A Magnificent Ocean View and Blowing Rocks Preserve in Jupiter, Florida
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Jupiter Island, Florida
Jupiter Island, Florida offers serene coastal beauty and a stunning conservation area at Blowing Rocks Preserve. Explore breathtaking views of the Anastasia limestone rocks protruding from the beach into the Atlantic Ocean, the largest on the east coast, and then explore the diverse ecosystem between the hammock trees and mangrove wetlands protected by The Natural Conservancy.
This magnificent view looks like something you would find on the west coast. We walked along the beach picking up seashells while watching the waves crash upon the rocks protruding from the beach. If you go during high tide, you will get a more dramatic effect of the water crashing onto the rocks. You can visit Surf-Reports or surfline.com to view the high tide schedule to determine when the waves will be the most dramatic.
Jupiter beach hours and address
Hours: The preserve and beach are open 7 days a week from 9:00am - 4:30pm. Closed on major holidays.
There is free parking at the preserve. After hours the gate closes, and street parking is not allowed so plan to be there at least a couple hours before they close so you can enjoy this beach.
Address: SR-A1A, Jupiter Island, FL
Things to do: This is a great place to swim, snorkel, fish, paddle board, trail walking or just sit on the beach and collect seashells. Climbing on the rocks was a fun experience and makes for great pictures against the Atlantic Ocean.
No pets are allowed on Jupiter Island but there are a few designated areas within Jupiter beach where dogs are allowed. Check out the map below for those specific dog friendly areas.
Hawley Education Center
You can visit the Hawley Education Center where you will find education and history of the area. You can also find restrooms at this location. This is located across the street from the Preserve and beach area.
Walking the beach at Jupiter Island
Take time to walk along the beach as you collect seashells. You will find mostly small shells but there will be quite a few to pick from. Once you continue your walk down the beach you will come across the large limestone rocks protruding from the beach.
You have two options; you can walk down below the rocks, but this is at your own risk. If the tide is high, it could become dangerous if you get stuck next to the rocks when a large wave crashes in. I knew to check the tide schedule ahead of time to reduce our risk. You can also walk on top of the rocks or along the sandy beach above the rocks. The rocks are sharp so wear shoes as you walk the beach.
My Chaco sandals work great for me when I am walking along the beach. They keep my feet safe from sharp objects that might be hidden in the sand, and I can also wear them in the water, and I do not have to worry about them getting ruined.
Useful items to bring on the trip
Blowing Rocks Preserve
Hiking Trails
Blowing Rocks Preserve offers multiple hiking trails. There are 5 trails that are less than a mile each. This picture above was taken on Dune trail which is such a beautiful path through the mangrove forests where it opens up to the ocean view, almost like walking in a fairytale. There are so many opportunities for pictures along this path. This path follows along the dunes and eventually opens up to another opening to the beach as shown below.
Dune Trail - 0.4 mile one-way you will find beautiful views of the ocean along the path
Beach Trail - 0.1 path that leads to the beach
Mangrove Boardwalk - 300-feet boardwalk along the mangroves
Lagoon Trail - 0.4 path along the Indian River Lagoon
Pollinator Garden Scenic Walk - 0.01-mile loop through grasses, shrubs, and flowers
I just love the above pictures with the fence and path to the beach. Such a picturesque view of the ocean! This area is not very crowded making it even more peaceful to enjoy!
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse
After a couple hours at the beach, we headed over to look at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. I love the color of the lighthouse and felt it was an iconic piece of history in this area. This lighthouse was constructed in 1860 and has had over 70 lighthouse keepers over time.
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse hours and cost
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday from 10am -4pm. Closed major holidays such as New Years Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day. Hours are subject to change.
You cannot get to the lighthouse without purchasing a ticket as there is a fence surrounding the property that limits access. There is however a small path outside the fence that you can walk that gives you such views as the one in this picture. Within this path there are a couple posts that allow you to hang up hammocks if you want to relax and enjoy this area for a while.
Gift Shop Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 10am - 5pm
Address: 500 Captains Armours Way, Jupiter, Florida
Cost: Admission to the lighthouse is $12 for adults, $10 Veterans & seniors, and $6 for children ages 6-18. Children under 6 are free. Children must be 48” tall to climb the lighthouse.
Pets are not allowed on property.
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Loggerhead Marinelife Center and Hospital
After the lighthouse we went to Loggerhead Marinelife Center and hospital where they focus on ocean and sea turtle conservation. At the time of our visit (2022), they only had one turtle on site. They had recently remodeled their property and many of the turtles were at other facilities during the remodel. They are now fully open and will start accepting more turtles. The property also had a couple sharks and multiple fish to observe in their tanks. You would typically spend less than an hour at this location unless you choose to participate in one of their many activities. The new remodel was beautiful and specialized to provide the best care for the sea turtles while at their facility.
Hours and cost
Cost: This is FREE to visit but they recommend a $5 donation. The new facility is very nice, and the volunteer staff were friendly and answered the 500 questions my 6-year-old had.
Address: 14200 US Highway 1, Juno Beach
Hours: Daily 10am - 5pm. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Subject to close early for special events.
Things to do
daily activities include daily tours, hiking, story time and animal talks
guided and audio tours, lecture series, sensory activities, fishing clinics, kids night out, living beaches and more
Loggerhead Marinelife Center map
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They had one turtle when we were there named Panda. This one was rescued from the Gulf of Mexico but due to all the local animal hospitals being full on the west coast of Florida, they brought him to Loggerhead Marinelife Center. The staff were very knowledgeable about their turtles and their facility. They were eager to answer any questions you might have.
This is the tank where you can view the sharks and the multiple fish they had. Volunteer staff were very knowledgeable about the fish species and the facility.
This is an unforgettable experience at Jupiter Island in Florida. The stunning beach with spectacular limestone rocks, historic Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, and Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Dipping your toes in the sandy beach, and exploring the gentle care of the sea turtles, leaves an incredible mark on your heart. I hope you can find yourself here to enjoy the beautiful ocean and see this stunning newly remodeled sea turtle rehabilitation facility. I guarantee you will enjoy the Blowing Rocks Preserve and Jupiter’s surrounding beauty!
Enjoy your journey,
Meet the author: Jennifer 💙
I am a girl who loves to travel and enjoys sharing expert family travel advice. I am a content creator and influencer on Instagram with years of travel experience and provide readers with advice, tips, and details on adventurous family travel and tips on saving money while boondocking or traveling across the US.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The review of the items in this article are based on my own opinions.
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