The ritzy Palm Beach and West Palm Beach, Florida area is home to beautiful beaches, extraordinary shopping, restaurants, world class hotels and golf resorts, and unique museums.
The area, located 70 miles north of Miami, is billed as America’s first resort destination. Palm Beach, known for the rich and famous, has attracted the elite and celebrities since the late 1800s when early railroads brought the first snow birds to Florida, escaping the colder climate of the Northeast and Midwest. Today’s visitors behold beautiful white sand beaches, the turquoise Atlantic, sprawling mansions, high end hotels, yacht clubs, fancy cars and cosmopolitan and cultivated residents. West Palm Beach, across the Intracoastal waterway, is less flashy, but still full of great shopping and restaurants, museums and more.
Palm Beach
Palm Beach is known throughout the world for its glitz and glamour, polo matches, and Mar-a-Lago, the home to the 45th US president. President John F. Kennedy also had his winter White House in Palm Beach. But you don’t need to be wealthy or famous to have a great time here.
The City of Palm Beach is situated along an 18 mile long barrier island, separated from West Palm Beach and the mainland by the Intracoastal Waterway. The original inhabitants were the Jaega tribe who arrived 3,000 years ago. Americans began settling the area in the late 19th century. Henry Flagler, a wealthy industrialist, was instrumental in transforming the island’s jungles and swamps into a winter resort for the wealthy, where it became known as America’s Riviera. This was further escalated following the 1918 Great Influenza as people sought the warmth and laid back lifestyle. Today, the town is home to just over 9,000 people, and has over 30 billionaires, and recent transplants of all ages have arrived following a new pandemic. Many of the newer residents are younger, more diverse, and less conservative, and the hotels and restaurants now cater to a new generation. There are many sites and activities to enjoy, including beautiful beaches, Mediterranean Revival mansions, bike trails, great restaurants and shopping areas, and magnificent museums.
Palm Beach Museums and Gardens
Flagler Museum – The Flagler Museum is a tribute to Henry Flagler, an industrialist and partner of John D. Rockefeller in founding the Standard Oil Company. Flagler also was an early developer of Florida, building railroads and hotels up and down the Atlantic coast during the late 19th century, leading to the development of Miami and Palm Beach. The centerpiece of the Flagler Museum is Whitehall, Flagler’s winter home and wedding gift to his wife completed in 1902. The Gilded Age 100,000 square foot mansion sits on the shore of the Intracoastal, offering views to West Palm Beach and the numerous yachts that line its shore. The mansion has 75 rooms, and is designed in the Beaux Arts architectural style, very popular at the time. Upon its completion, the New York Herald declared that Whitehall was “more wonderful than any palace in Europe, grander and more magnificent than any other private dwelling in the world.”
I’ve been to this museum twice, and each time was amazed by its beautiful rooms, European furnishings and gardens. Flagler’s private railcar No. 91 is exhibited in the adjacent Kenan Pavilion. The railcar was built in 1886 for Flagler’s personal use, and it has been refurbished to its original appearance. Guests can also partake in High Tea in the Kenan Pavilion for less than $70 per person. The price includes tea, lemonade, and a three tier platter of finger sandwiches, scones and desserts, as well as admission to the museum.
Society of the Four Arts – The Society of the Four Arts is a non-profit charity organization. Its mission is to share the four arts with everyone – music, art, drama and literature. The campus is located off Royal Palm Way, as you enter Palm Beach from West Palm Beach. The 10 acre campus includes the Esther B. O’Keeffe Gallery Building, two libraries, a concert hall, and botanical and sculpture gardens. The botanical gardens, maintained by the Palm Beach Garden Club, incorporate themed garden rooms set among a series of paths, ponds and fountains. Adjacent is the Philip Hulitar Sculpture Garden that includes 20 sculptures by world renowned artists surrounded by classical gardens, fountains, a grand lawn and four pergolas.
Shopping in Palm Beach
Downtown / Worth Avenue – Upscale Worth Avenue is the primary commercial street in Palm Beach, and is synonymous with the likes of Rodeo Drive and Fifth Avenue. Located five blocks south of Royal Palm Way, the main entrance to the city, Worth Avenue is full of upscale shops and boutiques, restaurants and galleries. Here, you’ll see upscale stores such as Gucci, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Louis Vuitton. But there are also numerous unique local stores and boutiques, such as Kasalty’s, the oldest shop on Worth Avenue. Directly off the narrow Palm tree lined street you’ll come across intimate courtyards and cafes covered in bright bougainvillea. Upscale French cuisine can be had at Café Boulud, while Ta-boo is known for seafood.
Royal Poinciana Plaza – Another fashionable shopping area is the Royal Poinciana Plaza shopping center, located north of the Flagler Museum along Cocoanut Row. This recently revitalized open air shopping center was built in the late 1950s, and designed by John Volk, a well known Austrian-American architect who built many of Palm Beach’s homes and public buildings. The center has 50 upscale shops and restaurants set within a beautiful garden like setting. It’s a great place to shop (and spend a lot of money), relax in the gardens, drink an espresso, and people watch.
The Beaches
Palm Beach has three public beaches full of beautiful white sand facing teal colored water. Municipal Beach (also known as Midtown Beach) is located at the east end of Worth Avenue. The attractive Worth Avenue clock tower greets you as you enter the beach. The benefit of this beach is its proximity to shopping and restaurants. At the south end of Palm Beach is Phipps Ocean Park, which has tennis courts, picnic tables, barbecue pits and parking (which is $5 per hour). North of the commercial area is the Dunbar Road public beach access, where Dunbar Road meets North Ocean Boulevard. This beach access point has no public parking, so users will need to walk to it.
Magnificent Hotels and Homes
The most famous hotel in Palm Beach is The Breakers, built by Henry Flagler. The hotel opened in 1896, catering to wealthy industry tycoons and socialites. The Breakers sits on the Atlantic side of the island about a mile north of Worth Avenue. Originally named the Palm Beach Inn, the hotel was renamed The Breakers in 1901 after guests requested rooms “over by the breakers.” The hotel has been rebuilt twice following fires, and the latest Renaissance Revival design was done by New York City designers Schultze and Weaver, who also designed famous hotels such as the Waldorf Astoria. Over the years, the hotel has hosted the rich and famous – including the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Astors, Andrew Carnegie and J.P. Morgan, as well as numerous US presidents and European nobility. Today, the hotel offers luxury accommodations, a half mile of private beach, two golf courses, a spa, tennis, four pools, ten restaurants and numerous boutiques.
My favorite activity in Palm Beach is to just drive up and down the various roads and look at the numerous opulent mansions behind guarded gates and daydream about a life I’ll likely never have. Riding a bike is a great way to tour the numerous streets and homes in Palm Beach. You can ride the North Lake Trail that offers views of Lake Worth and the West Palm Beach skyline. From there, go east on any of the side streets before returning south along North Ocean Boulevard. Bikes can be rented from Palm Beach Bicycle Trail Shop (near Royal Poinciana Plaza) for about $25 per hour.
West Palm Beach
Across the Intracoastal Waterway from Palm Beach is West Palm Beach, the largest city in Palm Beach County with over 100,000 residents and growing. While West Palm Beach doesn’t have as much glitz as Palm Beach, it is just as fun. There are numerous opportunities for great shopping, eating and culture.
The area was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Seminoles and Jaega. American settlers arrived in the late 19th century, clashing with the natives over land, as well as escaped slaves. The early settlers engaged in growing tropical fruits and vegetables for shipment to the north. West Palm Beach was platted by Henry Flagler as a community to house servants working in his two grand hotels in neighboring Palm Beach, and later the town became the first incorporated municipality in south Florida. The population grew significantly during an early 20th century land boom. The growth subsided during the great depression, and then soared again during the 1950s after the advent of air conditioning. Today, West Palm Beach continues to attract both new residents and visitors. The downtown is filled with beautiful shopping areas, new glass condominium towers, museums, and beautiful parks and yachts lining its waterfront.
Shopping in West Palm Beach
Since 1995, the West Palm Beach Green Market has been a fun gathering event in downtown West Palm Beach, attracting thousands of people and their pets every Saturday. It has received numerous awards and is a 3-time consecutive winner of Best Farmers Market in America by USA Today. The market has over 120 vendors selling produce, flowers, crafts, jewelry, art, bakery items, food, plants and more. It is held each Saturday between 9am and 1pm in the downtown area along Clematis Street and within a large grassy park along the waterfront. There are numerous restaurants and coffee shops adjacent the market, and live music is played at various locations. We went to the market twice on our last visit, buying numerous delicious bakery treats. Afterwards, we walked to the nearby waterfront park where we looked out toward the many boats and yachts lining the marina.
On the southwest edge of downtown West Palm Beach is The Square, a mixed use entertainment zone filled with over 50 shops and restaurants and residences, designed in a Spanish colonial style. A lively outdoor pedestrian mall filled with fountains and lounge areas is the focal point. Various entertainment and events bring singers, jazz sessions, panel discussions, yoga and more to the Square.
The Square is filled with colorful murals on buildings, and has a rotating artists that display their art throughout within various venues.
The Arts in West Palm Beach
Norton Museum of Art – The Norton Museum of Art was founded in 1941 by Ralph Hubbard Norton, an industrialist from Chicago who semi-retired with his wife in Palm Beach. They wanted a place to donate their large art collection. Today, the museum has more than 8,200 works of art, including European, American, Chinese, Contemporary and Photography pieces within a 12,000 square foot gallery space. The museum also includes a gift shop, auditorium and restaurant. Outside is the Robert B. Goergen Garden, a nearly 40,000 square foot garden full of outdoor sculptures set amid sub-tropical plants and flowers, such as Birds of Paradise and Heliconia. Every Friday, between 5pm and 10pm, the museum hosts Art After Dark, that includes live music, dance, film screenings, workshops, tours and special exhibits.
When to Go
Palm Beach and West Palm Beach are popular year round, especially during winter. The best time to visit Palm Beach and West Palm Beach is during the shoulder seasons of late spring (April to May) and early fall (September to October) when temperatures are in the 70s and the weather is sunny. The peak season is December to February, when humidity levels are lower, but temperatures are still warm. However, the peak season also sees larger crowds and inflated airfare and hotel rates. Families often visit during summer, while school is out; however this is also Florida’s hurricane season (specifically, June 1 to November 30) and the temperatures are at their highest (highs averaging in the low 90s).
Getting There
The Palm Beach and West Palm Beach area is located off Interstate 95, which hugs the Atlantic coast between Maine and Miami. Getting to Palm Beach requires traveling by car over the Intracoastal Waterway via either the Flagler Memorial Bridge (Royal Poinciana Way) or Highway 98 (Southern Boulevard).
Amtrak provides service to West Palm Beach (via the Silver Meteor, and Silver Star, both which traverse between New York and Miami), and the station is located at 209 South Tamarind Avenue, west of downtown.
Tri-Rail Commuter rail operates between Mangonia Park (north of West Palm Beach) and the Miami International Airport. The station is adjacent the Amtrak station. Weekday service is between 4am and 9pm at generally 30 minute intervals. Weekend service is between 5:30am and 8:30pm at 1 hour intervals.
The Brightline rail service operates hourly train service between Orlando and Miami, with a stop in West Palm Beach. The station is located at 101 NW 2nd Avenue in downtown West Palm Beach.
Palm Beach International Airport is located in West Palm Beach off Interstate 95. The airport serves 14 airlines and has over 40 non-stop destinations.