Warmth, Dog Beach & A Lighthouse – Jupiter, FL
We made it to our last stop of the year!
It’s always a strange feeling when we get to this point in our travels. We spend so much time planning and thinking about where we’re going to go for the year that when it’s all over it’s like “did that all really happen??” Perhaps it’s because I’m older that I just notice the passing of events so much faster, but this sure seems to have been a really, really fast year. Granted we managed a lot, so it was perhaps more packed-than-usual in terms of movement and sightseeing, but it was also packed with emotions and unexpected set-backs. What a year….
In any case here we were. It was the very end of Nov and when we hit the middle of Florida we passed yet another significant milestone.
Not only were we back to where we started the year having completed a full end-to-end circle of the East Coast, but we were also back in the heat! This wasn’t just the South with alligators and all that, this was the tropical South which is basically the South on heat steroids. Think heavy hot, sunny and humid conditions which are perhaps a smidgen lighter in winter, but nonetheless seem to linger all year long.
Compared to the freeze that most of our fellow Americans endure this time of year I can’t really complain too much, and as long as we’re parked close to the beach (and can catch a little ocean breeze) we really don’t mind it. But it still surprises me!
I swear we used to wear sweaters in South Florida during winter (in fact I’ve got pictures that prove it), but that just doesn’t seem to happen anymore? In the space of ~7 years Florida has gone from having mild, but definable winters to having all-year heat, or so it seems. Crazy!
Anyway, for our final drive down I-95 we wanted to try somewhere new. Last year we explored St. Augustine (wonderful town) and earlier this year we hit the Space Coast (geeky cool), so we followed the road a little further south and dropped our travel pin on Jupiter. The map showed a HUGE State Park located by the coast only a few miles from a lighthouse (always a bonus), and a little Google-digging revealed one of the biggest dog-friendly beaches in Florida just minutes away. We were sold!
Jonathan Dickinson State Park
We arrived on a warm morning into Jonathan Dickinson State Park (full review coming) and settled into our spacious north-facing site which we had carefully picked out to avoid that all-horrible sun-in-the-front-windshield Florida heat (facing North helps in heat, it really does!).
There are 2 camping areas in this park, and the “big rig” section is wonderfully new but located rather too close to Hwy 1 (why oh why build it so close?). Still, our site was comfortable, the noise from the highway only moderately annoying and our first impressions were really good. Jonathan Dickinson is a wonderfully large park that covers over 10,500 acres and it is a nature and outdoor-lovers paradise.
It was formerly a top-secret radar training school during WWII, but is now protected for both wildlife and recreation, and offers everything from extensive mountain-biking trails to hiking trails, nature tours, canoeing & cruising along the Loxahatchee River, and even horseback riding. There are over 13 different natural communities in the park and once you get away from Hwy 1 and on the trails it is both wonderfully quiet and isolated.
From our site we had direct access to the trails as well as a lovely sunset view over the trees. We were content!
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse
Our very first calling in the area was of course to see Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse.
She’s a gorgeous lighthouse and a rather interesting feature in the area, mostly because she’s so darn big! The red brick tower stands 105-foot (32 m) tall and contains a beautiful first order Fresnel lens (the oldest 1st order lens in Florida!) that casts a light over 21 miles to sea. Standing as she does on the inlet she seems overly big for the area, but when she was originally lit in 1860 the off-shore waters were notoriously dangerous with sand bars and reefs, and the protected man-made canal that now graces the town had not been constructed. So she was built as a true warning lighthouse and not as a (typically much smaller) harbor or river light.
She’s a stupendous sight and one of the first things you notice as you cross the bridge into downtown. We took the tour early AM (to avoid the heat) and enjoyed both the 105 steps up the old tower as well as the sweeping views from the top. The gardens around the tower are protected and well-kept and there’s even an old house (the oldest in Jupiter) which you get to visit on the way back from the light. Beautiful light in a beautiful location!
VISIT & PAW NOTES/ Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse is open Tuesday – Sunday, 10AM –5PM (May-Dec) and 7 Days a Week, 10AM–5PM (Jan-April). Last tour leaves 4PM daily. Tours cost $12 per adult, $6 for kids. This is a formal tour behind a gated entrance and unfortunately NO dogs are allowed on-site so leave pooch at home for this one. See more HERE.
Jupiter Dog Beach
The other big attraction for dedicated paw-travelers like ourselves was Jupiter Dog Beach.
When we came to Florida back in 2010 one of the first things I bemoaned was the restrictions on dogs on beaches. For a State with SO much coastline there are surprisingly few spots you can take your paws. Not a single State Park allows dogs on their beaches, nor do most towns (there are sometimes exceptions for locals) and the places that do allow dogs typically only do it on very small spots of sand or within very restrictive hours. So you’ve really gotta search to find good spots.
Thanks to my OCD nature I’ve managed to track down several great doggie beach spots in Florida over the years including up in the Panhandle (one of the nicest beach spots overall), around Miami (a surprisingly dog-friendly town), by Tampa (Fort De Soto) and even down by the Florida Keys (we found good paw-beach spots both in the North, Middle & Lower Keys).
During my research I’d come across Jupiter Dog Beach (arguably the most famous beach-doggie spot in the State), but we’d just never made it over here. It’s a lovely 2.5-mile stretch of sand located between crossovers 25-59 along A1A right next to downtown Jupiter and it is 100% off-leash dog-friendly 24-hours a day all year long. No restrictions, no hours and no fees…just pure unadulterated full-time doggie beach heaven!
Given the crazy heat we knew we needed to go super early for Polly to be comfortable, so we headed out to the beach right at sunrise, arriving an easy 15-mins after we left our RV site. We walked along the water enjoying the first rays of golden light on the sand while Polly ran and frolicked excitedly in the sand. She had a TOTAL blast, going rather more nuts than she probably should (we had a little limping later) but she SO enjoyed it.
4 paws up on this one!
VISIT & PAW NOTES/ Jupiter Dog Beach is open to well-behaved doggies any time of year or day. The dog area is limited to crossovers 25-59 along A1A (areas before and after this are off-limits to dogs). Easy parking is available for free alongside the road right by the beach. Get detailed driving directions HERE.
Jupiter Food Explorations
For the last part of our time in Jupiter we explored a few foodie outlets. Jupiter is a rather interesting foodie town in that its got a very nice marina (think upscale waterfront dining) as well as lots of cheap (and food-abundant) restaurants that cater to some of the University kids in the area (FAU has a campus nearby). So we did a bit of both and discovered a few gems:
Marina Dining (U-Tiki Beach Restaurant) – I can’t say this is the best meal we’ve ever had. I mean the food was certainly tasty and the cocktails were decent, but that wasn’t what made the experience a “wow” for us. No, what made it great was the location. This restaurant is right on the marina in full view of the lighthouse (whoo hooo)! It was an AWESOME place to have our last travel meal of the year, made all the better by a gorgeous sunset over a gorgeous lighthouse. We loved it.
Thai Food (Thai Lotus Restaurant) – There seems to be an incredible number of Thai restaurants in and around Jupiter and they all seem to rate well. Thai Lotus has a location just a few miles from the State Park which made it the perfect take-out locale for a lazy dinner. Good, abundant, tasty food for a reasonable price. We were happy.
PAW NOTES/ Unfortunately neither of the two restaurants we visited were dog-friendly (Thai Lotus in Tequesta did not have an outdoor seating area, and although U-Tiki did, their outdoor area did not allow them?!). However there are definitely options around town. See HERE and HERE.
And just like that my blog is caught up to real time! I’ve got a full park review coming (as usual), but there are no more outstanding travelogues left for 2017. We are currently in South Florida (well at least three of us are…I’m still in France) and we’ll be there for at least a few months while we figure out our next moves. My usual end of year reviews are coming (round-up of our travels, as well as the best campgrounds of the year), plus I have lots to share about our next year plans which, if they work out, are going to be unlike anything we’ve ever done before. It’s going to be good…
We wish you were still here at Jonathan Dickenson as we would have stopped by and said hello with our Maui.
This is our third winter staying over Christmas. And…we got our favorite site 25.
Ooooo…site 25 is lovely! What a great park to spend Christmas in too! Sorry we missed you, but wish you the best of travels.
Nina
Welcome to Florida, again! We are on the West Coast in Ft. Myers. Funny weather.. we had a cold front come through this week and we actually turned the heat on just to take the chill off. I’ve worn a sweatshirt when out with the dogs. We welcomed the cool weather. Being a true Floridian, you’d think we love being outside in heat, at beaches, etc. Not anymore!
I think when our journey starts in a few months, we won’t be on the same coastal paths. We prefer mountains. We’ll be heading way West…but not to the ocean.
St. Augustine is beautiful and I loved the fort and history of the city. I’ve only been there once in my half century in FL!
My son is reworking our site after holidays. KevCanAdventures.com will be live soon..
When I face-timed Paul earlier this week I was shocked to see him wearing a sweater! It’s so pleasant when the temps drop into the mid-70’s in winter in S.FL, but they go back too quickly (for my liking) to the 80’s.
Enjoy the West! Our fav place in the world (and where we’ll eventually return one day).
Nina
I forgot to ask if you’re heading to the Keys at all? Near Islamorada is The Hungry Tarpon restaurant (we’ve never eaten there). But next to it is a Bait Shop with a short dock with a few boats. Parking is premium.
The highlight is to buy a bucket of fish and hand-feed the tarpons! Yes, there are HUNDREDS of them that stay around for visitors to feed them. Great fun seeing the really big fish go for their snack. I was always chicken but some lie on the dock to get up close and personal. I used to go there EVERY time with my family when we’d go fishing in the Keys.
I’m sure this is little help directionally. But as you go over short bridge, you’ll see restaurant and boat dock directly on right as you come off the little bridge.
A must see from a Floridian!!!
Hungry Tarpon Restaurant
77522 Overseas Hwy,
Islamorada, FL 33036
Robbie’s Marina
77522 Overseas Hwy,
Islamorada, FL 33036
Not sure if we’re headed back to the Keys this winter. We’re still trying to figure out exactly what our plan is going to be next year. We have a good, general idea of what we’re going to do but the details have yet to fall into place. If we do go, we’ll def check this out!
Nina
PS the times posted is off 2 hours.
Hey – we’ve been to Jupiter (have friends there) and can recommend a couple of spots for eating and/or adult beverages. Guanabanas – very cool, like eating in a rainforest if you choose to sit outside and Square Grouper Tiki bar – on Jupiter Inlet. Both of these places were recommended by our friends who winter there every year for a long time and we visited both with them.
How long are you there for? We have reservations in March – but if memory serves you can’t stay for months there.
Enjoy-
Judy Butterfield
This is a catch-up blog so we’ve already moved on (we’re parked for the winter near Miami), but both the places you mentioned were also recommended to us by locals when we asked around. Good tips for a return trip!
Nina
If you are near Ft. Lauderdale, there is a wonderful dog park in Plantation. Happy Tails. It is just east of University and north of 595.
http://www.plantation.org/Parks-Recreation/City-Parks/happy-tails-dog-park.html
Also, a nice loacal place for steaks and seafood is Tropical Acres. It has been around since 1952.
Cheers for that. We noted that dog park last year, but didn’t make it over. We’re fairly close by so we’ll go check it out this winter.
Nina
Nina curious, where in Miami? More than likely I will need a place close to mom in the Kendal area. TIA
In that case I’d suggest Larry and Penny Thompson County Park. It’s very close and quite lovely! I wrote about all the various RV parks around Miami last year here: https://www.wheelingit.us/2017/01/09/miami-fl-staying-getting-around-dogs-more/
We’re about an hour north of town, near Paul’s dad.
Nina
Gorgeous pictures and great review. Hope you, Paul and your fur family have a wonderful Holiday!
Looks like a great place to spend a few months, especially with the dog beach there. I truly loved that last photo. The lighthouse was fun too. Looking forward to your year end review. My year was a whirlwind of building, so I’m not remembering everyone else’s adventures very well!
I agree with what you said about the Florida temps. It sure does seem to be much hotter and the humidity level is much worse which makes the bug population terrible. After our Dec visit last year, it will be very difficult to get me back to Florida again. The humidity and bugs just about did me in. Twenty plus years ago when we would visit my parents in Ft Myers we had some down right cold days. Doesn’t seem to happen any longer. Sweet that there is such a nice place for Polly to play, as well:) She looks so happy:)
We didn’t experience a lot of bug problems in S.FL last winter (well, apart from the insane mosquito invasion we had the few days we stayed in the Everglades), but the heat and humidity were pretty much constant ALL winter. The weather here has definitely changed. Winter used to be so mild and pleasant, but no more. If it wasn’t for family, I don’t think we’d be here this winter either.
Nina
Lazy Loggerhead Cafe, on the north beach in Jupiter. Fantastic fish tacos!
Sounds super yummy! It’s on the list!
Nina
One of the things we have REALLY loved about being in the south during the winter (we’re in southern Alabama now, last year we were on the Florida panhandle and gulf coast of Texas), is the fact that everything is still alive and green. I absolutely hate the short winter days; I find them incredibly depressing. But being in a place where, when the sun is up, it is shining, and the skies are blue, and the grass is green, and the trees are alive, makes a HUGE difference. We’re heading west to Arizona next, so the entire landscape will obviously be completely different, but I hope we’ll enjoy that as well. If not, I expect we may end up spending our future winters in South Florida. While I am no fan of humidity, I love all that green you capture so well in your photos.
I do agree the green is amazing out here. Everything is so lush and full. There are flower all year too….very tropical.
If you’re green-lovers you may find the SW desert quite barren. I personally think it’s beautiful, but I know folks who have trouble with all the browns. The colors in the desert can be quite pale during the day, but come alive at sunrise and sunset. It’ll be interesting to see what you think when you get there. I hope you fall in love with it as we have!
Nina
How funny! The day after we arrive in Jonathan Dickenson State Park we read the review by Nina and Paul! And it’s as wonderful as they describe.
Too bad they came and went before we got here…we’d have loved to meet them.
Love the Polly and Paul photos!
They were both having SO much fun. I just sat back and clicked on the camera. It was truly a lovely morning.
Nina
That’s a lovely state park with so much to make it a perfect stop. Love the bright red lighthouse!!
Nothing better than beach runs for doggie – great pics of Paul and Polly. They look so content. Can’t wait to see what you’re getting up to next year!!
I could read your blog just for the pictures! Beautiful!
So glad you finally made it to Jupiter (and the lighthouse and dog beach!). It has changed over the past 45 years that I have been visiting my family here but still so many nice places. I love JD and we’d stay there except my sister’s long and spacious driveway is much cheaper and more private.
We’re here for the next month and a half for my mom’s 91st birthday, Christmas and then all our annual medical visits. It’s finally warming up but we like to be out by mid-March to avoid the heat. I lived here in the mid-70s and found that Sep-Apr was cool enough but I think that stretch has shortened.
Can’t wait to hear your plans and a Merry Christmas season to you and Paul and all the families.
Beautiful pictures! We’re getting ready to launch full time, just put the house on the market. Your blog is informative and concise. I expect to refer to it while on the road. I love the map you’ve created.
Are you still at jonathan dickenson park? If so email me i live here and would like to take you two for a boat ride in the intercostal to show you some sites from the other side! Did you get a chance to go to trader nelsons ! So many things to see here
What an awesome offer! Sadly we’ve already moved on. The beast is parked South and I’m in Europe visiting my family. And no, we didn’t make it to Trader Nelson’s either! Another one to add to the list for a return visit.
Nina