Sebastian, Florida

Sebastian, Florida is a small fishing village on US Highway 1 on the mainland side of east coast Florida.

It is just about halfway between Jacksonville and Miami, and is also about halfway between Vero Beach and Melbourne, although a tad closer to Vero. It is directly across the Indian River Lagoon from Sebastian Inlet. This inlet to the Atlantic Ocean is loved and revered by fishermen and surfers from all over the world. Sebastian Inlet and the entire barrier island off Sebastian is known as the Treasure Coast.

Sebastian Inlet Looking Northwest

The area was first noticed when the Spanish Treasure fleet sunk off the beaches during a violent storm in 1715. Professional treasure experts believe that more than $500 million in gold was lost when the ships went down. Only a small amount has been found, and gold coins still wash up now and then in the sandy beaches adjacent to the inlet. The McLarty Treasure Museum at Sebastian Inlet State Park interprets the history of the doomed fleet and is fun to visit.

Folksinger Arlo Guthrie has his Florida home in Sebastian.  It overlooks the Indian River Lagoon on the north side of town.

Arlo Guthrie House, Sebastian, Florida

Sebastian has been a fishing village since the 1870s, and was first named St Sebastian. There is plenty to do in Sebastian in addition to fishing. The inlet is nearby for surfing. There are numerous boat rental services, both for those who want to operate the boat themselves and others who just want to take a ride. It's also a nice little town for walking and sightseeing. 

The welcome sign into Sebastian has been a fixture for as long as I can remember. It hasn't been updated in awhile. The population of Sebastian is now more like 20,000, and there may be one or two more old grouches who moved down from up north since the sign was painted.

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