Harbourside Place

My sister Susan and I dropped in at Harbourside Place in Jupiter, Florida last Friay afternoon to check it out. It bills itself as "the premier downtown destination," and is located along the Intercoastal Waterway off U.S. 1. I must admit, it is a very attractive mixed-use development, with an upscale hotel, exclusive shops, many nice restaurants, and even a marina, but can you call it a downtown destination? Jupiter really doesn't seem to have a real downtown, just an assortment of various businesses on U.S. 1. But I still like the place very much. I would describe it more like a neighborhood than a downtown. A very upscale neighborhood.

It also has a tiki bar boat that takes you out on the intercoastal where you can admire Jupiter's waterfront while you sip your IPA. Stuart also seems to have a tiki bar boat, which charges $10 to board. I have never actually seen it in person, only a sign on a downtown bulletin board advertising it. Can I assume that the drinks are free after you pay your $10? Probably not. Fort Lauderdale, of course, seems to have a fleet of tiki bar boats cruising up and down the New River. I have to think this is pretty much a standard thing in Florida wherever there is water, and there is, of course, water everywhere.

There are a fair number of restaurants at Harbourside Place, including the Jupiter Grill, Tommy Bahama Restaurant Bar and Store, Ruth Chris's Steakhouse, and none other than The Woods Jupiter, owned by Tiger Woods, who lives on nearby Jupiter Island (462 South Beach Road, if you want to drop in and say hello. Good luck with that). I checked the menus for the Jupiter Grill and Tommy Bahama, and it should come as no surprise that they are a bit on the pricey side. I didn't bother to check Ruth Chris's - I know about their prices from their Denver location. As for The Woods, they did not have any prices on their menu, but I did read some reviews of the place, and although it gets raves for service, food quality, and atmosphere, some reviewers thought $34 for a hamburger was a bit too much, even if it did come with fries. I myself would pay that only if my waiter was Tiger Woods himself. And even then, I'd have to think about it. Cheapskates are just like that sometimes.