / Shutterstock.com

They make the Park even more fantastic than it already is.

Go to the beach and observe sea turtle nests while you collect shells.

You can also try fishing from one of the jetties that go out into the Atlantic. Finally, go kayaking in the calm waters of the Indian River Lagoon’s wild beauty.

The Sebastian Inlet State Park Campground is 21 minutes from Sebastian.

The grounds of Sebastian Inlet State Park

L Paul Mann / Shutterstock.com

Take a Stroll at Golden Sands Park

If you’re looking for a beach in Vero Beach, head to Golden Sands Park, 13 minutes from Sebastian.

This place is a lovely, secluded beach park with lifeguards.

It has a picnic area, paved parking, a playground, and restrooms with showers.

Lifeguards are always on duty at the station.

Likewise, they added dunes and natural grasses to the renovated beach.

The facilities and boardwalk are kept in good condition.

Spend a day at the beach, strolling and listening to the waves crash on the shore.

Play a Round of Golf at the Habitat Golf Course

The Habitat Golf Course is an 18-hole, par-72 course that winds through Melbourne Beach’s picturesque natural surroundings.

The Habitat Golf Course is a challenging layout that will test golfers of any ability.

The grounds are carefully taken care of, with flat tee boxes, flawless fairways, and smooth greens.

Both beginners and professionals should avoid natural hazards.

Each hole has challenges thanks to creatively crafted topographical obstacles, including mounds, water hazards, and elevation changes.

Spend the day at the Habitat Golf Course in Malabar, Florida, 18 minutes from Sebastian.

Go Back in Time to the McLarty Treasure Museum

Exterior of the McLarty Treasure Museum

JennLShoots / Shutterstock.com

The McLarty Treasure Museum is a fantastic little museum that vividly recounts the tragic tale of the eleven Spanish galleon ships that sank in 1715 while returning to Spain with treasures of gold, silver, and other precious metals.

Guests can find this museum just south of Sebastian Inlet State Park in Vero Beach; the museum is 16 minutes from Sebastian.

You can take your time touring the facility after watching a 45-minute film on the history of the shipwrecks.

The personnel is quite helpful and knowledgeable about the displays and their contents.

Welcome sign of the McLarty Treasure Museum

JennLShoots / Shutterstock.com

The museum displays objects recovered from local beaches, including sword hilts, Spanish coins, rings, and other tableware.

Helpful volunteers will tour and show you fascinating tales about the museum’s artifacts.

Overlooking the beach and the ocean is an observation deck.

The McLarty Treasure Museum is wheelchair-friendly and has plenty of seats for visitors.

Exhibit in the McLarty Treasure Museum

Jkmscott, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Go Kayaking at the Indian River Lagoon Preserve State Park

Indian River Lagoon Preserve State Park protects the watershed of the Indian River Lagoon.

It is located on a barrier island south of Melbourne Beach, Florida, 26 minutes from Sebastian.

It is one of the most biologically diverse estuaries in North America.

The lagoon has been named an Outstanding Florida Water and an Estuary of National Significance.

It is a National Treasure, fully protected for future generations.

The salt marshes and mangrove wetlands at the site filter runoff, keep sediments in place and protect the shorelines from erosion.

Have fun kayaking, boating, swimming, hiking, and wading around the lagoon.

The Indian River Lagoon Preserve State Park is great for chilling out and enjoying nature.

Final Thoughts

Besides Sebastian’s clean waterways, excellent for kayaking and paddle boarding, there are scenic pontoon and airboat tours, world-class surfing and skydiving, and many birds and other animals.

It is also known for the rare artifacts found on its shores.

Pack your bags and experience the best things to do in Sebastian, Florida!

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