Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Jupiter a great hub for exploration and outdoors adventure
Jupiter can feel secluded and exclusive. It is, after all, where celebrities from Celine Dion to Tiger Woods to Kid Rock have palatial winter homes.
But everyday folks can experience the charms of Jupiter in a getaway full of exceptional recreational opportunities: spectacular beaches, snorkeling from shore, a picturesque lighthouse, one of the best kayaking rivers in Florida and several outstanding places to bicycle both on paved trails and through the woods.
This recreation-rich area occupies the north end of Palm Beach County and the southern section of St. Lucie County, from Jupiter north to Stuart.
Fortunately for us, big chunks of the beautiful area have been preserved in public parks – Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Blowing Rocks Preserve, Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge plus several outstanding county parks.
Also, while not undeveloped, Jupiter Island, a 25-mile-long barrier island between Jupiter and Stuart, has just a two-lane road and a population of 1,000 very
rich people living in mansions along the ocean. It’s beautiful and a great place to bicycle or drive through.
If you base yourself in Jupiter, you can plan several days of exploration and adventure, with each stop being within a half hour of your base.
Here are our favorite outings in the region:
Historic lighthouse: The 1860 Jupiter lighthouse, 500 Captain Armour’s Way in Jupiter, is one of the few Florida lighthouses you can climb, and the view from the top is worth the effort. The waterfront museum in a restored WWII building offers indoor Florida history exhibits, outdoor exhibits and the Tindall Pioneer Homestead. The area around the lighthouse is beautiful, so allow plenty of time – perhaps two hours – to enjoy this spot. A hiking trail on the north side of Beach Road meanders through Florida scrub habitat and leads to an observation tower overlooking a quiet manatee refuge surrounded by red mangroves. A visit is $12 for adults, $6 children ages 6 to 18, ages 5 and younger free. (Children must be at least
Wild and scenic river: Florida has 26,000 miles of river, but just 49.2 miles are designated as wild and scenic, and 7.6 miles of those are found along the Loxahatchee River in Jupiter. (The rest are along the Wekiva River in Central Florida.) To paddle the wild and scenic portions, you leave from Riverbend Park, 9060 W. Indiantown Road. There Canoe Outfitters of Florida rents kayaks and canoes at reasonable rates. (Single kayaks rent for $35 for a half day and $45 for a full day. Double kayaks or canoes are $45 and $55.) The Cypress Canopy Tour takes you through the most spectacular scenery in an out-and-back paddle that takes two or three hours. For those seeking an all-day adventure, you can leave from Riverbend and paddle 8.5 miles to Jonathan Dickinson State Park, where you’ll be picked up at the end of the day. canoe outfittersofflorida.com/
A second excellent paddling option is to rent or put in your own boat at Jonathan Dickinson State Park, paddling upstream and into narrow, twisting Kitching Creek. floridastateparks .org/park/Jonathan
This narrated boat tour inside Jonathan Dickinson State Park takes you to a fascinating destination you can’t reach by land, the home of Trapper Nelson, one of those quirky only-inFlorida characters. Nelson started out living off the land as a trapper and fur trader in the 1930s, but soon turned himself and his home into one of the area’s first tourist attractions, “Trapper’s Zoo and Jungle Gardens.” No public roads lead to Trapper Nelson’s site. Tickets for the 25-passenger Loxahatchee Queen are $20 to $24 for adults, depending on the tide-determined trip that day. 561-746-1466. jd statepark.com/ boat-tours/
Horseback riding: Jonathan Dickinson is one of the few state parks that offers horseback trail rides, which are available from December to Easter. jd statepark.com/equestrian -activities/
A craggy beach to snorkel: The coastline along Jupiter Island has unusual outcroppings of coquina rocks that look like they belong in Maine. During the right conditions, the craggy rocks create sensational splashes and squirts of water that earned the name Blowing Rocks. The Blowing Rocks Preserve, managed by the Nature Conservancy, is as wild and natural as a beach can get. The conservancy doesn’t even let you bring food or beverages. Blowing Rocks Preserve offers several short walks for exploring the site as well as a firstclass nature center. nature .org/ blowingrocks
The rocky shoreline here makes for good snorkeling from shore, and that extends to the county park just south of Blowing Rocks, Coral Cove. If you want a picnic or beverages at the beach, park at Coral Cove and walk north along the beautiful shore into Blowing Rocks. Coral Cove is well-known for its nearshore snorkeling around submerged coquina rocks. 1600 Beach Road, Tequesta.
A hidden beach: At the northern end of Jupiter Island, Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge occupies the beautiful undeveloped tip of the island. You won’t see any signs pointing to it and you reach it via a dead-end two-lane road, so the spectacular beach here feels like a secret spot. There are five miles of undeveloped shoreline, so you can walk for miles with no condos, no signs and virtually no people. To reach it, go to Hobe Sound Beach at Bridge Road and take Beach Road north until it ends in the refuge.
Scenic bicycle route: There are three great places to bicycle, including one park where you can rent bikes. If you bring your own road bikes, head for Jupiter Island and pedal past the mansions north of Coral Cove Park. If you park toward the northern end of the island, try Hobe Sound Martin County Beach Park, at the intersection of Bridge Road and Beach Road, which has about 80 parking spaces and restrooms, you can bicycle north to the “secret” beach at Hobe Sound NWR. There are also good biking spots inside Jonathan Dickinson State Park, which also has nine miles of mountain-biking trails that are considered among the best in the region. If you don’t bring bikes, head to Riverbend Park, where you can rent them, and pedal on traffic-free trails around ponds and rivers through the woods.
Great place to hike: This big state park is hiker heaven, and there are trails long and short here. Wildlife is often seen, including deer and a variety of birds. You also can swim in the Loxahatchee at a sandy beach area in the park.
LODGING AND DINING
One of the best places to stay, especially for families, is inside Jonathan Dickinson State Park in cute little cabins in the woods. The 10 “cabins” are actually new, miniature trailers with well-equipped, complete kitchens and small bathrooms with tubs. The units come with linens plus heat and air conditioning. They are beautifully situated in a shady grove of pine trees near the Loxahatchee River with picnic tables and fire rings. Price: $95 a night. The cabins get reserved on weekends several weeks in advance so either plan ahead or stay a weekday. Reserve through Reserve America.com.
The Jupiter/Tequesta/ Hobe Sound area is also a fun place to eat: There are several popular restaurants with great views and tropical ambiance.
My favorite place in the area is Guanabana’s, 960 N. Highway A1A, Jupiter; 561-747-8878, guanabanas .com. The tropical gardens with waterfalls, chickee huts and riverfront views is like a Disney version of an outdoor Florida restaurant.
Dune Dog Café, 775 N. Alternate A1A in Jupiter; 561-744-6667, dunedog.com. Right on the main drag, a favorite with a beachy vibe.
Jetty’s, 1075 N. Highway A1A, Jupiter; 561-743-8166. Has a view of the lighthouse.
Square Grouper, 1111 Love St., Jupiter; 561-743-3270, squaregrouper.net. More bar than restaurant, with live music on the river overlooking lighthouse.
Harry & the Natives. U.S. 1 at Bridge Road, Hobe Sound. 772-546-3061, harryandthenatives.com. Has a covered outdoor patio with a tiki bar.
3 Brothers Brunch, Market Place at Hobe Sound, 8767 SE Bridge Road. 772-245-8046. Only open for breakfast and lunch.