Letter from North America – Jupiter, Florida

Hi friends,

This is a place where you come to get lost! Old Florida comes to mind when thinking about this coastal town only an hour and a half north of the metropolis of Miami. More than that image those words stir up, there is a sense of place here. I drove up Interstate 95 and hopped off in Palm Beach. I think I took this route to experience the contours of the state and the contrasts of its communities. I left the sounds of Miami Beach behind and gave a sort of side-eye to the opulence of Palm Beach as I was making my way to the Jupiter Beach Resort, a place known for being quiet and not resonating with the same vibes as the aforementioned. This place was my weekend escape from who’s who and who knows what about my every step. I wanted to disappear for a few days without every aspect of my life being known by the world. This was a town and the resort that some good and trusted friends had recommended.

After a swift check-in experience, I took one look out of my sliding glass door and decided I needed to get outside and get my feet sandy and my body wet with salt water. The resort was tucked behind mangroves at its entry and caressed by the Atlantic Ocean on its back-side. I slipped into my bathing suit faster than usual as sitting for an hour and a half primed me for a spontaneous beach day. The Sand Bar, which is the cutest name for their beach-side bar and grill, was a few steps from where I hung my hat on the sand. This way, delicious lunch bites and cool refreshing drinks were always within reach. I barely had to reach, actually, as the service was almost intuitive. That first beach day turned out to be exactly what I needed to get me ready for an evening at the nearby Michael Jordan steakhouse, 1000 North. That’s the thing about Jupiter…Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, The Williams sisters, and a host of other stars all call the small town, home and have businesses up here. You would never guess such a thing at first blush, but stay for more than a few hours and you’ll see why. There’s very little pretention and a ton of money in this beach town. The coupling of these two is the perfect partnership for those who seek tranquility and a lifestyle that isn’t draining.

I was so far from drained that my driver, Rob, who the hotel recommended take me around to the spots I most wanted to see, was surprised at how many times I called him. I wanted to go on the PonTiki boat cruise and be a total tourist, so I called up a few friends and we made a day of cruising to some great tunes and stopping along the intracoastal to enjoy some hiking and lunch. It felt good to be on a boat! After sliding into the water, seeing manatee and laughing the day away, I called Rob again and he took me all around town, showing me the shopping and dining experiences he thought I might enjoy. He was good at tempting me into doing some pretty fun activities around Jupiter, least of which was actually one that didn’t involve him driving me around. Was he trying to get rid of me? I don’t think so. He just knew that there was an aspect that could not be grasped from inside an SUV. As he pulled up to the hotel, the concierge had bikes at the ready, and an itinerary all drafted for me to explore the coastline on two wheels. This was an adventure and I could not wait to get going. Three miles away, I stopped in for a tour of the Loggerhead Marinelife Center. This unique nonprofit cultural destination housed more Sea Turtles than I had ever seen this close before. The rehabilitation work they do here is beautiful. On my ride back to the resort, I took in the beach with a new perspective. I learned that there are more nests on this stretch of beach than could possibly ever be marked without shutting the beach down to beachgoers entirely. Good to know! I also left having adopted a turtle. That’s how adorable they are and how drawn in I was by the care they give these creatures. Mine is named Corwin.

As if I needed another reason to come back and visit the Jupiter Beach Resort, I now have Corwin to pop by and visit, although I can keep tabs on him online. Any excuse to come back is a good excuse. Thank goodness, the suites are spacious, the staff is friendly and the beach is only steps away from the resort, or Corwin may not see his new mom that often.

www.jupiterbeachresort.com