Fort Pierce and Jupiter Sights | The Atlantic Coast Route in Florida

Fort Pierce and Jupiter

South of Vero Beach, Hwy-A1A continues along North Hutchinson Island past the National Navy SEAL Museum (772/595-5845, Tues.-Sun., $15 adults), which describes the various roles played by Navy SEAL units, whether it’s serving as underwater divers in demolishing enemy property during wartime, or assassinating bad guys like Osama bin Laden. Among the displays of wetsuits and explosives is an Apollo capsule—it was Navy SEALs who rescued returning astronauts after they “splashed down” in the ocean. The most popular sight is the bright orange lifeboat in which the real-life Captain Phillips was held hostage in 2009 before being rescued, as depicted in the Tom Hanks film. On either side of the museum, undeveloped stretches of the coast have been preserved in a pair of parks, where you can enjoy uncrowded beaches or wander along boardwalks through thickly forested mangrove swamps.

Bending inland across the North Bridge, Hwy-A1A links up briefly with US-1, the old Dixie Highway, through the town of Fort Pierce (pop. 46,071), a market center of the famous “Indian River” produce-growing district. After this half-mile detour, Hwy-A1A returns to the shore, passing along the way by the good St. Lucie County Regional History Center (Tues.-Sat., $4 adults), at the east end of the South Bridge, where broad-ranging displays tell the history of the region, showing off a hand-carved canoe and explaining the “fort” in Fort Pierce (it was built in 1835, during the Seminole Wars).

Heading south from Fort Pierce, Hwy-A1A embarks on a nearly 30-mi (48-km) run along Hutchinson Island, where dense stands of pines block the views of largely undeveloped beachfront. On the coast just north of Palm Beach, the town of Jupiter has a landmark lighthouse, which you can climb inside for a grand view from the top. Roger Dean Stadium is spring training home of the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, as well as their Class A Florida State League farm clubs.

Midway between Jupiter and Palm Beach, the hamlet of Juno Beach is home to the entertaining and educational Loggerhead Marinelife Center (14200 US-1, 561/627-8280).

Palm Beach

A South Florida sibling to the conspicuous consumption that once defined Newport, Rhode Island, Palm Beach (pop. 8,751) has been a winter refuge for the rich and famous since Henry Flagler started work on his fashionable long-vanished resort hotel, the 1,150-room Royal Poinciana. It was the world’s largest wooden building when completed in 1894, but the site is now an upscale shopping district at the center of town. Away from here, most of Palm Beach is well-guarded private property, off-limits to most mere mortals. The best way for anyone not named Kennedy or Pierpont to get a look at Palm Beach life is to spend some time at the Hearst Castle of the East Coast, the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum (561/655-2833, Tues.-Sun., $18), on the inland side of downtown Palm Beach, at the north end of Cocoanut Row. Officially known as Whitehall, this opulent 100,000-sq-ft (9,290-sq-m) mansion was Flagler’s private home, and the 50-plus rooms, many of which were taken from European buildings and reinstalled here, contain historical exhibits tracing the life of Flagler, the Standard Oil baron and John D. Rockefeller’s right-hand man, who made a fortune while making Florida into an immensely popular vacation destination.

Inland from Palm Beach, you can wave at rhinos, lions, and wildebeests in a 600-ac (243-ha) drive-through simulation of African ecosystems at Lion Country Safari (561/793-1084, $39), 18 mi (29 km) west of I-95 via US-98. No convertibles allowed!

Not surprisingly, there are some good and expensive restaurants in and around Palm Beach, but happily there’s also a nice all-American luncheonette, just two blocks north of The Breakers: Green’s Pharmacy Luncheonette (151 N. County Rd., 561/832-0304) serves good diner-style meals.

Even bigger and better than Whitehall is The Breakers ($369 and up), a stately resort hotel that faces the ocean at the east end of Palm Beach and retains much of its 1920s Mediterranean style and grace. Even if you don’t stay the night, you can enjoy the lobby, have a drink or afternoon tea, or take a tour (561/655-6611, 1pm Sat., $15). At the south edge of town, along Hwy-A1A just north of the US-98 junction, stand the golden gates of another Palm Beach landmark: the private Mar-A-Lago Club.