Beaches

What would a blog about Palm Beach County, Florida be without a post on beaches?  The only problem is that there are too many great beaches along our coast to tell about all of them!  But here are a just a few for now:

Jupiter Beach aka Dog Beach - currently the only beach in Palm Beach County where dogs are allowed (even off leash AS LONG AS THEY ARE UNDER YOUR DIRECT CONTROL).  This is a fun place to take Fido for swimming, running, and playing with other dogs.  Please respect others on the beach (if your dog isn't under your control he needs to be on a leash) and pick up after your pet (baggies are even provided at the top of the walkways).  This beach allows dogs for a 2.5 mile stretch in Jupiter along A1A from #25 to #59 (just south of Marcinski Road to Jupiter Beach Resort)

Ocean Reef Park (3860 North Ocean Drive, Riviera Beach, Florida - we love this guarded beach. They have a cool little rock ledge right off shore.  During low tide you can often walk on it finding small fish and other creatures.  It is also a good place to snorkel.

DuBois Park - (19075 DuBios Road, Jupiter, Florida) - this park has it all.  It is on the Jupiter Inlet, so you can walk along the inlet and do some fishing, you can go to the beach on the south side of the inlet, or there is a cool little swimming area on the interior of the park.  The water comes in and wraps around to create a protected pool (so usually little to no waves).  There are lifeguards in some of the swimming areas.

Lion Country Safari

Lion Country Safari is a drive through safari and park located in western Palm Beach County in Loxahatchee, Florida.  When you first enter the park you are given a CD and map so you can identify the animals along the drive through safari.  Our favorites are the ostriches (which have been known to peck at our car) and the lions (they are usually sleeping, but on a rare occasion you will see them playing together).

After a leisurely drive through the safari, you come to a large lot where you can park and then enter the walk through part of the safari.  Here you can experience many up close and personal animal encounters (try feeding the lory birds or giraffes; both favorites of ours).  You can also take a paddle boat and paddle around the small lake, hop on a pontoon boat for a closer look at the animals around the lake, play mini golf, and ride an assortment of small rides (ferris wheel, flying elephants, train ride, and more).  And of course on those hot Florida days it is always nice to cool down on one of the 2 water slides or the splash park.  Other than the animal feedings, everything is included in the price of admission (but the animal feedings are well worth the extra money so be sure to have some on hand)!