The Palm Beaches is an ever-changing destination for a dream vacation, and 2021 will be no different. This recap includes both recent openings of attractions, hotels and experiences and those that are coming soon. What isn’t new is the local commitment to the highest health and safety standards (see The Palm Beaches Pledge and Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation to learn more). But first, read on to build your 2021 must-see list for exploring The Palm Beaches.

Attractions & Experiences to Discover

The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, West Palm Beach’s signature performance venue, completed its $50 million expansion in summer 2020. New features include an expanded lobby and pedestrian-friendly plaza complete with a landmark sign and waterfall fountain, as well as enhancements to the parking garage for easier navigation. After performances went digital in March 2020, The Kravis has started welcoming guests back in a limited capacity for a 2020-2021 season featuring an exciting line-up for all ages.

The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens has debuted an array of new brands and store expansions including Amazon 4-star’s and Lovesac’s first locations in The Palm Beaches. Other new additions among the mall’s 150-plus retailers and restaurants include Salt Life, 120% Lino, Shake Shack, The Inspiration Co. and The Copper Closet.

In November 2020, Palm Beach favorite The Brazilian Court Hotel revamped The Brazilian Court Salon. The sumptuous yet contemporary space features a barber area specific to men’s care and expanded areas for hairstyling and other treatments. Unique details including black quartzite counters, textured glass dividers and geometric flooring make for a memorable pampering experience.

Rosemary Square, one of West Palm Beach’s hippest entertainment districts, is welcoming new art and new shopping in spring 2021. Adding to the art pieces that already captivate visitors and locals will be a new installation by British Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare CBE in front of the 360 Rosemary office building. The vibrant, hand-painted, 20-foot-tall fiberglass sculpture is part of Shonibare’s Wind Sculplture series. Shoppers will appreciate the recent additions of YETI, lululemon and Sur La Table, plus Urban Outfitters and UNTUCKit coming in early 2021.

The long-anticipated Delray Beach Market, expected to be Florida’s largest food hall with 35 tantalizing vendors, is scheduled to open in spring 2021 just off main thoroughfare Atlantic Avenue. Foodies will find local seafood, craft coffee, sushi, burgers, cocktails and more in the 60,000-square-foot space. 

Juno Beach family favorite Loggerhead Marinelife Center already offers immersive experiences, but its 27,500-square-foot addition set to open in fall 2021 will double the sea turtle care center’s hospital capacity and research laboratory, as well as feature six times more educational programming. Guests will enjoy new attractions and amenities including a marine life gallery, interactive exhibits, auditorium, large outdoor café with an ocean view, and large-scale event and symposium venue for up to 400 guests.

First established as Burt Reynolds Dinner Theater in 1979, Maltz Jupiter Theater has since become one of the premier regional theaters in the southern U.S. In late 2021, it will complete its $30 million expansion, which will include a Broadway-scale stage (setting the theater up to host pre-Broadway and nationally touring shows), three floors of production facilities, a second theater space, a restaurant, expanded conservatory and lobby and more.

Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach has turned its annual “Dog’s Day in the Garden” into a monthly event, starting in mid-December through May 2021. Going forward, this popular event for people and their canine fur-babies will be held on the second Sunday of each month through May 9, 2021. The event will be held throughout the garden and regular admission applies: $10 general admission, $5 for children 5-12 and free for members.

Every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. through December 2021, Serenity Yoga is offering a one-hour slow flow yoga. The class features sound healing, aromatherapy and deep guided meditation, all nestled under the palm trees at Riverbend Park in Jupiter. Attendees should bring their own mat, blanket and water. The class costs $15 per person.

Stay in Style at New and Revamped Hotels

In November 2020, Palm Beach’s illustrious hotels welcomed a new neighbor, White Elephant Palm Beach. This intimate, 32-room boutique property housed in a 1920s Mediterranean Revival building (the historic Bradley Park Hotel) has been renovated as a contemporary interpretation of that rich history with fresh, sophisticated details. Each room features a private outdoor space, while the property as a whole includes a courtyard and pool, plus two penthouse suites with rooftop terraces.

Spanning 7-plus beachfront acres on beautiful Singer Island, Amrit Ocean Resort & Residences will bring a revolutionary take on wellness to The Palm Beaches when it opens in summer 2021. Combining Eastern health and wellbeing philosophies with cutting-edge Western technologies, the resort will offer personalized wellness tracks for each guest. Its 100,000 square feet of wellness amenities will include an ocean-view demonstration kitchen and plant-centric restaurant, indoor/outdoor treatment rooms and a float tank. Wellness programs will range from curated skincare treatments and body therapies from around the world to hydrothermal water, sound and light therapies to one of the most sophisticated Ayurvedic and yoga programs in the U.S.

In summer 2021, Delray Beach will welcome a new hotel that embraces the community’s fun, artsy vibes. Featuring large-scale sculptures and art installations within a tropical modernist building, The Ray will be located just two blocks north of downtown in the hip Pineapple Grove neighborhood. Each of the 141 “smart” guestrooms will have a balcony, and guests will be able to enjoy a sprawling pool deck and four dining options, including one concept from a Michelin-starred chef. Living walls and multiple rooftop gardens will round out the colorful and cool experience.

Banyan Cay Resort & Golf will become West Palm Beach’s latest luxury resort experience in early 2022. Home to famed golfer Jack Nicklaus’ 300th signature course as well as world-class practice facilities, the resort will be a golfer’s dream. But with its West Indies-inspired clubhouse, family activities, two dining options, two gorgeous pools, massive relaxation and wellness center, and central location among West Palm Beach’s top shopping and dining districts, Banyan Cay will offer an escape for everyone.

Mandarin Oriental’s second property in Florida is coming to Boca Raton in late 2021. The 158-room hotel will feature Mandarin Oriental’s signature sophisticated and contemporary design paired with impeccable details and finish. The hotel will feature two rooftop pools, the renowned MO Bar + Lounge (also on the rooftop with an outdoor terrace), other high-end restaurants and bars, a Mandarin Oriental cake shop, the Spa at Mandarin Oriental (blending Asian and European traditions) and a Jack Nicklaus-redesigned golf course. The hotel will be part of Via Mizner, a mixed-use development that will also feature a half-mile of luxury shopping.

Delray Beach’s Opal Grand Oceanfront Resort & Spa (formerly the Delray Beach Marriott) will unveil its fresh American-Caribbean vibe in early 2021. The resort will offer laid-back sophistication in its lavish guest rooms, a two-story restaurant overlooking Atlantic Avenue, a spa and more than 30,000 square feet of event space in the heart of Delray Beach.

Another new addition is coming to The Colony Palm Beach in the form of The Living Room, the iconic hotel’s new lobby. Debuting by early 2021, The Living Room will be a space for meeting, working and socializing at a comfortable distance (hotel check-in will go wireless). Visitors can enjoy beverages, cocktails and light bites as they admire the new lobby’s signature detail: custom hand-painted wallpaper designed by de Gournay in partnership with hotel owner Sarah Wetenhall. Inspired by a 1947 mural in the original hotel lobby, the wallpaper features alligators, panthers, palm trees and other flora and fauna indigenous to Florida as well as nods to The Palm Beaches’ low-key luxury. It’s all accented by custom Kemble Interiors furnishings for an intimate experience reminiscent of visiting someone’s home.

PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens is thoughtfully reimagining luxury and undergoing a multimillion-dollar transformation. The resort is not only renovating all interior and exterior design, but it is also introducing new amenities for guests and members. While respecting that golf made the property legendary, the team behind the project realizes its future legacy must be focused on offering a fully engaging wellness destination experience with something for all ages. The transformation includes a complete resort interior redesign featuring brand new guestrooms and suites, new arrival experience, lobby, lobby bar, and two new signature dining experiences, featuring two of South Florida’s Top Chef alumni, Jeremy Ford and Lindsay Autry, also a James Beard nominee. The resort is also completing a revamp of its Spa at PGA. Famed local Venus Williams’ firm, V Starr, will reimage the 40,000-square-foot spa concept, which will feature the latest spa treatments including a salt room. And there’s more: A complete build-out and fresh design of the exclusive Members Club; a newly designed golf experience by Staples Golf featuring a new 18-hole course named The Match and a new par 3 short course called The Staple, designed simply “for fun” according to Andy Staples; a new golf academy; high-end chocolatier; ice cream shop; kids club and much more. Finally, the resort is also developing a new water feature experience coming in 2022.  

Arrive in Style

Fly into Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), the first airport in Florida to achieve GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation. A number of new routes are planned or underway including nonstop service to Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago (ORD) and Pittsburgh (PIT) on JetBlue; Chicago (MDW) and Washington, D.C. (DCA), on Southwest; New York City (LGA) on United Airlines; and Newark (EWR) on Spirit. International service is expected to return in December for Toronto (YYZ) and in mid-January for Montreal (YUL) via Air Canada, pending border reopening. Planned flights may change, so check online for the latest.