Sand and Sea-Sun Holiday Sand Sculptures

Waterfront & City Commons, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Open to the public usually the first week of December (check website for dates)

I just love this time of year, don't you?!  I get so excited when I start seeing all of the holiday lights and decorations going up, and hear Christmas tunes playing all around.  This means, of course, that I will be on the lookout for holiday happenings during the month of December.

By far one of my favorite holiday attractions since living in South Florida would be the ridiculously detailed sand sculptures spread throughout downtown West Palm Beach.  The main attraction is the Christmas tree, which stands at the base of Clematis Street in Waterfront and City Commons.  This year, the tree towered 35 feet high, and was made of nearly 600 tons of sand!

At night, you can catch spectacular light shows set to holiday music.  The team that organized the attraction even set up a mini golf course next to the tree this year--a 9-hole Christmas-themed course!  Throughout the area you can find 4 more sculptures, including this jolly beach-goer...

Its a unique place to take your out-of-town guests that are visiting for the holidays, or to take a beachy holiday photo-op to send to your loved ones living in colder climates.  

Happy Holidays! 

Tip:  Check out the sculptures on a Saturday morning between 9am and 1pm to catch the Green Market and do a little Christmas shopping to support your local vendors!

Jupiter Lighthouse

500 Captain Armour's Way, Jupiter FL 33469
Open Daily January-April, & May-December Tuesday thru Sunday
Hours: 10am-5pm (last lighthouse tour at 4pm)

I feel like I've been doing the same thing recently, so I've been wanting to check out some new local landmarks here in Southeast Florida.  Luckily, when we have visitors is when my touristy-planning-mode really seems to go full-force.

Brian's parents came down for Labor Day weekend, and the guys spent the days on the golf course.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day today, so I wanted to plan for something fun and outdoors for his mom and I to do.  Since she loves lighthouses, I decided to take her to the Jupiter Lighthouse, which is only about a forty-five minute drive North from Boynton Beach.

The lighthouse and tour was such a fun experience!  The tour guide gave about a 30-minute walking tour around the grounds, sharing the history of the lighthouse, former inhabitants, and the surrounding land--the waterway, vegetation, and landscape.  

At the base of the lighthouse is one of the many neat attractions here, the enormous and ever-growing Banyan tree.  Its hard to judge from this picture, but this thing is HUGE!

The next part of the tour involves a bit of exercise--walking up more than 150 steps to the top of the lighthouse.  I can't even imagine having to walk up and down the narrow spiral staircase on a daily basis--what a workout!

The steep workout is totally worth it once you reach the top.  The smell of fresh sea air, the 360 degree panoramic view of blue-green waterways, local boaters sailing along, large mansions of local celebrities--its truly breathtaking.  Just don't look down if heights make you feel uneasy--the top of the lighthouse towers more than 100 feet above the ground.  

After the tour, make sure to check out the gift shop and stop into the snack bar for a free sample of their homemade fudge--YUM!

Tip: If you have time after the tour, drive a few miles down the road to Jupiter Blowing Rocks Preserve!

Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi

413 SW 3rd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

Open Daily (check schedule for fare times) 

Ok, I'm absolutely in love with the concept of this local Fort Lauderdale feature, the Water Taxi.  Considered a "trolley on the water," the Water Taxi service runs from 10am until approximately 10pm most days, and travels to 10 Stops along the Intracoastal waterway throughout the day.   In addition, there is a connecting Water Taxi that can take you to and from Hollywood as well.  

I suggest starting at the very beginning, either Stop 1-The Briny Pub, or Stop 1A-Pirate Republic Bar--both places are very cool-looking and you can sit and have a drink while waiting for the taxi to come. 

The first time I road this, I traveled all the way until Stop 8 before getting off--this drops you off at the beach along A1A in Fort Lauderdale.  That way, we were able to enjoy the boat-ride and enjoy some of the sites, while also figuring out which Stops we actually wanted to stop at and walk around.  

While on the Water Taxi, its normal to see many large yachts docked along the waters edge, some that are even owned by celebrities--Johnny Depp (above), Kenny Chesney, among others.  Make sure to listen to the commentary while on the Taxi, as the captain and his crew will point out some of the local celebrity homes--both currently living and previously owned.  Mansions owned by Desi Arnaz & Lucille Ball, the vacation home previously inhabited by Sonny & Cher, Anderson Cooper's childhood home, to name a few...

Tickets are $22 per adult and are good for the entire day--after 5:00pm tickets are discounted to $15.  This is a fun feature for both locals and visitors--I highly recommend taking your out-of-town visitors on this.  

Tips: (1) Between Stops 1 and 1A, there is a drawbridge that goes down every so often to allow for trains to pass.  If this is down during the time of a Water Taxi pickup, the boat cannot pass and therefore you may have to wait for the next scheduled pickup.  Call (954)467-6677 to locate the closest Water Taxi (2) Take the Water Taxi at night during the month of December and you're guaranteed to see some extravagantly decorated houses along the waterway decked out for the holidays.