THINGS TO DO IN JUPITER: Celebrate Winter Solstice
Let’s hear it for Dec. 21, the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year!
That’s the day afternoon shadows, early darkness and long nights start reversing.
On Dec. 22, the sun begins its annual climb higher in the sky.
That’s more hours for bicycling, stand-up paddle boarding, exploring — all that fantastic outdoor stuff.
Here’s 5 ways to celebrate the celestial milestone:
SUNRISE AT JUNO BEACH PIER:
The splashing waves make soothing background music while you watch the sun come up over the Atlantic Ocean.
Expect company such as birds, surfers, fishermen, beach walkers – maybe even a pod of dolphins.
The pier — all 990 feet of it — opens at 6 a.m. at Juno Beach Park.
DAYTIME PADDLE/BICYCLE AT JUPITER OUTDOOR CENTER
Spend a few hours pedaling one of JOC’s tandem/single/children’s bicycles through the shaded, wide-open paths at Riverbend Park.
Keep your eyes peeled for deer, birds, otters and more.
Or paddle a kayak under the shade of towering cypress trees along the Wild and Scenic Loxahatchee River.
Bring a snack and take a break under one of the chickees along your adventure.
Stand-up paddle boards? JOC rents them for trips on Jupiter Inlet Waterways.
Ask about our guided tours.
Call the local leader in Outdoor Adventure — Jupiter Outdoor Center at 561-747-0063 or go to jupiteroutdoorcenter.com
Experience the serenity of yoga on the Lighthouse Deck at sunset. This is an all levels class and beginners are welcomed and encouraged.
This mind & body experience is held every Monday. Fee is $10 per person.
Bring your yoga mat and a flashlight. Meet at the Lighthouse Museum 10 minutes prior to start time.
SUNSET AT GUANABANAS
Relax on the deck on the Loxahatchee River and watch the sun fade behind the thick mangrove trees that line the Loxahatchee River.
Check out the live music, savor the outdoor dining or just sit back and watch the world flow by.
A fantastic way to finish the day.
LOOK UP AT SATURN AND JUPITER — THE PLANETS HAVEN’T BEEN THIS CLOSE FOR 800 YEARS!
The Great Conjunction, astronomers call it.
The rest of us can just look up and say WOW!
Look low about an hour after sunset toward the southwest sky.
The bright, yellowish dot is Jupiter.
The one on the upper left — barely the width of a full moon away — that’s Saturn.
And there’s an added bonus: the crescent moon will be out, floating just below the two planets.
Check out JOC blog for THINGS TO DO IN JUPITER:
Check out the Local Leader in Outdoor Activities: Contact Jupiter Outdoor Center at jupiteroutdoorcenter.com
