This Area With Some Of Florida's Best Beaches Offers Small-Town Vibes With Big-City Benefits

Crystal blue waters and quiet neighborhoods are par for the course in one of Florida's most-famed golf towns in the Southern region. Jupiter, Florida, is a smaller city located about 30 minutes north of bustling West Palm Beach (a more popular dining spot in the Sunshine State with chic European vibes).  Since 2022, Jupiter's population has been around 61,000 people. To compare, West Palm Beach, as Palm Beach County's largest city, has a population of over 117,500. But don't let Jupiter's relatively smaller size fool you.

Jupiter Island is filled with luxurious real estate, attracting celebrities and professional athletes alike. In fact, according to the Zillow Home Value Index (via USA Today), the typical value for a Jupiter home is nearly $10 million. But while the town's A-list roster might shed some light on Jupiter globally, it's the surrounding beaches, such as Hobe Sound Beach and Carlin Park, and lively town center, which combines "old main street charm" with myriad entertainment and dining experiences, that keep visitors coming back.

Located midway between Miami and Orlando, Jupiter features a range of topography on its shores. While the beaches resemble those of South Florida, like Miami Beach or Fort Lauderdale, its mangrove tunnels are like those you'd find in Central Florida. Clear kayak tours will take you through these tunnels and down the Indian River Lagoon, one of the best destinations in Florida to see mesmerizing bioluminescent waves. And with crystalline aqua blues and minimal foot traffic compared to big cities, Jupiter Inlet can easily rank among the most stunning destinations to snorkel in the U.S.

That said, while tourists love a good beach day, the city is filled with organizations working together to preserve Jupiter's natural wonders, like Blowing Rocks Preserve, and to protect the sealife and wildlife of the area. Jupiter, for example, is home to the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, while the Loggerhead Marinelife Center is based nearby at Juno Beach. One of the city's most famous attractions, of course, is its historic red lighthouse,  Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, first lit in 1860.

As said, the typical value of a Jupiter Island home is nearly $10 million ($9,968,424, to be exact). Given this, it's no surprise to find that it counts among its residents celebrity names like Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan, or that this relatively small town would also offer big-city amenities for locals and visitors to enjoy. In fact, Jupiter Island is such a sought-after place for the wealthy, real estate broker and reality TV personality Ryan Serhant from "Owning Manhattan" opened up a second Palm Beach County office in 2024, this time in Jupiter, per Florida of Tomorrow.

As for those big-city amenities, Jupiter Island has two "main street" areas that are large entertainment centers. Located inland, Downtown Abacoa has an open-air concept for visitors to take in the outdoors, while Harbourside Place is an indoor shopping mall and resort with outdoor attractions, including an amphitheater for live performances. This is also where you'll find Jupiter's marina, with 21 private boat slips and 10 public ones.