Abacoa Greenway, Jupiter

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Description

Inside Abacoa, an upscale master-planned community in Jupiter, there are nature greenways reserved to protect endangered gopher tortoises. These have shady walking trails amidst beautiful areas of sunlit forest. Light filters through typical Florida pines with their cute twirly branches. On the forest floor are blue and green palmettos that catch the light. Gopher tortoises peak out of large holes in the ground and move their mouths at primordial speeds. The forest is fenced in and you can enter through gates in the low wire fences and walk along dirt paths under the trees (one of these areas is at Frederick Small and Mallory Blvd). You pass large ponds, some with fountains, all with lovely cooling breezes soaring over their surfaces (one is at Promenade Way and Newcastle Dr). If you don't wish to walk directly in nature, you can walk on the sidewalks beside the nature areas, still enjoying the trees and shade. Be careful and don't allow children near the water as alligators are sometimes spotted in the wetland areas.
When you tire of the forest you can duck into one of the neighborhood areas. Although the cookie-cutter style of them can be boring, they are built in happy Caribbean colors with decorative balconies and pretty window shutters. Most of the neighborhoods have two and three-storey townhouses and plenty of royal palms (my favorite). One of the nicest is Mallory Creek, at Jeaga Dr and Duval St, where there is a regal palm-lined pond and white stone bridge. 
If your kids need a playground, there's a popular one in the Cambridge neighborhood on Promenade Way and Waterford Drive- here, tons of kids scooter around in the late afternoon (so bring your scooters) and all the moms gather to chat.
After your walk, have lunch at one of the sports grills or sidewalk cafes at Abacoa Town Center.
Starting in June, it is too hot to walk in the Greenway and there are snakes. This lasts until October. You can still walk on the sidewalk if you catch a time that's early in the morning but not too early (mosquitoes are out at sunrise and sunset, and the bites are huge and super itchy)- summer ain't fun in Florida. Also if you have open-toed shoes, keep your eyes open for red ants because their bite can stay for weeks and get infected if it opens.
After your walk, head over to Starbucks at the Sea Plum Plaza, where you can sit outside with a lovely view of the Caribbean architecture and royal palms. 

Photo Gallery

Bench by the pine forest, in the Cambridge neighborhood.	The white sandy floor of the forest near Vintage at Abacoa apartments.	A cute gopher tortoise.
Pine needles on the floor, and criss cross shade.	Looking across the water at a gazebo, in the forest at Abacoa.	Gorgeous Slash Pine forest after rain, on Dakota Rd near Lighthouse Elementary School.
Beautiful green crownshaft of a Royal Palm, at Mallory Creek development.	Residential area with white stone bridge- Mallory Creek neighborhood.	Forest after a heavy rain.
Sit outside at a Starbucks with a view of royal palms!	The Sea Plum shopping center that is nice to visit after your walk.	The Starbucks at Sea Plum Shopping Center has outdoor seating surrounded by bright tropical foliage.
I love the palms, bright architecture, and blue sky, as seen from Starbucks at Sea Plum Center.	The forest in the Abacoa Greenway.	Gorgeous braided trunk of a tree.
Cluster of plants in the forest.	Need some pine cones?	Looking up at the sky from the Abacoa Greenway.
Gate to nature...	Flowers by the water.	Cool tropical tree.
Lovely gazebo in the forest by Merrimack Way (Cambridge neighborhood).	Come and write your journal in the gazebo, listening to the rustle of the trees.	Strolling along University Blvd, enjoying the tropical foliage.
University Blvd west of Military Trail.	Caribbean architecture on University Blvd.	Hibiscus and palms on University Blvd.
Palms, pink archways, and decorative circles on University Blvd.

Directions

Exit Highway 95 at Donald Ross Rd and head toward the ocean. Turn left on Central Blvd and you are in the Abacoa community. Turn left on Jeaga Dr to get to the palm-lined pond. You can park in that neighborhood and walk to the greenway on Frederick Small Rd. Or from Central Blvd, turn right on Promenade Way and you can park in that neighborhood and walk on a bridge over a lake (see gopher tortoises by the bridge), and walk to Andover Drive where there is a greenway entrance.

This is an interactive map, you can zoom and move it.

Visitor Ratings

Overall Visitor Rating:

Paul 06/30/2012 08:55

I love my home town- baseball games at Abacoa!