Palm Beach Intracoastal 90-Minute Cruise
A relaxed ninety minutes on the calm Intracoastal side of Palm Beach: estates, yachts, bridges and pelicans from the water, which is the only angle that shows the island's shoreline properly.
Florida
West Palm Beach & the Palm Beaches
West Palm Beach and Palm Beach are two halves of one story: a barrier island of Gilded Age mansions, Mediterranean courtyards and oceanfront resorts, and a mainland city of museums, waterfront dining and a growing downtown.
Henry Flagler's railroad created both, and today they share a lagoon, a skyline and an easy rhythm. Around them, the Palm Beaches stretch north to Jupiter's red lighthouse and the Loxahatchee River, with sandbars, snorkeling, airboat wetlands and a drive-through safari within an hour. Choose a grand resort or a downtown base, see the estates from the water, climb a lighthouse, then end the day with sunset over the Intracoastal.
Don't miss
Palm Beach Intracoastal 90-Minute Cruise
A relaxed ninety minutes on the calm Intracoastal side of Palm Beach: estates, yachts, bridges and pelicans from the water, which is the only angle that shows the island's shoreline properly.
Palm Beach Narrated Boat Tour: Estates and Local History
A small-boat, story-first tour of Palm Beach's waterfront: who built the great houses, how the island became a winter capital, and why so much of it looks like a Mediterranean fantasy.
Palm Beach Island Sunset Cruise
The Palm Beach evening ritual: a sunset sailing on the Intracoastal as the sky turns peach over the lagoon and the downtown skyline lights up across the water.
Peanut Island Sandbar and Swim Tour
A boat trip to Peanut Island's clear-water sandbar: swim, wade and snorkel in the inlet's bright turquoise shallows, with the island's Cold War bunker history in the background.
Things to do in West Palm Beach & the Palm Beaches
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
Palm Beach Narrated Boat Tour: Estates and Local History
A small-boat, story-first tour of Palm Beach's waterfront: who built the great houses, how the island became a winter capital, and why so much of it looks like a Mediterranean fantasy.
Jupiter Narrated Boat Tour: Lighthouse, Inlet and Island Homes
A small-group narrated boat tour out of Jupiter: the inlet, the red lighthouse on its hill, Jupiter Island's quiet waterfront and the Loxahatchee's mouth, told with history and local color.
Palm Beach Island Sunset Cruise
The Palm Beach evening ritual: a sunset sailing on the Intracoastal as the sky turns peach over the lagoon and the downtown skyline lights up across the water.
Peanut Island Sandbar and Swim Tour
A boat trip to Peanut Island's clear-water sandbar: swim, wade and snorkel in the inlet's bright turquoise shallows, with the island's Cold War bunker history in the background.
Blue Heron Bridge Guided Snorkel at Phil Foster Park
Palm Beach County's famous shore snorkel: a guided session at Phil Foster Park, timed to high tide, where seahorses, rays and octopus hide in the shallow sea-grass and the artificial reef.
Jupiter Clear Kayak Eco Tour
Paddle a see-through kayak through Jupiter's mangrove-fringed waters: watch rays, fish and sea grass glide beneath you while a guide explains the lagoon's ecology.
Wild and Scenic Loxahatchee River Guided Tour
A guided trip on Florida's first federally designated Wild and Scenic River: cypress-lined bends, alligators and wading birds, and the quiet backcountry that most beach visitors never see.
Palm Beach County Airboat Ride
A fast, loud, thoroughly Floridian airboat ride through the wetlands west of the coast, with a captain who knows where the alligators, herons and turtles are hiding.
Downtown West Palm Beach Food Tour
A guided walking tasting tour of downtown West Palm Beach: several kitchens, the stories behind them and the neighborhoods that make the city's food scene more than a snowbird cliche.
Palm Beach Ghost Tour
An evening walk through the Palm Beaches' shadowy side: Gilded Age mansions, shipwrecks, scandals and local legends, told by a guide who knows where the stories are buried.
Parasailing off Palm Beach
Float high above the lagoon and coastline on a parasail flight: quiet, gentle and surprisingly relaxing, with the Palm Beach skyline and the Atlantic spread out beneath your feet.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
The Breakers Palm Beach
Palm Beach island, oceanfront
Palm Beach's grande dame: a 1926 Italian Renaissance resort on 140 oceanfront acres, with beach club, spa, golf, a long list of restaurants and a standing as the island's defining address.
Check rates →The Chesterfield Palm Beach
Central Palm Beach, near Worth Avenue
A small, clubby 1920s hotel a few blocks from Worth Avenue and the Flagler Museum, known for its leopard-print lounge, English-style bar and a walkable island location.
Check rates →Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa
Manalapan, south of Palm Beach
A polished oceanfront resort in quiet Manalapan, south of Palm Beach: a large spa, multiple pools, a private beach and a calmer, more contemporary alternative to the island's traditional grand hotels.
Check rates →Jupiter Beach Resort and Spa
Jupiter, oceanfront
An oceanfront resort at the northern end of the county, with a relaxed beach-town feel, a spa and easy access to Jupiter's inlet, lighthouse, river tours and seafood restaurants.
Check rates →Hilton West Palm Beach
Downtown West Palm Beach, near the convention center
A dependable, full-service downtown hotel beside the convention center, with a pool, restaurant and easy access to Rosemary Square, the waterfront and the train.
Check rates →Canopy by Hilton West Palm Beach Downtown
Downtown West Palm Beach
A modern lifestyle hotel with a neighborhood feel in the middle of downtown West Palm Beach: design-led rooms, local touches and walking distance to Clematis Street, the waterfront and the train.
Check rates →Hotel Biba
Residential West Palm Beach, near the lake
A small mid-century-styled boutique hotel in a quiet residential part of West Palm Beach: a courtyard pool, retro-chic design and an easy ride to downtown and the lake.
Check rates →West Palm Beach & the Palm Beaches guides
West Palm Beach and Palm Beach: A First-Timer Guide
How the Palm Beaches fit together: island versus mainland, how to get around, which sights matter most and how to avoid the common first-visit mistakes.
Where to Stay in the Palm Beaches: Island, Downtown or Jupiter
A neighborhood-by-neighborhood comparison of the island, downtown West Palm Beach, Manalapan and Jupiter, with advice on which fits your trip.
Three Days in the Palm Beaches: An Itinerary
A balanced three-day plan covering the island, downtown West Palm Beach and Jupiter, with water, history, wildlife and good meals.
Eating and Drinking in West Palm Beach and Palm Beach
A food-minded guide to the Palm Beaches: seafood and stone crab, downtown dining, markets, waterfront bars and how to eat well at every budget.
When to Visit the Palm Beaches: Seasons, Weather and Crowds
A season-by-season guide to weather, prices, wildlife and hurricane season in the Palm Beaches, with advice on the best months for each kind of trip.
Day Trips from West Palm Beach: Train, Coast and Lake
Easy excursions from the Palm Beaches by train, car and boat: Miami and Fort Lauderdale by rail, Jupiter and the Treasure Coast, the Lake Okeechobee country and the coastal towns.
