A Local Guide to Sewall's Point and Stuart's Waterfront and Golf Communities
Buyers who begin searching for homes for sale in Stuart FL quickly discover that the market is not one market at all. Stuart and the neighboring town of Sewall's Point sit at the meeting point of the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon, and the neighborhoods that surround those waterways vary widely in character, price, and lifestyle. A riverfront estate on the Sewall's Point peninsula, a canal home inside Stuart Yacht and Country Club, and a golf residence at Mariner Sands or Willoughby all fall under the same Stuart Florida homes for sale search, yet each one supports a very different way of living.
This guide walks through the communities that define the area, with an emphasis on what actually shapes daily life in each one: the water, the golf, the location, and the feel of the neighborhood itself.
Why Stuart Anchors the Martin County Market
Stuart is the county seat of Martin County and the commercial and cultural center of the Treasure Coast's southern end. Its historic downtown sits directly on the St. Lucie River, with a Riverwalk, restaurants, shops, live theatre, and a working waterfront that still reflects the town's fishing heritage. Stuart has long been known as the Sailfish Capital of the World, a nickname earned through the offshore fishery that runs just outside the St. Lucie Inlet.
That inlet matters to buyers as much as the nickname does. The St. Lucie Inlet connects the river system and the Intracoastal Waterway to the Atlantic, which means boaters in Stuart and Sewall's Point can reach open water quickly. For buyers comparing houses for sale in Stuart FL against options farther south in Palm Beach County, that combination of a genuine small-town downtown and serious ocean access is often the deciding factor.
Sewall's Point, The Peninsula Between Two Waterways
Sewall's Point is a small incorporated town on a peninsula just east of downtown Stuart, bordered by the St. Lucie River on the south and west and the Indian River Lagoon on the east. The town was chartered in 1957 and takes its name from Captain Henry Sewall, who settled the point in 1889. It is a designated bird sanctuary and has held Tree City USA recognition for more than three decades, and those designations are visible on the ground. Streets run beneath mature oak canopies, lots are large, and the town has kept commercial development to a minimum, preserving its almost entirely residential character.
For waterfront buyers, the geography is the draw. Because water surrounds the peninsula on three sides, a high proportion of Sewall's Point properties sit directly on the river or the lagoon, many with private docks and quick access to the St. Lucie Inlet. Homes on the interior streets still benefit from the elevated ridge that runs along the spine of the peninsula and from the town's strictly residential character.
Sewall's Point tends to attract buyers who want estate-scale waterfront living within a few minutes of downtown Stuart's restaurants and marinas. It is one of the clearest examples of the quieter, more natural version of coastal Florida that draws buyers north into Martin County in the first place.
Stuart Yacht and Country Club, Golf and Boating Together
Stuart Yacht and Country Club is a gated community established in 1969, which made it the first golf course community in Martin County. The club's 18-hole, par 71 course was originally designed by Charles Martyn and opened in 1971, then was redesigned in 2020 by Tom Pearson, a longtime designer with Jack Nicklaus Design. In its early years the course hosted pro-am tournaments that drew names like Jack Nicklaus and Sam Snead.
What distinguishes the community today is the pairing of golf with real boating access. A portion of the neighborhood sits on deep-water canals with private dockage, giving residents a route toward the Manatee Pocket and the St. Lucie Inlet. Club amenities include the golf course, tennis, croquet, a fitness center, and a swimming pool, and the community's central Stuart location keeps downtown, beaches, and medical services close. For buyers who want one property that serves both a golf life and a boating life, few Stuart communities combine the two as directly.
Mariner Sands Country Club, Two Courses in a Natural Setting
Mariner Sands Country Club is a gated, member-owned community in southern Stuart built around two private 18-hole golf courses. The Gold Course was designed by Tom Fazio and the Blue Course by Frank Duane, a design partner of Arnold Palmer. Having two courses is a practical advantage as much as a prestige point, since one course can remain open while the other is maintained, particularly through the summer months.
The community's residences range from villas and patio homes to full estate homes, most set among preserve areas and mature tree canopy that give Mariner Sands a more natural, established feel than many newer golf communities. A large clubhouse anchors the social calendar with dining, fitness, tennis, and year-round programming. Buyers searching for Mariner Sands homes for sale are usually drawn by that combination of serious golf, varied housing stock, and a location that keeps both downtown Stuart and Hobe Sound within an easy drive.
Willoughby Golf Club, A Shot Maker's Course and 375 Homes
Willoughby Golf Club is a gated, member-owned community of 375 single-family homes in Stuart, centered on an 18-hole course designed by Arthur Hills. The course opened in 1988 and reflects the Hills approach, carved through natural wetlands and tree lines rather than imposed on them, with championship tees that have been used for US Open qualifying. Homes are grouped among lakes and nature preserve, and the club maintains a full amenity campus with a clubhouse, dining, tennis, pickleball, fitness, and a large practice facility.
Willoughby appeals to buyers who want a genuine golf club community at a scale where members know one another. Its location off Kanner Highway also makes it one of the more convenient private communities in Stuart for access to I-95 and travel south into Palm Beach County.
Port Salerno, A Historic Fishing Village on the Manatee Pocket
Port Salerno sits just south of downtown Stuart and is built around the Manatee Pocket, a protected natural harbor that connects to the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon system a short run from the St. Lucie Inlet. The village was settled in the 1920’s as Salerno, named by early settlers from the Italian town of the same name, and became the hub of South Florida's commercial fishing industry. That heritage is still visible today. The Pocket's shoreline holds a working commercial fishing dock, marinas, boatyards, charter operations, and waterfront restaurants, and the village hosts major sport fishing tournaments each year.
For buyers, Port Salerno offers something increasingly rare on Florida's east coast, a genuine waterfront village where the boat sits at the center of daily life. The Manatee Pocket is well known among boaters as a natural hurricane hole, and homes on the Pocket and its feeder canals put the inlet within minutes by water. The area's art district, galleries, and dockside dining give it a character all its own, and its location keeps downtown Stuart, Sewall's Point, and Hobe Sound each within a short drive.
How Buyers Choose Among These Neighborhoods
The most useful question is not which community is best but how you plan to spend your time. Buyers whose life centers on a boat tend to focus on Sewall's Point and the canal sections of Stuart Yacht and Country Club, because dockage and inlet access shape everything else. Buyers whose life centers on golf usually compare Mariner Sands and Willoughby, weighing two courses and a larger campus against a single acclaimed course and a smaller membership. Buyers drawn to a village atmosphere, with marinas, dockside restaurants, and the fishing fleet as neighbors, gravitate to Port Salerno and the streets surrounding the Manatee Pocket.
Price ranges, membership structures, and inventory shift over time, so current listings and club details should always be confirmed at the point of purchase. What does not change is the underlying geography, and that geography is what makes this corner of Martin County distinct.
Start Your Stuart Area Search
Waterfront Properties has been helping buyers navigate the communities of Palm Beach, Martin, and St. Lucie counties for decades, from riverfront estates on the Sewall's Point peninsula to golf residences in Stuart's private club communities. If you are beginning a search for Stuart Florida homes for sale and want guidance grounded in local knowledge of the waterways, the clubs, and the neighborhoods, contact Waterfront Properties here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sewall's Point, Florida?
Sewall's Point is a small incorporated town on a peninsula just east of downtown Stuart in Martin County, Florida. It is bordered by the St. Lucie River on the south and west and by the Indian River Lagoon on the east.
Is Sewall's Point a good place for boaters?
Yes. Water surrounds the Sewall's Point peninsula on three sides, so a high proportion of properties sit directly on the St. Lucie River or the Indian River Lagoon, many with private docks and quick access to the St. Lucie Inlet and the Atlantic.
What is Stuart Yacht and Country Club?
Stuart Yacht and Country Club is a gated golf and boating community in Stuart, Florida. Established in 1969, it was the first golf course community in Martin County and features an 18-hole, par 71 course originally designed by Charles Martyn and redesigned in 2020 by Tom Pearson. Part of the community offers deep-water canal dockage with access toward the Manatee Pocket and the St. Lucie Inlet.
How many golf courses does Mariner Sands Country Club have?
Mariner Sands Country Club has two private 18-hole golf courses. The Gold Course was designed by Tom Fazio and the Blue Course was designed by Frank Duane, a design partner of Arnold Palmer.
What is Willoughby Golf Club known for?
Willoughby Golf Club is a gated, member-owned community of 375 single-family homes in Stuart, built around an 18-hole Arthur Hills course that opened in 1988. The course runs through natural wetlands and tree lines, and its championship tees have been used for US Open qualifying.
What is Port Salerno, Florida known for?
Port Salerno is a historic fishing village just south of downtown Stuart, founded in 1894 and once the hub of South Florida's commercial fishing industry. It is known for its working waterfront on the Manatee Pocket, its marinas and charter fleet, its dockside restaurants, its art district, and the sport fishing tournaments it hosts each year.
What is the Manatee Pocket?
The Manatee Pocket is a protected natural harbor at Port Salerno that connects to the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon system a short run from the St. Lucie Inlet. Boaters know it as a natural hurricane hole, and its shoreline holds marinas, boatyards, a commercial fishing dock, waterfront restaurants, and residential canals. It is shallower than the main river channels, so buyers should match dock depth to their boat's draft.
Why is Stuart called the Sailfish Capital of the World?
Stuart earned the nickname through the offshore sailfish fishery that runs just outside the St. Lucie Inlet, which connects the river system and the Intracoastal Waterway to the Atlantic and gives local boaters quick access to open water.
How do buyers choose between Stuart's golf communities?
Buyers usually compare Mariner Sands and Willoughby by weighing what each offers. Mariner Sands provides two courses, varied housing from villas to estate homes, and a large clubhouse campus, while Willoughby offers a single acclaimed Arthur Hills course within a smaller community of 375 homes where members know one another.
Are there homes for sale in Stuart FL that combine golf and boating?
Yes. Stuart Yacht and Country Club pairs an 18-hole golf course with deep-water canal homes that offer private dockage, making it one of the few Stuart communities where a single property can serve both a golf lifestyle and a boating lifestyle.
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