North Hutchinson Island is a coastal barrier island in Indian River and St. Lucie counties on the east coast of Florida in the United States. The island is adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and is separated from the mainland on the west by the Indian River Lagoon. The portion of the island in Indian River County is known as Orchid Island.

Description

North Hutchinson Island is an Atlantic barrier island located on Florida's Treasure Coast approximately 110 mi north of Fort Lauderdale. The island extends from the Sebastian Inlet on the north to the Fort Pierce Inlet on the south, and is about 28 mile long. It has an area of 23.86 sqmi. The island was once included with the barrier island (Hutchinson Island) to the south as "Hutchinson Island", even though the Fort Pierce Inlet split it into two islands. In 1985, Indian River County renamed its portion of the island "Orchid Island", to distinguish it from the high density development occurring on Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County. State Road A1A is the main road for the length of the island, and four bridges provide access to the mainland. For most of its length, A-1-A is known as Atlantic Beach Boulevard. North Hutchinson Island has many county and state parks and preserves, and is one of the few areas on the east coast of Florida with several accreting (growing) beaches. A number of restaurants, hotels and shops are located on, or easily accessible to the island. Activities on North Hutchinson Island include fishing, snorkeling, boating, kayaking, hiking, biking, surfing, parasurfing, paddleboarding, and wildlife observation. On the northern end of the island is Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, the nation's first refuge was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903 with over 5400 acre of protected waters and lands. Avalon State Park located on A-1-A near the St. Lucie County line provides a number of recreational opportunities and its beach is used by visitors for swimming, snorkeling, surfing, and scuba diving. The area ecosystem provides a habitat for varied marine wildlife including manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, many species of fish, and birds.

Communities

The city of Vero Beach lies on both sides of the Indian River, with its main business and residential areas on the mainland. Two of the island's four bridges from the mainland lie within the city limits. Other communities on the island include the towns of Indian River Shores and Orchid, and the census-designated places of South Beach, Wabasso Beach and Windsor.

Parks and protected areas

Sites of interest

Sites of interest on/near North Hutchinson Island include: