Visiting Jupiter Florida

Located on the southeastern coast of Florida, Jupiter is a town with panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Loxahatchee River. This small town also features a historic lighthouse. The 1860 red lighthouse is situated on a hill overlooking the Loxahatchee River. A pioneer-era homestead is also on site. 

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum
Things to go in Jupiter Florida

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum

Located on the north shore of Jupiter Inlet, the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum is a landmark in Palm Beach County. This historical landmark was built in 1860 and is 108 feet high. It serves as a guide for ships traveling along the shores of Jupiter. It shines brightly at night.

The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum is operated by the Loxahatchee River Historical Society, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The society is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the rich and dynamic history of the area. The society also raises funds for tours and programs. The grounds of the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum feature cultural evidence of 5,000 years of humans settled in the area. The land is part of a 120-acre federally designated natural area. The area is home to 25 species of special-status plants and animals. There are also scenic hiking trails that lead to an observation tower.

Beaches of Jupiter, Florida

Known for its beautiful beaches, Jupiter FL is a popular vacation destination. The area offers a wide variety of activities, from fishing to hiking and biking. It’s a great place to relax and get away from it all. Whether you’re looking for a romantic weekend or a family beach vacation, you’ll find everything you need in the small town of Jupiter FL.

The Jupiter Island Nature Conservancy has three hiking trails. While hiking the trails there is a natural mangrove. Amenities include restrooms and free parking during open hours.

The Blowing Rocks Preserve is a 73-acre conservation area on the Atlantic coast. It gets its name from water plumes that gush through limestone niches.

The Trails in Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse

The Trails in Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse

The Trail is divided into two separate sections, the North Trail and South Trail. South Beach Road is the dividing line between the two sections. Both trails are part of the Outstanding Natural Area (ONA). Congress approves the federal designation of ONA for Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum in 2008. The importance of this site became even more evident when Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse became a part of the Bureau of Land Management. This made JILONA one of only 3 such sites managed by BLM and the only one east of the Mississippi River.

North Trail in Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse

This Trail is also known as the Nature Trail and that is for many good reasons. North Trail offers a .25 miles paved road through 3 Florida Coastal Habitats, the Florida Scrub Habitat, Mangrove Swamp, and Tropical Hammock. The observation tower looks out over the manatee refuge and has a view of large seagrapes. Other important plant species in the area are some of the largest Council Trees (Ficus Altissima), Saw Palmetto, Chapman Oaks, and Scrub Oaks. There is also an information kiosk at the beginning of the North Trail before the Boardwalk.

South Trail in Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse

The 1.5 miles South Trail is also called the Hiking Trail. Unlike the North Trail, this trail is sandy and not paved. The South Trail in Jupiter Inlet offers great views of the Indian River and Jupiter Lighthouse alongside a great variety of native plants and flowers. There are a significant number of special status, threatened, and endangered plants and animals that call these Trails home. The following is the list of these species listed by the Bureau of Land Management:

Special Status Species

  • Four-petal pawpaw (Asimina tetramera), Federal and State-listed as Endangered

  • Perforate lichen (Cladonia perforata), Federal and State-listed as Endangered

  • Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) Federal and State-listed as Threatened (not seen onsite since 2003)

  • West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), Federal and State-listed as Endangered

  • Gopher tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus), Florida Species of Special Concern

  • Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), Florida Species of Special Concern

  • Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), Florida Species of Special Concern

  • Tri-colored heron (Egretta tricolor), Florida Species of Special Concern

  • Curtiss milkweed (Asclepias curtissii), State-listed as Endangered

  • Large-leaved rosemary (Conradina Grandiflora), State-listed as Threatened

  • Nodding pinweed (Lechea cernua), State-listed as Threatened

  • Banded wild pine (Tillandsia flexuosa), State-listed as Threatened

  • Reflexed wild pine (Tillandsia balbisiana), State-listed as Threatened

  • Giant wild pine (Tillandsia Utricularia), State-listed as Endangered

  • Common wild pine (Tillandsia fasciculata), State-listed as Endangered

Jupiter Beach Parks

Dubois Park in Jupiter, Florida

DuBois Park in Jupiter, Florida is a fun recreational park. It has several beaches and a lagoon. In addition to swimming, there are plenty of activities to keep people of all ages entertained. The inlet at DuBois Park is a popular spot for fishing and casting nets. The park is also a popular spot for water sports jet skiers. The inlet is well protected by rocks and a lifeguard, making it a great place for children to play.

The area of Dubois Park is also home to the Harry and Susan DuBois Pioneer Home, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house was built in 1898. The home is constructed from Florida pine and cedar shingles.

Max Planck Society in Jupiter, Florida

Located in the heart of Palm Beach County’s life sciences community, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience in Jupiter has joined the ranks of other leading scientific institutions in Florida. In fact, it is a key building block of the emerging biotechnology economy. Providing resources to help answer fundamental questions about brain development, the Institute is an integral part of the region’s rapidly growing biosciences cluster.

The Max Planck Society is a nonprofit, research organization based in Germany that is home to nearly 81 institutes around the globe. The organization employs thousands of scientists, many of whom have won Nobel Prizes.

The organization has recently opened a new brain research institute in Jupiter, Fla. The facility is one of the first in the United States. The new Max Planck Florida Institute is located on the campus of Florida Atlantic University, where it will be housed in a LEED-NC Gold Certified building.