This Florida beach ranks No. 1 for clearest water. Where it is and what to know

Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida

Dr. Beach’s 34th annual list of the top 10 best public beaches in the U.S. may have overlooked Palm Beach County beaches, but Southern Living didn’t.

The magazine recently named Jupiter, Florida, home to the clearest, most Caribbean-like waters in the south, just days before Dr. Beach released his best beaches list for 2024.

Here's why the water is so clear in Jupiter and what you need to know about visiting any of Jupiter's beaches.

Where is the clearest ocean water in Florida?

According to Southern Living, Jupiter's 3.4 miles of beaches boast the clearest ocean water not only in the state, but in the southern region of the U.S.

But why is Jupiter’s ocean the closest you can get to Caribbean waters without stamping a passport? It’s due to Jupiter's geography.

“Jupiter’s location in the path of the Gulf Stream means there’s a constant flow of tropical water that improves the ocean’s clarity and visibility by carrying out any algae, flotsam, or runoff that accumulates,” Southern Living’s report says. “The coast in Palm Beach County (which includes Jupiter!) gets a further boost due to its shape that juts out a little farther east and the fact that the continental shelf is quite narrow here.”

“The result is that Palm Beach County’s beaches are directly in the path of the Gulf Stream’s flow, and the tropical waters actually pass closer to shore here than anywhere else in North America.”

Does Jupiter have a public beach?

According to the Palm Beach Post, many of the beach accesses in Palm Beach County are actually located in Jupiter.

“Palm Beach County boasts at least 60 official beach access points. Many of them are located along A1A between Jupiter's Carlin Park and the Juno Beach Pier,” The Post reported in 2018.

There are many more places for residents and visitors to enjoy the beach in north Palm Beach County than near the very wealthy and often privately occupied beaches in Palm Beach.

There are even dog-friendly beaches in Jupiter, so you don’t have to leave the pups at home while you enjoy the sand and surf.

Are dogs allowed on Jupiter beaches?

There is a 2.5-mile stretch of beach in Jupiter that is designated for dog-friendly beaches, from beach marker #26 at Marcinski Road, going north to beach marker #57 near Carlin Park.

Here are the rules for Jupiter’s dog-friendly stretch of beach, from the town’s website:

  • Only behaved, obedient, well-socialized dogs should be brought to the beach. Since dogs are not required to be on-leash in these areas, only non-aggressive dogs that respond to voice commands from their owners are allowed on the beach.

  • Be a responsible dog owner. Supervise your dog at all times, and do not go beyond the boundaries of the dog-friendly beach areas.

  • Obey the Town’s leash laws. Dogs should be leashed while walking from the car to the beach. It is also wise to keep dogs on-leash around small children.

  • Dog owners should be conscientious of others at the beach. While the dog-friendly areas play host to our furry friends, the beach is open to all people, and owners should be courteous to those who may not want to interact with dogs.

  • Leave no trace. The Friends of Jupiter Beach provides dog waste bags at every crossover along the dog-friendly beach areas to ensure that our beaches are kept clean. Please do your part to maintain the cleanliness of the beach for everyone.

Does Jupiter Beach have free parking?

There is free parking available at most of the popular beaches in Jupiter.

“Free parking lots are available at DuBois Park, Jupiter Beach Park, Carlin Park, Ocean Cay Park, Juno Beach Park, and a lot between crossover #27 and #28,” the town’s website says. “Street parking is also available along the A1A corridor.”

“Each area of Jupiter's beachfront has a different feel, whether you're looking to have a picnic, catch a wave, search for shells, or run with your pup.”

Here’s a breakdown of the differences in Jupiter’s beach accesses from the town’s website:

  • The Jupiter area beaches map shows crossovers #22 north to #72. Of these crossovers, some are operated by the Town of Jupiter, some by Palm Beach County, and some are private.

    • Town of Jupiter crossovers: #23, #25-31, #37, #39-41, #45-53 and #65

    • Palm Beach County crossovers: #22, #24, #32-36, #38, #42-44, #55, #57-64, and #66-72

    • Private crossovers: #31-35, #54 and #56

  • There are ADA-accessible beach access points at crossovers #24, #31, #45, and #48.

  • The guarded areas of Jupiter’s beaches are guarded by Palm Beach County’s Ocean Rescue.

    • Guarded areas include parts of DuBois Park, Jupiter Beach Park, Carlin Park, Ocean Cay Park and Juno Beach Park.

  • All pavilions located at beaches and beach parks are maintained by Palm Beach County, and rentals should be made through their website.

  • Free parking lots are available at DuBois Park, Jupiter Beach Park, Carlin Park, Ocean Cay Park, Juno Beach Park, and a lot between crossover #27 and #28. Street parking is also available along the A1A corridor.

  • Sea turtle nesting season along our beaches runs from March 1-October 31. During nesting season, stay away from any nesting turtles, leave nests and hatchlings alone, fill in all holes, and knock over sand castles before leaving the beach.

If you want to plan a trip to one of these beaches and don’t know how to locate it, the town has a map of each of its public beaches with their corresponding access point numbers on its website.

What large city is Jupiter, Florida near?

In case you made it this far and still don’t know where the Town of Jupiter is, it’s about a 20-minute car ride north from West Palm Beach and about an hour-and-a-half drive north of Miami.

Jupiter lies on the northern end of Palm Beach County, neighboring the towns of Tequesta and Juno Beach.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida has the clearest ocean water in the southern U.S. Here's where

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