The founder of the City of Palm Beach Gardens was John D. MacArthur…read more When he created his new community he wanted it to have a garden theme with streets named after flowers and trees. In the late 1960's MacArthur heard about someone who was going to cut down a banyan tree that was damaging her home. MacArthur arranged to have the tree moved to his new city new and pl;anted at the intersection of Northlake Boulevard and MacArthur Boulevard, formerly Garden Boulevard. Since the tree weighed 75 tons and was 60 feet high the city needed six months to prepare the tree for the move to its new location. On the morning of April 26, 1961 the tree was ready to be transplanted. Two cranes on two cargo trailers were sent to bring the tree to it's new home five miles away. Unfortunately disaster struck when a feed mill truck burst on the road cleared for the tree. Ten thousand gallons of molasses were dumped raising the height of the roadway. As it traveled the tree snapped several railway signal lines causing crossing gates to close. While the tree was crossing the train tracks one of the cables supporting it snapped. Workers had to saw off limbs of the tree to allow the blocked 1:30 train to get back on it's way. Just after 2 PM the tree was dropped into it's prepared hole. The Rev. A. P. Snyder of St. John's Evangelical Church said a prayer over the tree and MacArthur threw the first shovel of dirt over the roots of the tree. The entire process cost $30,000 and 1,008 hours of manpower. One year later, a second forty ton tree was moved from Lake Park next to the first tree. When people criticized Mr. MacArthur for spending so much to move the tree he replied "I can buy anything but age. This tree will be the centerpiece of our entrance, and while we could plant a little one there, I wouldn't be around 80 years from now to see it as it should be." Moving the tree gave MacArthur the nickname Banyan Mac. Although he was a developer, MacArthur was able to claim that "I built Palm Beach Gardens without knocking one tree down, I moved the biggest tree ever moved in Florida." MacArthur would go on to eventually move more than 200 trees including a sixty foot Norfolk pine that he replanted at the Colonnades Hotel on Singer Island and four more banyans which he floated on a barge from West Palm Beach. Today the landmark banyan trees have a limb span of half an acre. The trees are featured on the Palm Beach Gardens city shield. In 2007 Alexandre Renoir, a great-grandson of artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir, presented the City of Palm Beach Gardens with a painting of the trees. A historical marker was installed across from the trees in 2011.

The founder of Palm Beach Gardens was John D. MacArthur. He was born in poverty in Pennsylvania in…read more1897 and he made his first million at the age of 48. He became the owner of a $1 billion empire of insurance companies, land in eight states, including 100,000 acres in Florida, and investments that included Alamo car rental and MacArthur Scotch. Words used to describe him include "cantankerous. intelligent, tenacity, ruthless" By the time he died in 1978 at the age of 80 he was the second richest man in the country. He left his $1 billion fortune and his stewardship over northern Palm Beach County with no instructions to a foundation in his name that was set up the year he died. John D. MacArthur State Park is named for him. A statue of John D. MacArthur sits at the city hall entrance on Military Trail. The $140,000 bronze statue is seven-feet-six-inches tall and weighs 750 pounds. It was made by Philadelphia-based artist Zenos Frudakis and was paid for by the John D. MacArthur Foundation. The statue was unveiled November 21, 2010 as part of the city's 50th anniversary celebration. MacArthur sits on a three-foot-high granite base from a quarry in Vermont surrounded by park benches, concrete sidewalks, and landscaping. The artist planned to have MacArthur smoking his omnipresent cigarette so his arm is held up like he is holding one. I guess the city thought better about promoting something that causes cancer because there is no cigarette in his hand leaving a sort of awkward gesture. Behind the statue is a marker that talks about John D. MacArthur's life and the formation of Palm Beach Gardens. This is a good stop if you are interested in the history of the area.

Very helpful gentleman who owns the establishment. No pressure or sales gimmicks. Great selection…read moreof pedals, instruments and amps. This store is very pricey!!

I've been wanting to visit this ERM park ever since visiting its neighbor, Juno Dunes Natural Area…read more The last time I tried to visit, the very small parking lot was full. From the road, this park looks to be all scrub, but like the other park, it contains multiple habitats inside. The first paved walk leads to a very nice pavilion overlooking the River. The view was peaceful and beautiful. Trying to access the unpaved trails, however, proved problematic. We turned onto the red path, only to find that the marker stakes had most of the red faded away and were difficult to find. At one point there is a huge fork in the path with no direction on which way to go. The end of the trail is practically non existent, with no clear path, but it does return us to the park entrance. I insisted on trying to get to Ski Beach- whatever that was! It looked about a 1/3 the way of the yellow trail. The path was very sandy, and difficult to walk on for that reason, and it seemed to take forever! When we finally found Ski Beach, we found another Park kiosk, a garbage can, and a tiny path down to... a beach! and the Intracoastal. We watched fish swim by, and lots of boats go by. This could be a nice place to wade or further explore, if you lugged all of your things here. ERM, would have loved finding a bench here, so we had someplace to take our shoes on and off. We did not continue down the yellow trail due to being exhausted, but I would like to do this again. The landscape was nice- just difficult to walk in due to the white sand. We saw a cactus in bloom, a snake, and a TON of lichen. Lichen everywhere! It really looked like little fairy landscapes to me. I think I finally identified Florida rosemary too! Kudo to ERM for the map/brochures. My kids pore over every aspect of it while we walk, trying to find all the natural items pictured, excitedly matching the pictures to plants. Thank you!

Jupiter Ridge is located south of the Jupiter inlet. It is part of the Great Florida Bird and…read moreWildlife Trail. This natural area is made up of 274 acres of scrub that contain five native Florida ecosystems: scrub, scrubby flatwoods, mesic flatwoods, depression marsh and mangrove swamp, It is one of the few places you can go in Jupiter to see how Florida looked before it was developed. Thirty one plant species live here as well as threatened and endangered species like the large-flowered rosemary, the Florida scrub-jay; and the gopher tortoise. Jupiter Ridge is owned by the state Conservation and Recreation Lands project which is managed by Palm beach County. This natural area has the longest shoreline along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway of any other natural area in Palm Beach County. There is also 7,600 feet of water frontage along the Intracoastal Waterway along the Loxahatchee River/Lake Worth Creek Aquatic Preserve. There are three hiking trails, the paved Little Blue Heron Trail, (0.2 miles), the sand Scrub Lizard Trail (1.7 miles). and the sand Pawpaw Trail (0.6 miles). The sand trails really give your legs a work out and there is no shade so the sun can be brutal. The natural area has canoe and kayak access from Ski Beach and you may be able to spot manatees. There is also an observation platform on the Little Blue heron Trail that overlooks Old Lake Worth Creek. Jupiter Ridge Natural Area is open to the public, sunrise to sunset, seven days a week.

Few people who drive down Military Trail today stop to think about it being an actual trail for the…read moremilitary. Jupiter erected a marker in front of the clock to remind everyone how this road came to be. The marker was placed by the Jupiter Town Council and the Florida Department of State in 2008. Military Trail was carved out during the Second Seminole War (1835-1842). At the time the military was trying to round up the Seminoles as part of the Indian Removal Act to send them on the Trail of Tears out to Oklahoma. The Seminoles knew the terrain better than the army and proved difficult to catch. After the second Battle of the Loxahatchee on January 24, 1838, Colonel Jessup ordered Major Lauderdale who the city of Ft. Lauderdale is named for, to take his Tennessee Battalion of Volunteers and cut a trail from Fort Jupiter all the way down to Fort Dallas in Miami. Major Lauderdale also brought along a regiment of soldiers commanded by Lt. Robert Anderson who were in charge of constructing trails and defensive works. Along the way he was instructed to catch any of the Seminoles who had escaped the battle of Loxahatchee. To avoid swamps they kept the trail to the higher coastal ridge and made a stop at Fort Lauderdale before going on to Fort Dallas. The volunteers were able to cut through 63 miles in only four days. The route was first named Lauderdale's Trail and was used through the Third Seminole War in 1858. It was eventually named Military Trail which today is a major thoroughfare. Twenty two years after cutting Military Trail, Anderson was in charge of U.S. soldiers in Charleston, South Carolina. After South Carolina seceded he withdrew the troops into Fort Sumter which was attacked by the confederates. Anderson surrendered the fort which kicked off the Civil War. As for the Seminoles, 200 were able to hide in the Everglades and avoid capture. They are the only tribe to never sign a peace treaty with the United States government and they currently own the multi million dollar Hard Rock empire.

Palm Beach Gardens was founded in 1959 by John D. MacArthur. MacArthur was born in poverty in…read morePennsylvania in 1897 but he made his first million at the age of 48. He became the owner of a $1 billion empire of insurance companies, land in eight states, including 100,000 acres in Florida, and investments that included Alamo car rental and MacArthur Scotch. Words used to describe him included "cantankerous. intelligent, tenacity, ruthless." MacArthur purchased 4,000 acres of pine forest, swamp, and cattle pastures that would become the planned city of Palm Beach Gardens. He believed there was no human habitation but it turned out that he famously had to deal with one squatter, Charlie Cooper who had a trailer and chicken coop. MacArthur moved Cooper to a house he owned with running water, a toilet and septic tank and then went quickly cleared out his old Cooper homestead. By the time MacArthur died in 1978 at the age of 80 he was the second richest man in the country. He left his $1 billion fortune and his stewardship over northern Palm Beach County with no instructions to a foundation in his name that was set up the year he died. John D. MacArthur State Park is named in his honor. When creating Palm Beach Gardens, MacArthur wanted a garden theme with streets named after flowers and trees. The banyan tree became the symbol of the city. His first choice of town name was Palm Beach City but it was rejected for being too similar sounding to the Town of Palm Beach. One of the first things MacArthur did was to convince PGA of America to move to Palm Beach Gardens. He loaned them the money to build its first complex and he built two golf courses. He also convinced manufacturer RCA to move into town. PGA National resort community broke ground in 1978 and the Gardens Mall opened in 1988. Today Palm Beach Gardens has over 50,000 residents and is close to 60 square miles It has grown to be the largest city by area in Palm Beach County, larger than even West Palm Beach. One of the draws to Palm Beach Gardens is that there is so much to experience. For those seeking outdoor activities, the abundance of parks, trails, and recreational facilities ensures there's always something new to explore. Palm Beach Gardens is known for its natural beauty with meticulously manicured golf courses, parks like Gardens North County District Park and Lake Catherine Park, and natural areas such as Loxahatchee Slough, Frenchman's Forest, Prosperity Oaks Natural Area, and Blue Gill Trail. Palm Beach Gardens also has a rich cultural scene with art shows, and concerts throughout the year. The Gardens Green Market is held every Sunday from 8 to 1 at the City Hall Municipal Campus. For those looking to shop and dine look no further than the Downtown, a lifestyle and entertainment that opened in 2005 in Palm Beach Gardens. The 49 acre, 340,000-square-foot dining, shopping, and living center is anchored by Whole Foods Market, CMX Theatres (formerly called Cobb Theaters when the center opened), the Yard House, and Cheesecake Factory. PGA Commons is another great destination with a mix of residences, shopping, services, galleries, art, and dining. Don't miss Voo Doo Bayou Cafe, Avocado Cantina, The Cooper, and Alaina's Cafe & Bake Shoppe. People who live in Palm Beach Gardens praise its large city amenities while still maintaining a small town feeling. Whether you're drawn by its natural beauty, cultural vibrancy, or access to whatever you may need, Palm Beach Gardens offers a sanctuary where residents can live, work, and play in a harmonious blend of luxury and leisure.

Great place to live ... they're building a new baseball park right by my house and it makes the…read morewhole city look nice :)

Located at the intracoastal entrance and has a nice estuary backed up to the pier. There's a…read morebathroom and plenty of parking there. Plenty of fish and critters in the tide pools.

This marker can be accessed at Jupiter Beach Park. It was installed at the Jupiter inlet on April…read more2, 2013 to honor all of the sailors who passed through the inlet. During the 17th century many Spanish galleons and merchant ships wrecked off the coast leaving behind a trove of gold, silver, cannons, anchors, flatware and navigational tools. The riches they left behind gave this section of Florida the name Treasure Coast. One of most well known ships was the San Miguel Arcangel which is thought to have sunk off the Jupiter coast in 1659 or 1660 while trying to enter the inlet during a storm. The ship was an aviso which carried letters to the Spanish court as well as treasure. The wreck was discovered by town lifeguard Peter Leo in 1987. He discovered the cannons in the sand while swimming, Silver and gold coins, flatware, musket and cannon balls, and a copper pot were eventually recovered. Six of the cannons still remain where they lay. Jupiter hopes that by setting up this marker along with others in Jupiter, people can learn more about the history of this area. Across from this marker is an anchor and cannons are in front of the nearby historic Dubois House. You can learn more about the area shipwrecks at the Jupiter Lighthouse Museum. A local restaurant on Dixie Hwy, the Shipwreck Bar and Grill is decorated to pay homage to the sunken Spanish Galleons and their spilled treasure off the coast.

Cute setting along the water, hard to find if you're driving by. Parking by valet on site or across…read morethe street at the public parking. We parked up the street and walked back. Sat quick right on the water covered seating so the sun wasn't beating on us. All the Waitresses were quick and attentive covering for one another. Drinks and apps came out fast. The Gator bites were great highly recommend if you've never had gator before these were delicious with the pickled red onions and banana peppers. The Juice of the gods and Cat 5 were both spot on with happy hour and margaritas Monday who could complain. The meals followed and didn't disappoint. The catch of the day was golden tile fish with the macadamia coconut crust. Flaky and delicious with a mango salsa. Beans and rice with green beans all very filling. I got the Cubano sandwich or fat Cuban as they call it. Was perfect blend of salty pork with the acid of the pickle and creamy cheese melted and toasted. Would've preferred fries with it but didn't see them on the sides as an option, the chips were good as well. Overall great experience worth bringing the family and enjoying the beautiful setting

This is definitely a must-visit while in Jupiter for the atmosphere alone. Guanabanas is a gorgeous…read morewaterfront bar with tons of tropical plants that gives it a lush jungle vibe. For drinks and fun you absolutely cannot go wrong, and they keep the calendar packed with live music and events. Unfortunately food was just so-so (which is to be expected at a place like this). We tried the fried shrimp and chicken nachos, and while they weren't bad they also just weren't that good (if that makes sense). My kids quesadillas also came with rice which was super hard. I'd definitely come back again for some drinks and would probably just eat elsewhere.