Florida Atlantic University: Best Places to Live Near the MacArthur Campus

Florida Atlantic University's MacArthur campus is located in the beautiful Abacoa development of Jupiter. Unless you are enrolled in the Honor's College, there is no on campus housing available to students. However, Jupiter and the surrounding areas of Palm Beach Gardens, Juno, and North Palm Beach are very desirable places to live in Northern Palm Beach County. The following communities are my picks for the nicest places to live in the area.

Abacoa

Abacoa is a fairly new development that not only houses FAU, but also consists of restaurants, shops, a baseball stadium, and condos. The area is second to none--it's beautiful and centrally located. There is always something going on in Abaco, whether it's a concert or a festival. But the best part of Abacoa is that you will be mere blocks from the school. The downside to Abacoa is the price---most of the condos are privately owned and it is rare to find one for less than a $1000 a month. However, it is one of the few developments in Northern Palm Beach that allows residents to own large dogs.

Palm Beach Gardens

There are several nice apartment communities near FAU in the town of Palm Beach Gardens. The best area to be in is in the vicintity of PGA Boulevard and the Gardens Mall. There is plenty to do in Palm Beach Gardens--lots of restaurants, the new Downtown at the Gardens complex, and the world famous Gardens Mall. The best communities in Palm Beach Gardens to live in are Legacy Place, Gardens East, and Mira Flores. The only drawbacks--none of these complexes accept large pets and you will have to travel five miles or more to school.

The Bluffs

The Bluffs is located on US1 in Jupiter across the street from the Atlantic Ocean. Like Abacoa, the residences in the Bluffs are privately owned so you will have to look in the newspaper or on Craigslist to find a rental. They also have a forty pound weight limit for dogs. However, at any given time, you can usually find townhouses and condos for rent at rates that aren't all that bad for the area. The community is beautiful and you can't beat the fact that it's across the street from the beach.

PGA National

PGA National is famous for its golfers, but it's also a really nice place to call home. The development is made up of homes, condos and townhomes, all privately owned. For the location, the rents in PGA National are comparable to other rentals in the area, and there is a guard house with 24 hour a day security. Although PGA National is a desirable place to live, it is also a large development and it can take awhile to get in and out depending on where you live in relation to the entrances.