Diversity Rules Magazine

and I began our meal with the Squash Blossoms and Burrata & Tomato salad, a simple yet delicious selec on that is always a favorite of mine. For din- ner, we wanted to order something a li le on the lighter side, so we opted for the Zucchini pasta pre- pared with roasted heirloom tomatoes, pine nuts, basil pesto and shaved parmesan. If you are in the mood to grab some cocktails, head to The Mad Ha er lounge lo- cated in Lake Worth, a town known for its thriv- ing LGBTQ culture. Lake Worth is also home to Compass, the area's LG- BTQ community center. A er grabbing a morning coffee, head to Jupiter, about a 20-minute drive north from the hotel to the Busch Wildlife Sanc- tuary. The free a rac on relies on dona ons to help maintain the prop- erty and support its animals. Last year alone, the sanctuary cared for over 6,000 animals who ar- rived to the facility, which was established to care for sick, injured and orphaned wild animals, while promo ng wildlife and habitat conserva on. All of the animals at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary are na ve to Florida. While in Jupiter, head to Lucky Shuck for lunch and grab a table with a view of the intracoastal water- way. The restaurant offers wonderful service, fresh and simple food, and a relaxed island me environ- ment. I decided to try the Ceviche Trio, prepared three different ways and was so surprised at the dif- ferences between each of the prepara ons. For des- sert – yes, I had dessert for lunch – try the Key Lime pie served with a coconut meringue and passion fruit glaze. It was one of the most delicious items I had on my en re visit. A er lunch, jump on the Love Street Outdoor Center PonTiki Cruise a few steps from the res- taurant, for a 30-min- ute or hour-long cruise around Jupiter inlet before heading back to the Hilton for some R&R before dinner. Although it is easy to navigate West Palm Beach via public trans- porta on, I would recommend ren ng a car if you really want to ex- plore the des na on and some of its most popular a rac ons including McCarthy's Wildlife Sanctuary. The guid- ed tours are so infor- ma ve, and guests learn the stories of each animal and how they arrived at the Sanctuary. Whereas Busch Sanctuary only cares for animals lo- cal to the region, Mc- Carthy's is home to a variety of animals from all corners of the globe including Amur leopards, Ben- gal Tigers, lions and even a snow leop- ard. Many of these animals were illegally owned and taken in by the sanctuary as they can't be allowed into the wild. All of the animals are well cared for and were quite friendly and playful. The jaguar was purring during our en re visit and the beau ful white ger was rubbing up against the encloser seeking some a en- on from us. In addi on to big cats, the sanctuary also houses exo c birds, lemurs, and a feisty fox. No trip to Palm Beach would be complete without a shopping spree or stroll along Worth Avenue. High-end bou ques such as Gucci, Louis Vui on, and Akris line the street. Even if you don't want to shop, it is s ll a fun experience to window shop and watch the parade of exo c cars that drive up and down the avenue. It takes a good week to explore the des na on, es- pecially if you want to visit numerous ci es and at- trac ons. One of my favorite mes to visit Florida in general is the spring and fall, as the weather is divine. To book your West Palm Beach gayca on, visit www. Orbitz.com/pride Enjoy the Journey! Diversity Rules Magazine | Mar 2022 | 7

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