Sebastian Inlet State Park

If you are looking to go tent camping at this state park, read on! I had a very enjoyable visit, though it was not what I was expecting. The «campsite» was a gravel driveway with just enough room for our tent, car, and the table/​fire pit already there. The gravel driveways are right up against the other campsites, separated by only a narrow strip of grass, so don’t expect much privacy. It was difficult to pitch our tent because the ground is so rocky and even with smashing the stakes in with rocks we had to leave a couple stakes out that just wouldn’t go in. We were also visited all night by an insistent raccoon who was not at all afraid of people.
So, I would not recommend this location if your goal is an authentic tent camping experience. However, spending the day at the beaches really made the trip. Both the tide pool and the ocean were beautiful and a lot of fun to spend time on. I recommend bringing a boogie board.

Campground overrun by small human eating bugs!!! Our family of four has over 1000 bites after tent camping just one night — arrived at 9pm. See photo. Do not tent camp here. RV is the way to go. These were tiny bugs, looked like flying flecks of dirt. Even with deet we were eaten alive. Beach on the other hand… Very nice!

A wonderful time at the park. We visited here during Labor Day weekend during our visit to Orlando. Family living in Florida had suggested it, so we made the 2 hour ride from Orlando to the park in Melbourne Beach. The last hour or so of the trek is not on highway, so the speed limits are 35 – 50, which makes trip longer. There was an entrance/​parking fee of $ 8 per car, but I believe it is cheaper if you driving alone. Other family had arrived and set up a portable grill. There are grills there you can use though, as well as park tables. Lots of trees for shade as well. After we ate we went to the beach which was awesome. It was very clean. We then went to the pier to fish, which was super crowded on the nice day. Not much fish was caught by anyone really, but we were told that the water was coming in and the evening catch is generally better. We did not stick around to find out though. As with any park near the water, be mindful of the bugs. I was tagged from head to toe by the end of the day. Also if you plan on fishing, there are a bunch of bait/​tackle shops along the main road as well as a few gas stations and a huge Public supermarket, so you are well set for the trip to the park/​beach/​pier.

We decided to stay two night here and so glad we did. The park is beautiful and a fisherman’s dream with multi spots to fish including 2 piers, several docks and beachside. Although we opted out for fishing instead choosing to enjoy the bike trails and walk the coast line. The camp ground also host a really neat museum about the rich history of the area and divers wildlife.
There is not much by way of restaurants or shops on the inlet, all of that is obtainable at nearby Sabastian.

I caught my first wave here, a nice long ride on a rented board at 10 years of age… lol! It is still one of my favorite spots, decades later! Like everyone says, get there early as the parking fills up fast.

It was a great time! We fished from the pier and the place was very well taken care of. Would recommend!

Fishing from the pier is probably the best shore fishing in Florida outside of the Keys. I’ve seen people catch all kind of stuff from redfish and snook to a giant Goliath grouper one time. I love going here and just wish I lived closer.
Surfing is quite good at times, but a narrow break (wedge), very crowded and a lot of animosity with fishermen. Not worth it for me to surf here. I’d rather go up the rd to Patrick AFB.

Drove down from Melbourne to check out this beach. We were not disappointed. It was a beautiful, clean beach with nice size waves. Our teens all loved it. They were able to see manatees up close as they swam by them while they were out in the surf. We were one of about only 5 other groups on the beach. Our kids requested to go back tomorrow so they could fish off the pier. We took a picnic lunch and sat at one of the many picnic tables under the trees. They do have a little shop with food to purchase though.
Despite some sort of construction going on, the park and restrooms were clean and it was overall a very enjoyable day.

I’ve been to many beaches and this is one of my favorites. It’s GORGEOUS!
Imagine a long drive (if you’re from out of the area coming from say Orlando), and you’re passing beautiful mansions, row upon row upon row of mansions.
You start to see parking areas and people unloading surfboards and all their swimming paraphernalia, while you keep driving, and driving wondering, «Did we miss it yet? Is this it». No, in fact, you didn’t. This baby is WAAAAAAAY down the street. It’s a drive but so very worth it.
Like many of our beautifully kept beach facilities this one has a fee which you shouldn’t mind paying because it goes back to the beach, the life guards, trash pickup, restroom cleaning, so on so on.
There is a fishing pier if that’s what you want to do or you can save that for a nice walk at the end of your visit. Many folks were piled on the rocks fishing which is a big no no at Jetty Park, our closet beach in Orlando. No one seemed to mind here.
What I love about this beach is that there are two areas to swim; the beach side where surfers can do their thing and a calm tide pool area that’s nice to just sit and relax in or enjoy especially if you have little kids with you. My nieces (6 and 3) really loved being able to walk around on their own and looking for little crabs, fish, and other creatures in the tide pool area. It’s a great spot to teach confidence in swimming as well.
We ended up going back and forth on both sides which was pretty fun. You’ll also find a rocky area close to the fishing pier to explore for more creatures. Bring shoes! It kills your feet.
On the way to the restrooms we also encountered a turtle, we stayed far away and I used my zoom to get a picture of it, but its just one of the many animals we saw on our second visit there. We also seen manatees and dolphins. This is definitely a worthwhile visit!
There is webcam on the pier so if you’re ever curious about the weather just before you drive out there, Google, ‘Sabastian Inlet Webcam’.

Possibly my favorite thing to do since I moved to Melbourne Beach. I don’t get to go very often due to the cost in gas and time. But… when I do get the chance to go… I love it! The view is amazing, especially during sunrise/​sunset. I haven’t done any fishing on the North Jetty before because I’m kinda terrified of how long it is and the waves splashing up against the rocks… but, I’m going to start working over my fear in the next couple weeks! I love the campgrounds on the south side as well. My family went camping there a couple years ago. Great for fishing, walking, photo taking, and making memories with friends and family. I plan on camping down there when I’m able to take the time off of work and save up the money. It’s nice to walk around the park listening to my iPod and taking pics… just relaxing. :)

Yes, there are beautiful trails and beaches like at many other state parks, but the fishing is why most people come. The fishing from the pier, jetties, catwalk, and surf are all world class. Aquamarine waters and panoramic beach views while getting a chance to land snook, red/​black drum, pompano, blues, jacks, and many others is simply fantastic. It costs $ 8 per car to enter ($ 4 if you are by yourself). There is a restaurant, a gift shop, and a bait shop on site.
If you are interested in fishing here, check out the Sebastian Inlet Fishing Report. It’s posted online each morning detailing the conditions and catches of the previous day.

Great place for fishing, picnic, theres a bay with beach perfect for families with small kids. There is a bait and tackle stire and restaurant on cite. Only conplain is there arent any bathrooms just one filthy porter potty which you could smell from the distance. That was the only con.

Amazing fishing off the pier. Everyone was pulling in Mackerel, Blues, Jack, and Snook left and right. There is a great area for surfing and a nice enclosed cove for swimming too.
Onsite there is a grill to get lunch and a bait shop where you can rent fishing equipment.

Today’s visit was very special we arrived as the tide was rushing out, the narrow inlet restricts the tide’s flow so the speed of the water rushing towards the ocean is incredible it’s estimated to exit at speeds between 10 — 15 knots you would never want to get caught up in the tidal flow you would definitely be swept out to sea within minutes.
Walking along the jetty lets you appreciate just how clear the water can be you could actually see fish caught up in the current we also spotted a few sea turtles swimming as well as a few manatees.
Sebastian Inlet is a man-​made cut through a barrier island that runs along the east coast of Florida. The ocean lies to the east and the estuary is sandwiched between the island and the mainland to the west.
Not only are there lots of things to see and plenty of areas to explore the amenities are everything you’d expect in one of Florida’s many State Parks. This is a real bargain for $ 8.00 a vehicle.
Sebastian Inlet State Park is home to two museums. The McLarty Treasure Museum is situated on a survivors camp of the wrecked 1715 Spanish Plate Fleet. The museum features artifacts, displays and an observation deck that overlooks the ocean. Salvagers still work to recover gold, silver and the ‘Queen’s jewels’ that were lost to the sea. The Sebastian Fishing Museum depicts the lives and history of the people who lived in Sebastian.

Sebastian Inlet SP is a fun place to visit. Keep in mind, parking can and does fill up fast, so you want to get here early. There is also parking on both Orchid Island and the other island to the north (whose name I still haven’t figured out). Both lots are accessible from the west side of A1A.
Parking fees are $ 8 for vehicles with up to 8 people; $ 4 for single passenger vehicles; and $ 2 for bikes and pedestrians. You can also take your receipt and get access to the other side for the duration of the day.
There is a snack bar here — nothing to write home about, but you can get soda, beer and Powerade, to replenish on those artificial electrolytes. There are bathrooms for changing and outdoor showers, traditional staples of beachside beaches. There is a pier on top of the jetty, which is ideal for fishing, and a «tide pool» area for families to go with kids — it ranges from about a foot deep up to like 8 feet deep towards the center/​end (where the ocean connects to the Indian River). There is also the beach, on the north side, which is fantastic for surfing and boogie boarding (where I spent about 6 straight hours in the water, boogie boarding alongside the surfers).

Came here for fishing. Great location, tons of places to fish, catches include Snook, Mangrove Snapper, Pampano, Red Fish, Shark, etc… only wish I had more time.

This place used to be my go-​to fishing spot. For some reason (probably overfishing/​over harvesting) a lot of the fish species we target are not as prevalent anymore.

Lovely place with a nice beach. Good for fishing and surfing. Go there on a rough sea day. Beware for the waves you will be wet …

While the Sebastian Inlet covers a plethora of activities and options (camping, surfing, fishing, birding, bicycling, boating, hiking, and so on) my review is solely for the «Inlet Cove» as they call it.
I grew up going swimming here regularly and it is an awesome place for smaller kids to swim and play. It is big with a lot of shallow water so people of all ages and swimming abilities can get into the water. There are often opportunities to see fun sea life here such as manatees, small crabs, and little fish. And there are no waves since the jetty keeps the water calm. You can bring in your own food, drinks, umbrellas and so on and make a whole day out of your trip here and that’s what I’d advise. Since it is a park there is an entrance fee. I believe it’s $ 8 per car for up to 8 people in that car.
On my recent road trip with Sir Nicholas we stopped here for a day (to dip Ephraim into the ocean for his first time) and one thing I love is that the Inlet in general changes very little over the years. Although they do use the fees for area improvements and to keep everything as safe as possible.
One word of warning for you — be careful of getting to close to the jetty when swimming. The ocean current there can be very strong and I’d hate for any of y’all to be swept out to sea.

Everything you want all rolled into one! This place is worth the 2hr drive!
They have fishing, a marina, camping, fishing museum, surfing, hiking trail, snorkeling, and an area for the kinds to enjoy the beach with no waves.
Its a beautiful view all the way. I felt like I was not in florida. The beach was super clean. If you have kids they have an area where there are no waves and the water is warm. You can take food and they have picnic tables right by the beach.
If you have a boat or like to fish, this is a fantastic place to go. They also rent the fishing equipment if you do not have it.
The beach area was not full at all. We were not bothered with too many people. The waves were rather large but good for the surfers.
We took our own food so we did not get to try to concession stand.
They have a playground in the camping area but we could not find it. I think we had to park and walk there. We asked about the camping prices. $ 35/​night and its right next to the ocean. You can not swim in that area but the view is amazing!
Everyone should go here at least once! We will be back!