Enjoy the scenery of the water, the trees and your girl’s assets as you paddle down the Loxahatchee River.
At Jonathan Dickinson State Park, located near Jupiter in Hobe Sound off of U.S. 1, river tours are available seven days a week. Canoe and kayak rentals are available all day.
In a kayak, you can paddle side by side to see each other. But in a canoe, the guy can sit in the back and steer while the girl enjoys the scenery in front.
This adventure will have to start early, since the high temperatures will get unbearable as the day goes on and there isn’t much shade. If you go earlier, the wildlife will still be out until it gets too hot. It’s best to get there right around opening time at 9 a.m.
As a warning, canoeing will give you a chance to see how good your communication skills are. You’ll have to figure out fast how to tell each other which side to paddle on so as not to spin in circles the whole way, which can quickly get frustrating.
Both paddles are necessary to propel the canoe forward, but the back one does all the steering. You have to paddle on opposite sides to go straight, but to turn left, both paddles have to be on the right, and to turn right, both have to be on the left.
If you can get this down, then you’re ready for other tasks that involve steady, repetitious movements.
The shorter of the two tours is paddling down the Loxahatchee and into Kitching Creek, a narrow path with overhanging trees and lots of opportunities to see birds with their nests.
This option is better if you’re a beginner because paddling upstream is quite a workout, and it’s less than $20 overall for the small adventure.
If you want to plan a whole day, pack some lunch and make your way up the river to the Trapper Nelson Interpretive Site, a small preserve dedicated to the “Wild Man of the Loxahatchee.” Trapper Nelson lived in the woods in the 1950s and helped maintain the natural habitats of the area. However, the site is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
It will take about four hours of travel time to get there and back, and about $10 extra, but once you’re there you can enjoy the picnic area, an indoor bathroom and a small wildlife zoo.
After all that nature, you can enjoy the comforts of the slightly less primitive Square Grouper Tiki Bar and Castaways Marina (which is strictly 21 and up), just up the road but hidden away within the boat yards.
Enjoy a drink from their tropical bar and some grub from their simple menu in the same spot where country singer Alan Jackson shot a portion of his music video for “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” with Jimmy Buffet.
Once you’re back at home, you’ll be feeling the burn of the sun and an upper-body workout, so the night might be over, unless you’re willing to try something without the use of your hands.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park
16450 S.E. Federal Highway
Hobe Sound, FL 33455
(772) 546-2771
Square Grouper Tiki Bar
1111 Love St.
Jupiter, FL 33477
(561) 743-3270
