A Must-Visit Animal Sanctuary!…read more I am absolutely in love with this animal sanctuary! It's such an amazing place where they rescue injured and vulnerable animals, give them a safe and beautiful home, and provide them with the medical care they need. The entire sanctuary is so beautiful, clean, and incredibly well cared for. You can truly tell how much the staff loves and cares about the animals. The staff is also so sweet, friendly, and knowledgeable. They do a wonderful job teaching you about the animals and their individual stories. There are SO many animals to see, including alligators, bears, bobcats, otters, snakes, birds, and so many other amazing creatures! They also have different animal encounters and special events throughout the week, so there's always something fun to experience. It's such a great place for kids and families, but honestly, I had just as much fun as an adult! They even have a super cute kids' play area and a gift shop. I especially recommend visiting when the weather is cooler, because it can get pretty hot while walking around the sanctuary. But even with the heat, it is SO worth it! If you're looking for something fun, educational, family-friendly, and meaningful to do, I highly recommend visiting! It's such a special place, and I love that your visit helps support the rescue and care of these animals. It's also entirely free to visit here, however they do welcome donations.

What a great facility and experience! Donations for your entry fee and volunteers are great in…read moreanswering questions.

I had no idea this park existed until one of my kids asked about the government sign on Indiantown…read moreRoad, pointing North. I had never noticed it before: 'Jupiter Inlet District.' What a nice surprise. Growing up, both sides of Indiantown was wild lands, and now barely any is left. Like most scrub parks, there is a gate to keep gopher tortoises in. Most of these parks look the same in the beginning: scrub habitat. I was shocked when my kids pulled open the maps in the entrance kiosk to find a picture of a manatee. Yes, apparently manatees have been spotted here in cooler weather. The scrub didn't last long before our paved pathway became a wooden boardwalk across one of the more beautiful swampy areas I have ever seen. Beautiful, as in: it looked healthy. Back on the paved path again, we came to a fork without any signs and no indication on our map of what the fork was for. To the left is a short path to a bench overlooking the swamp. To the right is a slightly longer path leading to a wooden overlook with 2 benches on it, overlooking an offshoot of the Loxahatchee River (Jones Creek). The view is beautiful and peaceful, but we definitely did not see any water creatures. We did see a bunny. The non-paved trail was seriously overgrown and neglected. Without the wooden trail markers with the yellow paint circles, we would have been lost. Despite the park abutting such a major road as Indiantown, it was easy to feel engulfed in the wildness. I did observe A LOT of human-sized non-paved paths going off into the forest that were not official trails, and this is pretty unusual. It is normal to see gopher tortoise paths, but human-made paths are pretty rare - as they should be! My son kept begging me to follow them; no way! I felt extremely weary being alone in the woods amongst multiple signs of human habitation, including t-shirts littering the ground in a couple of places (including the scrub in the parking lot). I hope the the District will read this review and respond with some follow up, as I don't feel comfortable returning here for this reason alone, as much as it was beautiful. PARKING: A bike rack, a bus spot, a handicapped spot, and 3 regular spots.

This was a peaceful way to start the new year. The weather was perfect and I had an enjoyable…read morestroll through the 16 acre natural area. The parking lot is small but since I was the only person there it wasn't problem. Jupiter acquired this land in 2005. The preserve is gated to protect the endangered gopher tortoises who reside inside. Most of the preserve is paved before meeting with a 300 foot wooden boardwalk. There is also a sandy trail that goes through the scrub. The trail takes you to an observation platform over Jones Creek which runs off the Loxahatchhe River. You could see wading birds in the mangroves lining the creek bank. Besides the gopher tortoises other animals that have been recorded here are the little blue heron, eastern diamond-backed rattlesnake, wood stork, and bald eagle. Plants that have been found are the common wild pine, giant wild pine, butterfly orchid, and large flowered rosemary. Five acres of invasive plants have been removed. In addition to the scrub ecosystem there are six other ecosystems present including a tidal marsh and mangrove swamp. Delaware Scrub is just one of eight natural areas in close proximity. If you happen to be in the area this is a easy way to get in some fresh air and exercise without too much exertion. It is especially worth paying a visit when the weather is colder as manatees have been spotted in Jones Creek.

This is the nature center at the Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge. Originally…read morenamed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, this preserve was established September 30, 1969. Nathaniel P. Reed's parents helped to create the preserve by donating swaths of land to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service near the Indian River Lagoon in the 1960s and early 1970s. On April 17, 2019, the name of the preserve was changed to honor their son environmentalist Nathaniel Pryor Reed who was the environmental advisor to Florida governor Claude R. Kirk Jr. in the 1960's. He also served as environmental advisor to Assistant Secretary of the Interior to presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford from 1971 to 1977. Reed was instrumental in drafting the Endangered Species Act and saving Big Cypress Swamp. The Clean Water Act is also part of his legacy. He was known for fighting for the environment before it was cool to do so. Reed was a long time Jupiter Island resident. He passed away in July of 2018 after falling and hitting his head after hooking a 16 pound salmon while fishing in Quebec. The refuge is located on the coast of Martin County and it is divided by the Indian River Lagoon into two separate tracts of land totaling over 1000 acres. The Jupiter land tract is 735 acres and is important to the environment because it contains the largest complete section (3.5 miles of Atlantic Ocean Beach) of undeveloped beach in Southeastern Florida. As a result of the uninterrupted beach it is one of the most productive sea turtle nesting areas in the Southeastern United States. The Refuge protects 40 species of sea turtles listed as either threatened, endangered, or of special concern. Florida is the only state where endangered Leatherback Sea Turtles nest. The 300 acre sand pine scrub area is rare because the high, dry land was ideal for building on, so more than 90 percent of this ecosystem in Florida has been lost to development. You only find sand pine scrub in Florida and Alabama. The preserve also contains 10 miles of mangrove communities along the Indian River Lagoon. This National Wildlife Refuge has a large biodiversity of plants and animals. The last time I visited this refuge in 2021, the visitors center was closed for renovations so I was interested in visiting this trip. The nature center is run by a private, non-profit organization, that is dedicated to promoting an environmental awareness in people of all ages. The nature center building is made up of a exhibit hall, classroom/ lab, and a gift shop. Exhibits in the nature center include the sand pine scrub, Indian River Lagoon, The Atlantic Ocean, Jupiter Island, protecting biodiversity, adaptions for survival, and information about the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Preserve. There are tanks with fish and reptiles to view. The nature center hosts turtle walks, summer camps, evening forums, scrub tours and more. It is free to visit the nature center but some of the events may have an additional charge. Check out their website for a complete list of upcoming events. On Earth Day April 22nd they will be offering free family activities, games and crafts. Before you leave be sure and check out the cute gift shop with an assortment of nature themed items. Next to the parking lot is a stairway that takes you down to a beautiful beach where you can swim. You can also hike the scrub surrounding the nature center. There is so much to enjoy at the refuge and I always enjoy my visits.

Nice trail heading to the beach and the nature center has lots of animals including fish, a snake,…read moreowl, salamander and hawk.

This tiny park is great to know about. It is designed for kayaking or canoeing. It has a giant…read moreparking space for a bus, with a huge rack for kayak/canoe holding, and special dock appendage for kayak/canoes. It is a little difficult to spot, as the sign is tiny, and you basically pull into a parking lot shared by an office building. It is right off Indiantown Road. There is a little shaded picnic table, but it is right in front of the parking spaces. However, it does look out on a tiny preserved area. Just for the sake of exploring every single park, I brought my kids here to check it out. We were the only ones here. It had rained recently and a flock of ibis were eating in the flooded park area between the parking spaces and the dock, which is a pretty short little path. However, that path goes over a tiny swampy area which is shallow enough to note that there were not alligators. We could sit on the elevated pavement to look over the swamp and observe. Incredibly enough, I was able to spot a mass of frog eggs floating in this water. We then collected some of the eggs and brought them home; now we are parenting baby tree frogs to release one day. We tried to look for fish from the small dock but did not have any luck. From the dock you can see other docks along the canal.

This is a 2.71 acre park that opened in 2014 in the Jones Creek Preserve. The Jones Creek flows…read moreinto the Loxahatchee River and to a large shallow basin along its southern property line. One third of the preserve is mangrove wetlands which are very important to the health of the Loxahatchee River. Mangroves protect shorelines from storm and hurricane damage, prevent erosion, maintain water quality and clarity by filtering pollutants and trapping sediments, and they provide nesting and breeding habitat for fish and shellfish, migratory birds, and sea turtles. The land for the Jones Creek Preserve was purchased along with several other parcels in 2005 as part of the seventeen million dollar Jupiter Open Space Program. Non native plants were removed and replaced with native species and fences were added. Other park amenities include benches, a water fountain, and picnic table. A public kayak launch was added that allows paddlers to go through the mangroves and behind neighborhoods as they explore the Loxahatchee River. If you live locally and have your own kayak this is a handy place to launch it.

I was in the area looking for a place where I could get some walking exercise, and I found this…read moregreat park. There is plenty of parking, making it very convenient for a quick excursion. The highlight of Oaks Park is the clay walking trail that winds throughout the park. Tall trees provide welcome shade, and the small canal alongside the back portion of the path is lovely. The park also features a butterfly garden, a large picnic pavilion with tables, two tennis courts, and plenty of grassy open space perfect for picnics or play. Along the walking path are poignant tributes. Every few feet, there are memorial trees lining the trail. I took a moment to read some of the memorial plaques. They reminded me that even after we leave this earth, our love for those left behind lives on.

Oaks Park is a great fitness park in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. It has a red clay walking path…read morethat snakes through the park and wide grassy areas to play ball, read a book, or just fly a kite. Well-maintained tennis courts offer space to play for two games at a time. The courts are available at night with lights that go on for 60 minutes and then shut off automatically. The park is very pretty and has many containers for recycling and trash. There is no water source for people but there is a nice pavilion for shade. Pets are not allowed but parking at Oaks Park and then walking along the pretty street lined sidewalks is an option that I have done a few times.

After visiting the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach's Pan's Garden I was interested in seeing…read moreall of the parks they manage. I found out online that in 2017 they completed a 2.7 million dollar renovation of Bradley Park. This is one of my favorite kind of parks. It runs at the base of a bridge giving you a fantastic view of the waterway. After visiting the park all I can say is wow! It combines two things I am passionate about, art and history. The 4.4 acre park was the former home of Colonel Bradley as well as the location of his beach club. The Gilded Age buildings were destroyed as were many others during the 1970's. It was why the Preservation Foundation was created, to preserve the historic architecture of the Palm Beaches. All that remains is the Artemis fountain featuring cherubs and the four faces of father time and the historic tea house. Park improvements that were made during refurbishment project include a quarter mile long shell walkway, the restoration of the tea house, and a terrace for the Artemis fountain. Inside the tea house are five informative panels that give the history of Palm Beach. The history begins with the prehistoric legacy of the Native Americans. It then moves to the Palm Beach pioneers, Henry Morrison Flagler, Colonel Bradley, and ends with the Bradley Park Beautification project. The park pathway continues to Lake Trail that was extended to run along the sea wall. Beautiful plants and trees make up the rest of the park. This park had the nicest public bathroom I have ever seen. It was designed to match the tea house. I love how the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach chose to honor their historical legacy in this park. It is beautiful like all of the parks and gardens they manage. It was worth taking the time to take in the beauty of the park while learning about the history in the area.

Love this natural area It's a little slice of peace in the increasingly chaotic area that…read moreLoxahatchee is becoming. It's a great way to spend time in nature and see the wildlife in their natural habitat! Makes you truly appreciate what mother nature has to offer.

You can find the Acreage Pines Natural area located at the back of Acreage Pines Community Park…read more The site was purchased by the county of Palm Beach in 2001 and they manage it along with assistance from the Indian Trail Improvement District. It is part of the Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Entrance to the trail is next to the playground. This natural area protects 124 acres of pine lands and wet prairie. It contains mesic flatwoods, wet prairie, depression marsh, and wet flatwoods communities. It is the home of some rare species of birds, butterflies and wildflowers. A boardwalk takes you over the wetlands where you can see birds such as egrets, herons, ibis, red bellied woodpeckers, cardinals, pin-tailed pondhawk, snowy egret, hooded merganser, limpkin, great horned owl, red-shouldered hawk, pileated woodpecker, and mockingbirds. Other animals found here include the squirrel treefrog, Florida softshell turtle, and raccoons. At the end of the boardwalk is an observation platform with seating. There is also two natural earth hiking trail that takes you through slash pines and saw palmettos. Plants found here include rare asters, passion flowers, tarflower, coastalplain staggerbush, wiregrass, chestnutleaf false croton, fireflag, St. John's-wort, yelloweyed grass, swamp flatsedge, flattened pipewort, and pond apple as well as carnivorous plants including the yellow-horned bladderwort, eastern pipewort and pink sundew. Events held here include a Swamp Tromp which will be held on August 19th. You can attend a 1.5 mile hike in knee deep water guided by ERM (Palm Beach Environmental Resource Management) staff. The preserve is open daily from sunrise to sunset. It is a wonderful place to hike, take pictures, and view wildlife. Come and experience the wilder side of Florida.

Great experience, I had a lot of fun batting there. It greatly improved and enhanced my skills, I…read morewas able to work on hitting off of different pitches, and different placement. It does matter if you're an elite baseball or softball player, an average rec-player, someone just trying to learn, and everything in-between. If your a pitcher and don't want to get batting practice, just book a pitching lesson and you'll get great information from Manny Olivera, a former Cubs coach with much more experience elsewhere including being a pitcher for an elite team. It does matter who you are I promise you will have fun and get bette.

This place is great!!! My 9-year old loves coming here to practice his hitting and catching, take a…read morelesson, or go to their camps when school is out! There's always something going on here, always a friend to say 'hi' to! We love everyone here and feel lucky to have this awesome establishment in our town!!!