Sebastian, Florida

Sleepy Sebastian sits along the Indian River Lagoon on southeastern Florida’s Treasure Coast, an area so named because so many Spanish ships lost their treasure along the coast during the early-18th century.

A quiet, simple place, Sebastian is the site of America’s first wildlife refuge, Pelican Island, and it is home to the Indian River Lagoon National Scenic Byway, the most biologically diverse estuary in the country. Needless to say, wildlife is in abundance.

The waterfront is clean, grassy and has a modern fishing pier. Surfing, boating and saltwater fishing for redfish, bluefish and Spanish mackerel are favorite pastimes.

Restaurants range from cozy, family owned eateries to funky biker dives. Many residents drive to Vero Beach, 13 miles down the road, for services and shopping at the Indian River Mall.

Neighborhoods have a mix of older construction, newer gated communities and spiffy riverfront developments.

Six nearby beaches, three with facilities and three without, are often nearly empty on weekdays. Thick, wild and wet, St. Sebastian River Preserve borders the city to the west and is the place for horseback riding, canoeing, hiking and camping.