Coasting along in America’s sunshine state

Beaches, wetlands, wildlife sanctuaries, spas and heavenly tearooms – the Palm Beaches in Southeast Florida have it all, Gayle Ritchie discovers

A s we paddle through a freshwater creek lined with cypress trees, John Welsh chirps: “Keep your eyes peeled for alligators.”

“Humans aren’t their favourite food but it’s not a great idea to get in their way.”

I’ve come to Riverbend Park in Jupiter for a morning of kayaking with John, a naturalist bursting with fascinating facts and anecdotes.

So far, no alligators, but we do spy dozens of cute turtles resting on the banks of the Loxahatchee River.

There’s also a chance of spotting wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, marsh rabbits and raccoons.

We’re visiting Florida’s Palm Beach County, which boasts destinations such as Jupiter, Boca Raton, the Everglades and Palm Beach itself, where President Trump has a home.

Flying into Miami, it’s a 90-minute drive to Jupiter, where we spend a few nights before heading south to Delray Beach.

Waving goodbye to John and thanking him for keeping us free from gators’ jaws, we head to Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Animal care director Amy Knight guides us along nature trails, stopping to see everything from crocodiles and gators to foxes, snakes, bears, birds of prey, skunks and deer.

A highlight is getting to stroke the friendly bobcats, which purr and rub against us.

Lunch is at our hotel, the luscious Jupiter Beach Resort and Spa, and boy, do they lay on a sumptuous feast! After letting our bellies settle, we drink in the sweeping views across the Atlantic.

I’m a massive fan of ocean swimming and, shark fears aside, had been looking forward to floating in Florida’s finest.

Locals tell me the sea here is usually a dreamy, glass-like turquoise blue, but the surf churns a strange brown and green during our stay – the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

Not to worry because I’ve booked a spa treatment – the Signature Perfect Massage – at the hotel.

Staff kit me out in a fluffy robe and slippers and invite me to relax with herbal tea in the waiting area. Then I’m taken into a warm, aromatic treatment room for 80 minutes of sheer, unadulterated bliss.

Therapist Kristen Gonda incorporates essentials oils and heated tiger shells into the massage, which soothes my mind and body and leaves me, almost literally, walking on air.

Dinner is a short stroll down to Tommy Bahama Restaurant and Bar, which sits along the Jupiter Riverwalk at Harbourside Place.

It’s a vibrant, colourful venue, buzzing with people of all ages – and the food and drinks are sensational!

The excitement in the air is tangible, as this is an area very much on the up.

Across the road, Tiger Woods has a restaurant, The Woods Jupiter, and he also owns a swanky piece of real estate on Jupiter Island.

Actor Burt Reynolds once called Jupiter “the best place in the world” and can still be seen dotting around, while Kid Rock, Michael Jordan and Celine Dion have homes here too.

Back at the hotel, we enjoy a refreshing sleep in the huge bed, the sound of waves crashing outside.

The next morning, after consuming our bodyweight in blueberry pancakes, omelette, and fruit, we waddle our way to Blueline Surf and Paddle Company for a morning’s paddleboarding.

Our guide, Alex Cotleur, takes us on a tour of Jupiter’s Intracoastal Waterway, past decaying shipwrecks and through mangroves.

Invigorated, we browse Blueline’s