Planning an eco-conscious getaway? The Palm Beaches offer a perfect blend of sustainability and adventure. Our beautiful destination is committed to protecting the environment while giving travelers the chance to enjoy unique, nature-driven experiences. From green hotels and locally-sourced restaurants to nature preserves and low-carbon transportation options, there’s no shortage of ways to make a positive impact.

With plenty of eco-friendly spots to explore, The Palm Beaches are the ideal destination for those who want to travel with the planet in mind. Let’s take a look at the best places to go and things to do when sustainability is a priority.

Sustainable Businesses & Nature-Based Attractions

Manatee Lagoon – An FPL Eco-Discovery Center

Florida’s beloved “sea cows” congregate at the FPL Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center every winter where the power plant’s clean, warm water outflows meet the Lake Worth Lagoon.

Manatee Lagoon – An FPL Eco-Discovery Center is a free-admission facility featuring a mission of environmental education and stewardship. The 16,000-square-foot center showcases engaging, hands-on exhibits for kids and adults to learn all about the threatened and unique creatures as well as the natural wonders of the surrounding Lake Worth Lagoon. Don’t miss their unique outdoor waterfront yoga classes and Manatee Tales Story Time for the kids!

Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC)

Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) is situated on Juno Beach, one of the world’s most densely-nested Loggerhead sea turtle beaches. As a center dedicated to ocean conservation and sea turtle rehabilitation and research, LMC offers you first-hand experiences to get engaged with the local community. You can even adopt a sea turtle to help the local turtle patients! Varying adoption levels, starting at $40, directly benefit the continued care and treatment of sick and injured sea turtles. 

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Boynton Beach is a 147,392-acre wildlife sanctuary that is the most northern remnant of the historic Everglades wetland ecosystem. Here, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to hike, bike, fish, canoe, and kayak over miles of waterways and trails within a vast protected space on the edge of urban life. 

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary at Abramson & Schlaggar Reserve

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary at Abramson & Schlaggar Reserve is a nonprofit dedicated to wildlife conservation and education. With the purpose of rescuing and rehabilitating injured native Florida wildlife, the center also serves to educate visitors about wildlife and habitat conservation.

In late 2023, the center expanded to a larger location nestled in the lush greenery of Jupiter Farms. While visiting, you can see local animal ambassadors in their new spacious habitats, enjoy interactive educational exhibits, and learn about their fully equipped wildlife rehab center that ensures the highest standard of care for the animals under the center’s protection.

Visit Palm Beach’s Mangroves and Mansions Kayak Tour

Visit Palm Beach’s Mangroves and Mansions Kayak Tour invites you to venture out on an eco-journey through the mangroves in the Lake Worth Lagoon (Intracoastal Waterway) and get an up-close with nature while enjoying the views of some of the county’s most spectacular estates. Paddle through the South Cove Natural Area, which is one of the area’s newest man-made mangrove islands. These mangrove-covered islands are surrounded by shallow, tranquil waters, which makes them the perfect place to spot birds, fish, and occasional manatee sightings in season.

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center 

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is dedicated to the protection of coastal and marine ecosystems this 20-acre preserve in Boca Raton features a tropical hammock forest, shaded boardwalks, a 40-foot observation tower, butterfly gardens, and outdoor aquariums with sea turtles and local marine life. The center is nestled within a coastal preserve, right across the street from one of Boca Raton’s beautiful beaches, Red Reef Park. Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is surrounded by a rare remnant of tropical hardwood hammock.

When you’re there, enjoy a walk on a boardwalk that travels 1/3 mile through the coastal forest and connects to Red Reef Park West. Take a stroll through the butterfly garden and admire several types of wild butterflies. Walk the Ashley Trail. Explore the large outdoor marine aquariums. Admission is donation-based.

Swank Specialty Produce 

Farm-to-table foraging is increasingly being implemented in restaurants, event venues, and catering menus. Swank Specialty Produce in Loxahatchee offers a large set-up of rotating seasonal produce from Swank Farm, providing farm-fresh, locally grown ingredients for restaurants while promoting self-sufficiency and wellness. The farm is situated on 20 private acres of natural crops of vegetables, wildflowers, and strawberries along with cows, pigs, and chickens.

Stop by the Farmers Market on Saturday mornings between October and May, or experience one of the Farm’s themed multi-course dinners. Planning a special event? Host a wedding, dinner party, or unique celebration in a charming farm setting. Swank Farm provides a picturesque backdrop just a short drive from West Palm Beach, Wellington, and Jupiter.

4Ocean

Based in Boca Raton, this company is on a mission to end the ocean plastic crisis. 4Ocean was founded in 2015 by two surfers, Alex Schulze, and Andrew Cooper, who began to understand the impacts of the ocean plastic crisis on marine life and coastal communities during a trip to Bali. Once back home, they started producing and selling bracelets to fund their cleanups and committed to a One Pound Promise, a promise to pull one pound of trash from the ocean, rivers, and coastlines for every product sold.

Today, the company manages one of the world’s largest ongoing ocean cleanup operations and employs hundreds of professional captains and crews who are cleaning our world from plastics. Shop their bracelets, water bottles, hats, eco sweatshirts, hoodies, and more.

Florida Crystals

Florida Crystals in Belle Glade is America’s first and only domestic producer of certified organic sugar, grown and harvested in Florida. They also pioneered certified organic and natural rice production in the state.

Their Okeelanta mill is a state-of-the-art complex that is among the largest specialty sugar facilities in the world. The mill is powered by renewable energy and doesn’t rely on public systems for its water supply or treatment. Moreover, Florida Crystals uses all parts of the sugarcane stalk that they harvest. The water is used in their mills, the fiber becomes clean energy, the molasses provides natural flavor, and the surplus bagasse is converted into compostable tableware by their affiliate, Tellus Products.

Finally, Florida Crystals follows some of the most sustainable farming practices in the world, such as crop rotation, precision agriculture, and using barn owls to naturally control pests in their farms.

Saltwater Brewery

Founded in 2013 by a team of Floridians, Saltwater is a local brewery located in Delray Beach that uses only pure and natural ingredients.

The goal of Saltwater is to preserve the ocean by giving back through ocean-based charities. Additionally, saltwater Brewery manufactures and utilizes only bio-degradable Eco Six Pack Rings (E6PR™) for its beer cans. The E6PR™ is the first eco-friendly six-pack ring made from fiber by-product waste and other compostable materials, designed to replace plastic rings. When disposed of properly, the E6PR™ finds its way to a composting facility, where it will be broken down into soil, contributing to a circularity and striving for zero waste. 

Visit Saltwater Brewery, relax in their beer garden, and choose between more than 20 beers on tap!

Green Ways of Getting Around

Getting around The Palm Beaches is both convenient and eco-friendly, with a range of sustainable transportation options. Hop on an electric shuttle for a quick ride around town or take Brightline for a smooth, city-to-city journey. Here are some of the best ways to explore responsibly.

Circuit Electric Shuttle

Circuit is a 100% electric local shuttle service that promotes better air quality while offering a first-mile/last-mile transportation option that is convenient and easy to use.

Available in Downtown West Palm Beach and in Palm Beach for a small fee of $4 for the first passenger and $1 for each additional passenger (for trips starting or ending in the Palm Beach area), it’s a great alternative to car rentals or rideshare services. 

You can use the service to and from the following locations: West Palm Station (Tri-Rail), Brightline West Palm Beach, CityPlace, Downtown West Palm Beach, Worth Avenue, and Ocean Blvd.

The service is also available in Boca Raton for a small fee and includes the areas of The Boca Raton Museum of Art, Mizner Park, Royal Palm Place, and Lake Worth Beach.

Delray Beach Freebee

Delray Beach Freebee is a free, on-demand, point-to-point service that is available to transport visitors and locals in and around the Downtown Delray Beach core area. 

The best part (other than being free!) is that it’s so easy to use. You can request a ride through the Freebee app, call, or simply hail down a vehicle.

Right now, there are a total of five Freebee vehicles providing service. You can also ride happy knowing that you’re helping the planet, considering all Freebee vehicles are 100% electric. 

Brightline

Brightline allows you to skip the traffic and hop aboard the luxe, high-speed passenger train that connects Orlando, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami. Both the West Palm Beach and Boca Raton stations are within The Palm Beaches.

Brightline prioritizes sustainability and takes significant steps to minimize its environmental impact. It even runs on clean biodiesel fuel, through a partnership with Florida Power & Light Company.

The company’s advanced train technology ensures energy efficiency, reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional transportation methods.

Tri-Rail

Tri-Rail is a commuter rail service that has been running since 1989. The service connects Palm Beach County to Broward and Miami-Dade counties across 73.5 miles of track with 18 stations. Six of the 18 stations are within The Palm Beaches.

The service is a nice alternative to those seeking to visit multiple destinations while in the area at more affordable rates, which range from just under $2 to just under $18. 

Eco-Friendly Hotels & Resorts

Palm Beach County is a Gold LEED-Certified destination, which serves as a demonstration of the destination’s commitment to sustainability by reflecting best-in-class green building strategies, practices, and materials. Explore some of the most eco-friendly hotels below.

PGA National Resort

The PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens has four onsite beehives and is home to more than 250,000 honeybees and their queens.

The property offers guests a unique opportunity to explore the intriguing world of bees in an interactive setting. It is the only resort in The Palm Beaches to offer a beehive experience, which costs $125 per person with a minimum of four participants.

Curious guests ages 6 and up, are provided protective beekeeping clothing and can meet professional beekeeper Sierra Malnove for a guided tour of the hives to learn about bee health, safety, and productivity. The experience continues at the property’s on-site restaurant, Honeybelle with a honey and food-tasting session.

The Breakers

The Breakers in Palm Beach proudly holds the EPA Green Power Partner designation, reflecting the resort’s commitment to sustainable practices. Across the resort grounds, The Breakers implements environmentally friendly practices to conserve resources and protect the environment, including energy efficiency, water conservation, and waste reduction. These ecologically friendly endeavors ensure an enhanced quality of life for future generations while maintaining the distinctive quality and world-class service that guests expect.

Hilton West Palm Beach

Hilton West Palm Beach has its fair share of sustainable offerings, too. Not only is the property LEED-certified Silver, but it also uses energy-efficient lightbulbs throughout the property that use 75% less energy than standard lighting, producing 75% less heat and lasting up to 10 times longer.

They work with “Clean The World” to recycle discarded soap and amenity bottles in bulk. Soap is recycled into new bars and all bottles are either recycled or converted to energy. A partnership with Circuit also provides guests with an easy, eco-friendly alternative to getting from the property to surrounding attractions and eateries.

Colony Hotel & Cabana Club

In Delray Beach, the historic Colony Hotel & Cabana Club donates a dollar for each room night sold to a local green organization every year and uses 100% renewable energy, low-flow showerheads, high-efficiency lighting, recycled lumber for renovations, and VOC-free paint.

More Eco-Friendly Places to Stay

Several hotel properties within The Palm Beaches are part of Florida Green Lodging, an initiative of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that designates and recognizes lodging facilities that make a voluntary commitment to conserve and protect Florida’s natural resources. Among them are The Jupiter Beach Resort and Spa, Doubletree by Hilton Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Resort and Spa, Best Western Palm Beach Lakes Inn, Hawthorn Suites West Palm Beach Hotel, Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, Courtyard by Marriott Boynton Beach, Doubletree by Hilton Deerfield Beach-Boca Raton, and Embassy Suites Boca Raton.

The Palm Beaches make it easy to embrace sustainability while enjoying an unforgettable getaway. By choosing sustainable travel experiences, you’re not only treating yourself to an enriching adventure but also helping to protect Florida’s natural wonders for generations to come. Plan your eco-friendly escape today and be a part of The Palm Beaches’ commitment to a greener, more sustainable future!