An Ultimate Out Of This World Expedition to Jupiter, Florida
On the East Coast of Florida just north of Palm Beach, Jupiter offers beautiful beaches, natural scenery, and a casual island lifestyle. Whether it hiking or biking the trails of Jonathan Dickinson State Park, paddling the Loxahatchee River, or fishing the waterways. Jupiter, Florida has you covered. Tag along with us as we spend a day at the beach, climb to the top of the Jupiter Lighthouse, and eat some delicious local cuisine. Buckle up as we embark on a three-day journey to Jupiter, Florida.
Where to Stay
Wyndham Grand Jupiter Hotel
Located on Jupiter’s Intracoastal Waterway, the Wyndham Grand Jupiter at Harbourside Place is the place to stay if you want to be near shopping, dining, and the many attractions Jupiter offers. The Grand offers laid-back luxury and modern elegance. The hotel is not on the beach, but it’s in a great location close to the Jupiter Lighthouse, shopping and great restaurants.
Wyndham Grand: 122 Soundings Ave, Jupiter, FL.
Day One
A Walk on the Beach
Since one of the reasons that you came to Jupiter was to go to the beach, then let’s make this a priority. Jupiter Beach is a perfect place to start your day. There are many different beach access points in Jupiter. The best thing to do is to head east to A1A and travel south until you find a place to park. You will pass Carlin Park which is the main beach access but if you are looking for more seclusion there are numerous other access points.
Climb the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse
The lighthouse’s beam first shined over the Atlantic Ocean a full year before the American Civil War began, and generations of heroic lighthouse keepers risked their lives to keep the light turning through ferocious hurricanes and storms. As you climb the 105 steps up the spiraling staircase to the top of the brick and iron structure, three landings allow you to catch your breath and view in different directions.
Those views themselves are amazing, but the views from the top are out of this world. Built on a natural sandhill, the lighthouse stands 108 feet tall, so when you get to the top you can see the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian River, Jupiter Island, the Jupiter Inlet, the Loxahatchee River, and the town of Jupiter.
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse: 500 Captain Armours Way, Jupiter, FL
Regular Days/Hours:
Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Gift Shop open until 5 pm
The Museum building is temporarily closed due to Hwy. 1 bridge construction.
Lunch on the Water at U-Tiki Beach
After climbing all those stairs to the top of the lighthouse, you have worked up an appetite. Head to one of the Jupiter Inlet restaurants. U-Tiki Beach offers a great view of the Jupiter Lighthouse and surrounding turquoise waters. This is a great place to enjoy fresh seafood, fish tacos, and prime burgers with a specialty cocktail while watching boats pass by.
U-Tiki Beach: 1095 N Hwy A1A, Jupiter, FL
Shopping on Palm Beach’s Worth Avenue
Since you are so close to Palm Beach, it would be a shame not to visit this playground for the rich and famous. Stroll down Worth Avenue where they say “If you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it”. Worth Avenue is a luxury shopping paradise. It’s the “Rodeo Drive” of Florida. Start your shopping spree at the 30-foot-tall clock tower, where you are beachside and can take in the view and smell the salty air, before strolling down the charming Worth Avenue sidewalks lined with blooms of colorful bougainvillea.
The great thing about this street is that you don’t have to buy anything to enjoy it. Make sure to explore the hidden alcoves for restaurants and boutiques. They are truly magical and the beautiful courtyards make you feel like you are visiting another country. I think they are the prettiest parts of Worth Avenue. Alcoves like Via Parigi hide garden patios, fun sculptures, and shady sitting areas that invite you to linger while folks snap pictures for their instagram.
We enjoyed walking around the beautiful bougainvillea-filled streets and peering into store windows. Many of the shops had to buzz you in if you wanted to do some serious shopping. Expect to find stores such as Chanel, Tiffany’s, Gucci, and Lily Pulitzer’s flagship store.
Dinner & Drinks at Guanabanas Island Themed Restaurant
Now that you have a glimpse of how the other half lives, it’s time to head back to Jupiter for dinner and drinks. Since we are in Florida, how about a restaurant that is an outdoor bar and restaurant that has been turned into an island paradise? Opened by Jupiter Surfers as a sandwich shop in 2004, This waterfront restaurant has grown to become an institution in northern Palm Beach County for three reasons: The lush, tropical setting; great cuisine and cocktails; and live music from both national acts and the hottest names in South Florida.
Guanabanas is a 100 percent open-air restaurant and bar with woven tiki huts and exotic/local plants and trees. Grab a boat drink and a seat in an Adirondack chair and watch the boats and paddleboards go by. If you are on a boat and get thirsty, Guanabanas has several docks so you can pull right up to the restaurant. You would swear that you were in Florida. Wait! What am I saying? You are!
Day Two
Spend this morning exploring Jonathan Dickinson State Park
Start your second day in Jupiter at the largest state park in Southeast Florida. Jonathan Dickinson State Park boasts 11,500 acres teeming with nature trails, a “Wild and Scenic” Loxahatchee River. Keep your eyes open as you will likely see some of the park’s native wildlife, such as white-tailed deer and bald eagles. In addition to the animals, many wildflowers flourish throughout the area. The park’s diverse environments host a variety of wildflowers, making each trip different from the last.
The park offers a variety of activities including kayaking, canoeing, hiking, and even horseback riding. The park offers the opportunity to ride bikes on both paved and off-road biking trails.
Know Before You Go
- The park is open from 8 a.m. to sundown 365 days a year and is just $6 per car to visit.
- Additional fees may apply for camping and other activities.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park: 16450 SE Federal Hwy, Hobe Sound, FL
The Square Grouper – Because its Five O’Clock Somewhere
Even though The Square Grouper has become one of the most popular watering holes in the country, they maintain their laid back beach bar vibe with simple but great food, beer and specialty cocktails. If you are an Alan Jackson or Jimmy Buffet fan, you will recognize The Square Grouper. It is where they filmed parts of the video “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere. It’s a great place to sit on the Jupiter Inlet across from the lighthouse. You never know who may pull up in their boat. There’s also always live music to listen to under the Tiki Hut so check their website for the event schedule.
Square Grouper: 1111 Love St, Jupiter, FL
Coral Cove Beach Park
If you enjoy a quieter beach but still want the benefit of great snorkeling, swimming, fishing, paddleboarding, or just laying in the sun, then Coral Cove Park is your beach! Spread a towel around the limestone formations shaped by countless seasons. The coral reefs are home to abundant sea life, including sea turtles, eels, fish, and sharks between the reefs and rocks of the cove. The park is close to the Intracoastal Waterway and has picnic benches, grills, and a small playscape.
Coral Cove Park: 19450 State Road 707
Blowing Rocks Preserve
Although it’s easy to miss it, if you travel just North of Jupiter, Florida on South Beach Road you will find an environmental preserve on Jupiter Island known as Blowing Rocks. This preserve contains the largest Anastasia limestone formations on Florida’s East Coast. It is the longest stretch of rocky shoreline in Florida. When the tide is low, you can walk beneath the rocks exploring the caves for sea life and shells. But when the weather gets rough and the seas get angry, Blowing Rocks Preserve is breathtaking.
Blowing Rocks Preserve: 574 S Beach Rd, Hobe Sound, FL
Watch the Sunset in Dubois Park
There are a lot of great outdoor areas in Jupiter to witness the sunset, but my favorite is Dubois Park. We ended the daylight hours by heading there to watch the sun sink in the Western Florida skies. Add to that some swaying palm trees and the light from the Jupiter Lighthouse and you will have some sweet South Florida Sky Candy. In addition to the technicolor skies, the park offers stunning views of the Intracoastal Wateerway and is perfect for a relaxing day outdoors.
Dinner at Calaveras Cantina
Calaveras Cantina is known for tacos, craft cocktails, and margaritas. “Calavera” means “skull” in Spanish, and you will see sugar skulls all over this restaurant. These colorful skulls are symbols of the Day of the Dead in Mexico. People place sugar skulls on graves to honor deceased loved ones. Calaveras Cantina proudly sources all of our produce locally whenever possible, and our avocados are imported directly from Mexico to make that savory Guacamole, which is prepared for you tableside. So we stopped in, grabbed a table, and enjoyed the food and the atmosphere.
We started our evening with some killer drinks from the bar. Try the Sangre De Cristo which is their signature drink of Tequila, Blood Orange, Lime Juice & Agave Nectar. Also, the Sangria Blanca was very refreshing. With the drinks, we had a bowl of Queso Classico and Chips. For dinner, you can’t go wrong with the classics, like the Carne Asada, Chicken Quesadillas, and some delicious Street Corn. For dessert: the Calaveras Churros are made fresh to order.
Calaveras Cantina: 125 Dockside Cir, Jupiter, FL
Day Three
Sunrise at the Juno Beach Pier
If you enjoyed the sun setting at Dubois Park last night, you might as well catch it on the flip-flop as it rises over the Juno Beach Pier. It’s always worth getting up early to watch the early morning anglers trying for that perfect catch or throw a line in the water yourself. There is something about that time of morning that is always peaceful to me. It’s the promise of another day.
The Juno Beach Pier is a 990-foot pier with a bait shop, snack bar, and great saltwater fishing. Bluefish, Spanish mackerel, Pompano, Jack, Blue runners, Croaker, and Whiting can all be caught off the pier. The full-service Pier House features a snack bar, and a variety of fishing tackle, including rental poles and bait. With fairly consistent surf, the Juno Beach Pier is also a hotspot for local surfers.
Juno Beach Pier: 14775 U.S. Hwy 1, Juno Beach, FL
Take Your Dog to the Beach
By now, Fido must be pretty bored staying in the hotel room while you go out and play. Overall Jupiter is pretty dog-friendly. They even have a beach that you can take your dog to. Jupiter Dog Beach is a 2.5-mile stretch of beach allocated specifically for dogs. Jupiter is home to one of the last remaining dog beaches in the state. Also, please clean up after your pet with the bags provided at each crossover.
Shopping & Dinner at Harbourside Place
Nestled along Jupiter’s Intracoastal Waterway, Harbourside Place conveys that classic, coastal vibe. Savor the flavors in one of the mouthwatering restaurants; shop in more than a dozen national and specialty stores; stay in the spectacular Wyndham Grand Jupiter Hotel; and revel in live entertainment at the center’s waterfront amphitheater.
Harbourside Place: 200 US-1, Jupiter, FL
Have dinner and drinks in one of Harbourside Place’s popular restaurants, such as The Woods, Tiger Woods very own restaurant and sports bar. you never know, you might run into Tiger himself when he is not on the golf course. The Woods Jupiter is Tiger’s flagship restaurant. After years of meals on the road, he decided to bring his vision of an elevated sports bar to life at home.
The Woods: 129 Soundings Ave, Jupiter, FL
Three days in Jupiter, Florida will give you a small taste of what this beautiful area offers. Jupiter is different from other coastal communities you’ll visit. The town has a laid-back tropical feel, but it is close to cities like Stuart to the north and West Palm Beach to the south to enjoy concerts, a wider choice of restaurants, and a wide variety of attractions. You could stay indefinitely and not run out of things to do. Maybe it’s time to plan your next mission and make a voyage to Jupiter, Florida.
