West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach is best known for its palm-lined trees, nightlife, entertainment, cultural attractions, shopping areas, and fantastic fishing spots. 

Despite its reputation, West Palm Beach doesn’t actually have a beach. But it’s easy enough to get to so many of Florida’s stunning shorelines regardless. Palm Beach Municipal Beach, Lake Worth Beach Park, and Peanut Island are all very close by. 

West Palm Beach is a popular tourist destination, which means it can get quite crowded, especially during peak season. 

Clematis Street is where you’ll find all of the excitement of West Palm Beach. This downtown area is filled with some of the best restaurants, music venues, nightlife, and shops in town. The Square is another downtown-esque area filled with boutiques and restaurants, and just a 10-minute walk from Clematis Street.

Despite the fact that West Palm Beach doesn’t have any beaches, it’s still located on the Intracoastal Waterway, which is moderately clear. That said, this waterway isn’t used for swimming or snorkeling. Rather, it’s primarily used by boaters.

West Palm Beach has a couple of different boardwalks. If you’re looking for a boardwalk near the ocean, there’s a lovely one that follows N Flagler Drive and the Intracoastal Waterway. And if you’d prefer an inland boardwalk surrounded by thriving plant life, Grassy Waters Preserve has one that’s about a mile long.

The downtown West Palm Beach area is very walkable. And if you want to venture a little further than the main town hub, it’s still moderately walkable. 

With aquariums, zoos, and more, West Palm Beach is great for family vacations – especially if your kids are animal lovers.

Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) is actually located right in West Palm Beach. You can’t get much closer than that! 

All three of Palm Beach County’s public transportation options service West Palm Beach. First, there’s Palm Tran, a bus system that takes riders through all of Palm Beach County and beyond. Then, there’s Tri-Rail, a commuter rail system with 18 stops along Florida’s southeastern coast. And last but not least, there’s Brightline, an intercity rail route currently connecting West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami (and soon, Orlando).

Winter is widely regarded as the best time to visit West Palm Beach. It’s the perfect place to leave behind the snow and instead embrace the temperate sunshine.

West Palm Beach got its start from none other than Henry Flagler, the oil magnate that jumpstarted nearly every Palm Beach town in some way. He envisioned that West Palm Beach would be a residential area, and, in 1893, George W. Potter put this plan into action. One year later, West Palm Beach became an incorporated town.

A simple stroll down Clematis Street will keep you entertained for hours on end. This West Palm Beach street is lined with the best restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues around, so you can hang out there all day (and night) long.

That said, there are still things to see and do in West Palm Beach that aren’t on Clematis Street, like the Norton Museum of Art. This esteemed art museum is home to over 8,000 pieces from all over the globe and is definitely worth a visit. Other famous attractions include the shopping area The Square, the artsy Northwood Village, the Palm Beach Zoo and Conservation Society, and Tanger Outlets Palm Beach.