Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Whoops! There already? First stop is
Fort Lauderdale
. Preen along the promenade
among the skating goddesses and be-thonged gay men, ride a romantic gondola in the
canals, enjoy fine art and gourmet cuisine: it's a suite of pleasures the Gold Coast special-
izes in.
After two or three days, stagger on. Pause for a quiet interlude on the gorgeous beaches
of
Boca Raton
, then repeat your Lauderdale experience in
Palm Beach
. Ogle the uber-
wealthy as they glide between mansion and Bentley and beach, stop by the Flagler Mu-
seum to understand how this all got started, and each day decamp to
West Palm Beach
,
the hipper, more happening sister city.
After several days, it's time to detox. Heading north, the Treasure Coast is known for
unspoiled nature, not condos and cosmopolitans. Stop first in
Jupiter
; among its pretty
parks, don't miss the seaside geyser at Blowing Rocks Preserve.
Even better, spend several days in
Stuart
. From here, you can kayak the Loxahatchee
River, book a fishing charter, snorkel the reefs at St Lucie Inlet, and escape the crowds on
nearby
Hutchinson Island
beaches.
If you only have two weeks, then you may have to skip the next offerings. At
Fort
Pierce
, admire manatees in winter and snorkel a Spanish galleon. Surfers should pause at
Sebastian Inlet State Park
, and birders detour to the nation's first national wildlife
refuge,
Pelican Island
. We've come a long way from Miami, yes?
