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Tag: Palm Beach County

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter: Florida wildlife in a free park-like setting

Animal lovers and particularly families will enjoy this free wildlife sanctuary. Located in a green and shaded setting, it showcases native critters from panthers and black bears to bald eagles and otters.

Loxahatchee River: Kayak a wild, scenic river in South Florida

by Bonnie Gross

Within an hour’s drive of the urban tangle of South Florida, one of Florida’s two nationally designated “wild and scenic” rivers meanders through a spectacularly lovely cypress swamp. Recently, Jupiter Outdoor Center re-opened the kayak and canoe rental operation in Riverbend Park, allowing visitors to paddle the best section of the river.

Priscilla the Parrot Fish is made out of plastic toys, buoys, toothbrushes and other plastic garbage picked up on beaches.the sculpture if one of 10 on exhibit at Mounts Botanical Garden until June 3, 2018. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

Southeast Florida

Mounts Botanical Garden: Art from sea debris in a lovely garden

by Bonnie Gross

Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach is a lovely spot, especially worth visiting this winter with the Washed Ashore exhibit of giant sculptures made of plastic trash picked up on beaches. These sculptures, the pinnacle of recycling, do their job: They delight us but they also make us think.

Wood storks, anhingas and herons all nesting together in Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach. (Bonnie Gross)

Birding, Southeast Florida

Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach: Watch the wood storks nesting

by Bonnie Gross

One of the best places to see wood storks and other wading birds nesting up close in winter is Wakodahatchee Preserve in Delray Beach. In February and March, dozens of storks build nests close to an easy-to-walk .75 mile boardwalk.

John F. Kennedy bunker in Peanut Island, Palm Beach, Florida

Historic, Southeast Florida

Secret Kennedy Bunker on Peanut Island: Hidden treasure closed

by Bonnie Gross

The Kennedy Bunker, a Cold War fallout shelter build for JFK in 1961, will close after its Oct. 22 tours. The non-profit that has managed the facility has lost its lease with Palm Beach County after several years of conflict. The county has not determined the future of the facility. The last tours are Oct. 14, 15, 21 and 22.

John D. MacArthur Beach State Park and its rocky shoreline

Beaches, Parks & Forests, Snorkeling, Southeast Florida

MacArthur Beach State Park: Great for snorkeling, kayaking, beach walks

by Bonnie Gross

MacArthur Beach is one of South Florida’s treasures: Nearly two miles of natural, dune-lined beach with rock outcroppings and a reef that makes it a great snorkeling site.

An artificial reef along the snorkel trail at Phil Foster Park in Palm Beach County.

Snorkeling, Southeast Florida

Snorkeling trail at Phil Foster Park is full of easy-to-see sea life

by Bonnie Gross

The snorkeling trail at the park on the Blue Heron Bridge in Palm Beach County offers a volume and variety of sea life rarely seen close to shore.

Family tent campground at the Dupuis Wildlife Management Area

Camping, Parks & Forests

Dupuis Wildlife Management Area: Free camping, amazing trails, superior birding

by Bob Rountree

A prime destination for camping, hiking, off-road bicycling, fishing and limited canoeing, this vast 22,000-acre wildlife refuge is a classic South Florida wilderness with wet prairies and marshes, cypress domes, oakwood hammocks, pine flatlands and abundant wildlife.