One Day in Juno Beach

Juno Beach is one of dozens of nice beach towns in the confides of the Sunshine State that has a miniscule fraction of the attention of the more popular beaches like South Beach, Sarasota, Clearwater, Panama City Beach, etc. Of course like most of these beach towns, the main disadvantage is how the entire area tends to close up shop after the sun comes down. But the advantage is of course, the beach, and all the radiant beautiful nature that comes with it.

An extra advantage with Juno Beach is its proximity to Jupiter, which has a lot of nice beaches as well and even great places to eat----just don’t expect to dine after 9:30 P.M.

Here is what I like to describe as a perfect day in Juno Beach, for if you decide to visit.

Loggerhead Park

This park is completely free to enter, and yet it feels like a steal to spend a couple hours here because of how much it offers. Loggerhead Park is directly connected to some of Juno Beach’s expansive sand dunes that also connects to the beach. I didn’t get to visit the dunes because they are not fun to explore when the summer is at its peak, so the clinic was more than enough. There’s a marine center that focuses on taking care of sea turtles that are sick, injured, or unable to ever make it back to the ocean.

You’ll see many sea turtles but the clinic also features a variety of aquariums imitating different ecosystems, with plenty of delightful and insightful marine experts throughout the venue always willing to listen and educate. They also have feeding classes, miniature tours, and other activities during the 7-8 hours the place is open. Not saying you should expect Frost Science levels of interactivity with animals, but for a free admission (please donate) attraction, its practically perfect. Also its close to the dunes and the beach, so you wouldn’t even have to go too far out of your way to find this spot.

Juno Beach

I have told many that every beach in Florida is different in some shape or form, two beaches even just a few miles apart can feel like they are in different worlds. The distance between Juno Beach and Jupiter’s DuBois Park is only 6 miles but they are wildly different. Both are awesome, but offer varying experiences. Juno Beach’s proximity to the mighty sand dunes located on both sides of U.S. Route 1 gives the beaches a much steeper incline from sand to water, and also offers significantly more sand altogether.

This makes Juno Beach a hotter beach, a sandier beach, a more natural experience, but also a beach that’s perfect for energetic dogs----which is likely why within a quarter mile from the Juno Beach Pier you’ll find a section of the beach dedicated to dogs. Also, Jupiter doesn’t have an authentic pier, so added points for Juno. The beach itself is miles of gorgeous thick sand, plenty of shells, lots of space that isn’t inundated by buildings that are too close (looking at you South Beach).

The pier also adds some extra flair, by extending far into the ocean for fishing and sightseeing options. Plenty of potential for beautiful pictures, for nice ocean breezes to soothe all mental anguish, and spacious enough so it never feels claustrophobic, even when there are dozens of people occupying the pier. I can spend forever walking this beach, but alas I’m hungry which leads to a dinner spot that’s absolutely awesome.

Ela Curry and Cocktails

I first learned about Ela during Jupiter’s Friends of Jupiter Beach Food and Wine Festival. They are one of multiple local spots that have their own kiosk to offer samples and drinks in an event that is crafted to raise money for charity. They had this mango lassi that was so good, I made a personal promise to myself to visit the restaurant whenever the opportunity arises. It took longer than I expected, but it was still worth the wait. To best describe this place is upscale and sharable Indian cuisine. This is slight cheating since its in Palm Beach Gardens and not Juno, but the trifecta of Juno, Jupiter, and Palm Beach Gardens are so connected you are definitely not veering too far coming to Donald Ross Village

This is definitely a Date Night kind of spot, as the portions are grand and the vibes are more on the relaxed romantic side. It’s a fully staffed venue, so you will see a lot of friendly faces keeping the place moving and consistent. But I knew I was in for a nice but expensive night ahead when I saw the bottles of water that’s available at all the tables. This ain’t no average tap water, this is purified and triple-filtered water.

Of course I started with the mango lassi and then the chili paneer, which is a large appetizer mix of chunks of semi-soft Indian cheese mixed with vegetables and spices. The lassi was of course just as good as I remembered, and the only reason I didn’t finish with a gallon was because the drink isn’t refillable. COWARDS---er, I mean, the paneer was also a delight with a superb blend of spices, savory flavors, with the crunch of wok-cooked vegetables.

We’re going to move quickly to the main star: their butter chicken.

I can’t describe the chaos of battling a dish so rich and so meant to be shared with a loved one. It was a hearty, flavor-bombed bowl of chicken, spices, curry, creamy goodness that is difficult to compare to anything else. I’m not at all an expert on Indian food, but I do know that if all Indian food tasted this good I’m taking the next flight to Bombay. The basmati rice was well-cooked and enhances the butter chicken dish by becoming a flavorful sponge to absorb whatever sauce remains once you’re done dancing on the table with the last piece of chicken. No more words, just order this if you decide to come here. No other notes, its perfect.

Conclusion

Spending three days in Juno Beach was a great time, I only made one mistake: not coming here all three nights for dinner. The ambiance was very nice, if you have that special someone, this is a nice spot to display your love towards them. Service was impeccable, it’s a spacious venue with indoor and outdoor seating depending on your preference (and if the weather is behaving), and the food is made with great care and detail.

I have always said that Americans need to be more knowledgeable of their surroundings, need to explore more about their own county, state, and learn to meet people and visit places that might be off their typical social circle. Americans might be pleasantly surprised at the sheer size and scope of experiences upon their doorstep. Juno Beach is likely a spot many Floridians don’t know much about, and it’s a shame because the region offers beautiful beaches, beautiful natural trails to explore, and a tranquility that allows you to unwind from life’s typical shenanigans.

Juno Beach will not exactly have a laundry list of places to explore, but when the main attractions are so nice, why does the quantity matter? Visit the beach, visit the pier, visit the sea turtles and the nearby dunes, and close out the night with some top-tier cuisine. You won’t be disappointed.