A Perfect Simple Afternoon in Jupiter Beach

Jupiter is a nice small beach town on Florida’s east coast with plenty of wonderful unique ecosystems to choose from in terms of spending time with nature. It’s more than just the classic beach; there are also rivers, beaches with unique rock formations, inlets, river swamps, and state parks to choose from while being close to the Atlantic. But in this article I reveal my absolute favorite beach spot as well as a great nearby restaurant to complete a perfect afternoon visiting the region. With Jupiter there are very few bad decisions as to where to engage with nature and the ocean, but for me the winner is DuBois Park.

 

DuBois Park

DuBois Park is an intersection of waterways that creates a trifecta of bathing and relaxing options in relations to the Atlantic Ocean. On one hand, you have the corner of Jupiter Beach, the classic sand meets ocean setup that is always a winner whenever the ocean is behaving and not being engulfed in seaweed.

But let’s say the seaweed is being ridiculous or the water is too cold, now you have the inlet’s natural pools in the park. Within the inlet you’ll find multiple spacious pools that is the middle point between the Loxahatchee River and the Atlantic. This is personally my favorite option, as the water never gets too high even during high tide, which allows you to relax in the “ocean” without worrying about rip tides or rough waves. It’s actually a perfect starting point for children learning how to swim, as the pools are surrounded by rocks that will keep out any waves while also being in the portion of the inlet that never hits deeper water levels.

Then, there’s also one of the mouths of the Loxahatchee River, which is on the southern end of the park itself. No ocean, no reliance on the tides, it’s a simple natural pool that also exists as a nice calming swimming option.

DuBois Park is a plethora of swimming options combined with beautiful paths, beautiful sights, and a wonderful space that just feels very disconnected from the rest of the world, even if you can see the nice houses across the other side and the occasional boat passing through the inlet. One of my favorite beaches and parks in all of Florida, it has something for everybody, and without the touristy noise and vibes that can sometimes harm a beach space. You can easily spend hours upon hours here. The only problem is, unless you bring food the lunch options within the park are non-existent. Which means time for lunch at—

Guanabanas

A short walk away from the park or an even shorter drive will land you in a riverfront restaurant that is spacious, delicious, and full of wonderful vibes. Guanabanas specializes in great seafood and great drinks. Clearly a local favorite, it can sometimes take up to an hour to wait for a table because of how full it can get on the weekends. But its worth the wait, every time.

I went twice in the same vacation. By the end of my experiences, I had tried their fresh grouper, fried shrimp, Caesar salad, key lime pie, and a few of their cocktails. All of them were delicious, all of them were hits, and I wish I had multiple stomachs so I could order more food and alcohol to absorb all the goodness that comes from this corner of Jupiter.

There is also tons of live music here, so always remain updated with their calendar. Music, drinks, vibes, seafood, and beautiful sights complete the list of reasons why to have a perfect afternoon you need to spend time here. The nearby Square Grouper and Burger Shack are also solid options, but Guanabanas is my personal pick from the bunch.