Port Salerno, FL and Daily Life Near Preserves at Park Trace

Port Salerno, FL is a small waterfront community in Martin County, just southeast of downtown Stuart. It grew up as a fishing village on the Manatee Pocket, and today it is known for its working waterfront, seafood restaurants, marinas and a boardwalk along the water. It is not a city of its own. It is an unincorporated community run by Martin County. Preserves at Park Trace sits west of U.S. 1, a short trip from Port Salerno, so the Manatee Pocket is close by for dinner by the water, a paddle, or a day on a boat.

Below, we cover what Port Salerno is like, then walk through daily life around Park. Trace: groceries, healthcare, schools, and the named roads that connect it all.

A Short History of Port Salerno

In the 1920s, a small fishing settlement grew up along the Manatee Pocket, a small natural bay off the St. Lucie River. It was named "Salerno" because an early visitor thought it looked like the city of Salerno in Italy.

The families who settled here were mostly fishermen. Some of their descendants still live in the area. In 1960, the name was changed to "Port Salerno" to set it apart from the Italian city.

Today, Port Salerno is still known for its commercial fishing fleet and for sport fishing tournaments based out of marinas on the Manatee Pocket.

What Port Salerno Is Like Today

Martin County's tourism office describes Port Salerno as a historic small-town fishing village with public art and waterfront dining. A few highlights:

• The Manatee Pocket Boardwalk. It runs from the Port Salerno Civic Center along the waterfront restaurants. It is a nice place for an evening walk.

• The Fish House District and Marina. A waterfront area with dining, boating and a marina on the Manatee Pocket.

• Manatee Pocket paddling. Manatee Park, on SE Bayview Street, is a stop on the Martin County Blueway Paddle Trail. It is a launch spot for kayaks and paddleboards.

• Public docks where boaters can tie up and walk to lunch, on a first-come basis.

Restaurants change owners and hours over time, so confirm before you go. See the Discover Martin guide to Port Salerno for current places to eat and things to do.

Where Park Trace Sits in Relation to Port Salerno

Port Salerno is bordered by U.S. 1 on its southwest side. Preserves at Park Trace sits on the other side of U.S. 1, off SE Cove Road, near where Cove Road meets SE Willoughby Boulevard.

So Park Trace is not in Port Salerno. It is in the south Stuart area next to it, with a Stuart mailing address in ZIP code 34997. For more on how Stuart's ZIP codes work, read Stuart FL zip codes and where Park Trace sits.

The Named Roads Around Park Trace

We give you road names, not drive times. Drive times change with traffic and the time of day. Road names do not.

For airline flights, most people use Palm Beach International Airport to the south. Stuart's own airport, Witham Field, is a public-use airport owned by Martin County.

Groceries and Shopping

• Publix at Cove Shopping Center, at 5893 SE Federal Highway, on U.S. 1 near SE Cove Road.

• More shops along U.S. 1, both north toward central Stuart and south toward Hobe Sound.

• Port Salerno's seafood markets, which sell fish from local boats.

For bigger shopping trips, many south Stuart residents head north on U.S. 1 toward central Stuart or south toward Jupiter in Palm Beach County. Store names and hours change, so check before you go.

Healthcare

• Cleveland Clinic Martin South Hospital, at 2100 SE Salerno Road, is one of the closest hospitals to Park Trace.

• Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital is on SE Hospital Avenue in Stuart.

Schools and College

Public schools in this area are run by the Martin County School District. We never tell you which school a home is zoned for, because school lines can change and only the district can confirm them. Use the Martin County School District attendance boundaries page to check any address.

For adult learners, Indian River State College has its Chastain Campus in Stuart, on SE Salerno Road.

Parks and the Outdoors

South Stuart has a lot of open land for a growing area:

• Atlantic Ridge Preserve State Park, with its entrance off SE Cove Road. See our Atlantic Ridge Preserve State Park guide.

• Jonathan Dickinson State Park, south on U.S. 1 in Hobe Sound. Read our Jonathan Dickinson State Park guide.

• The Manatee Pocket in Port Salerno, for paddling and boating.

• The beaches on Hutchinson Island, reached by the causeways from Stuart.

Getting Around Without a Car

Martin County Public Transit, called MARTY, runs fixed-route bus service through Port Salerno. Check routes and times with the county before you rely on them.

A Day in the Life Near Park Trace

Here is what an ordinary Saturday might look like:

1. Morning: a bike ride or walk at Atlantic Ridge before it gets hot.

2. Late morning: groceries at the Publix on U.S. 1 near Cove Road.

3. Afternoon: time on your covered lanai. Every Park Trace plan has one. See what is a lanai?

4. Evening: dinner by the water and a walk on the Manatee Pocket Boardwalk.

That mix of parks, water and everyday errands close by is a big reason people look at this part of Stuart.

The Homes at Park Trace

Preserves at Park Trace is a D.R. Horton community of single-family homes in the Emerald Series, which D.R. Horton describes as gated. There are five floor plans, from the three-bedroom Avon to the five-bedroom Ponte Vedra. Compare them in 4 bedroom house plans at Preserves at Park Trace.

Homes have recently started in the low $600,000s. Call 561-704-0091 for today's numbers.

Spend a Day in South Stuart With Us

We can set up a visit to the model homes and give you our list of spots to see in Port Salerno and south Stuart while you are here. We will also tell you which incentives are being offered right now, since those change often.

Call 561-704-0091 or book a south Stuart visit to Preserves at Park Trace.

Common Questions

Want to see south Stuart in person? Call 561-704-0091 or book at nationalhousesearch.com/schedule.marinas,