Indian River County, Florida
Sebastian
A hurricane sank a treasure fleet off this beach and the coast has been named for it ever since.
The 1715 Spanish treasure fleet went down in a storm off this coast. The value lost has been estimated at more than US$500 million, and Mel Fisher opened a permanent museum in Sebastian in 1992.
What this place is
Why Sebastian is here
Sebastian was established in 1882, incorporated as a municipality on 6 December 1924 and as a city on 18 May 1925.
Sebastian was a fishing village as early as the 1870s, at the confluence of the St. Sebastian River and the Indian River Lagoon.
- 1715Treasure fleet lost
- 1870Fishing village
- 1903First National Wildlife Refuge
- 1992Fisher museum opens
Worth the trip
What to look for
- 01
Pelican Island, declared the first National Wildlife Refuge in the United States in 1903.
- 02
The Mel Fisher treasure museum, established in Sebastian in 1992.
Time your visit
The weekend that matters
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November
Sebastian Clambake Lagoon Festival
Running since 2002
Three days at Riverview Park on the Indian River in early November: seafood booths, historical re-enactments, a kids zone and the Clammer Jam. The Sebastian Clambake Foundation, founded in 2002, has given more than $1,000,000 back to local charities.
Hotels, inns, rentals and campgrounds
Where to Stay
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Resorts
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Campgrounds
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Hotels
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Campgrounds
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Hotels
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Hotels
Restaurants, seafood, cafes and bars
Where to Eat
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Seafood · $
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Restaurants · $
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Restaurants · $
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Bars Breweries
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Bars Breweries · $
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Restaurants · $
Parks, beaches, museums, tours and charters
Things to Do
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Parks Nature
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Museums History
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Parks Nature
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Parks Nature
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Attractions
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Parks Nature
Sebastian on the record
Pictures of the place
Archive and Creative Commons photographs of Sebastian. Nothing here is generated; every image is credited to the person who took it.
76 guides, written from this town’s own record
Guides
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The Best Things to Do in Sebastian, Florida
Sebastian is a town built on the water’s memory—of fish, of storms, and of a fortune that still sits somewhere offshore.
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The Best Restaurants in Sebastian, Florida
Sebastian’s dining scene is shaped less by the treasure fleet that gave the coast its name and more by the working water in front of it—the Indian River, the inlet, and the boats that still run it daily.
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Where to Stay in Sebastian: Hotels, Inns and Rentals
The 1715 fleet went down in a storm off this coast, and the town that rose from the fishing village that preceded it still measures time by the river and the reef.
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A Weekend in Sebastian: What to See, Eat and Do
The 1715 fleet’s silver scattered across this reef, but the town that grew up behind the dunes keeps a different kind of wealth: working water, quiet refuge, and a plate of something fresh.
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Things to Know Before Visiting Sebastian, Florida
The 1715 fleet's loss put Sebastian on the map. But the town's real wealth is measured in refuges, slow rhythms, and a waterfront that still works for a living.
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The Best Time of Year to Visit Sebastian
The 1715 fleet went down in a hurricane off this coast, and the town that grew up afterward has always measured its seasons by the water, not the calendar.
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Sebastian vs Vero Beach: Which Florida Coast to Visit
Sebastian trades beachfront polish for a working waterfront and the deep wrecks of the 1715 fleet. It’s the choice for travelers who want Florida’s coast with its history intact.
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The History of Sebastian in 6 Landmarks
The 1715 Fleet went down in a storm that gave this coast its name, but the town of Sebastian has spent the decades since building a history of its own, one defined as much by refuge as by riches.
Public record
Sebastian by the numbers
- 25,759Residents (2023)
- 6% Homes held for seasonal use
- 206 Places in this guide