Explore Palm Beaches in Florida
When you plan a trip to Florida, there are many options. You can adventure in the Florida Keys, go snorkeling in south Florida, watch the sunset on the Gulf Coast, or enjoy delicious seafood in the Panhandle. Or, you can opt for a cultural experience in the Palm Beaches. Sun, sand, art, and cultural events will fill your calendar if you look at the Palm Beaches! We recently had the chance to spend two days in West Palm Beach, and we had a great time! I want to show you some of our favorite activities and encourage you to book your own trip.
Book Your Trip
To get started, look into The Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. This organization helps enhance the arts in the area, and they can help you with a custom itinerary or provide recommendations. I reached them via email and received a detailed look at what was going on in the Palm Beaches the weekend I was attending. From local concerts, festivals, and museums, there were so many choices! The Council’s Cultural Concierge program is a complimentary service designed to help visitors have their best, art-filled Palm Beach County experience. The program is designed to cater to all types of visitor or groups of visitors. And, of course, the beaches are always a short drive away. When you plan your trip, you won’t need to worry about the season. We can usually visit the beach no matter the month. I’ve spent Christmas on the beach before, so the temperature is always nice!
What to Know about Palm Beach County
Did you know that Palm Beach County has a larger cultural sector per capita than any location south of Atlanta? It’s a warm and inviting location with sophisticated arts and culture, yet it is still family-friendly too. There are nine unique arts districts including Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, West Palm Beach, Northwood, Antiques Row, Lake Park, North County and Palm Beach.
What to Do
Palm Beach Zoo: With daily shows and awesome animal exhibits, this one was a no-brainer. We enjoy the outdoors, but we hadn’t visited a zoo in quite some time. I was surprised at the number of activities available and the variety of animals. We started off with the “Florida” exhibits and loved the flamingos, otters, alligators, and bears.
You could also get up close and personal with many animals including these beautiful macaws. Bring spare change so that you can use your quarters to feed the ducks, birds, and fish. This was my son’s favorite part.
From koalas, monkeys, to tigers, this zoo had everything we wanted to see. Don’t forget to bring a change of clothes! You will want to cool off afterward in the fountains.
Enjoy a snack, the scenery, and get to know more about animal conservation. We were very impressed with the upkeep of the zoo, and the availability of animals. It was the highlight of our trip.
Read the full review of our time at the Palm Beach Zoo here!
The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium was a great fit for our family. We never miss the chance to see an aquarium, and from the minute we walked in we were entertained.
Read our FULL review of the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium here!
We were able to visit during the opening weekend of a new exhibit, Astronaut, so our day was full of science and exploration. There are daily events including talks in the aquarium where we got to meet different sea life, and my son was busy learning new things. From a science lab area with lab coats, coloring, and touch exhibits, he was kept entertained.
We visited on the opening weekend of Astronaut, which was a highly-anticipated exhibit with hands-on attractions including games and a G-Force Human Centrifuge. You could experience how it felt to “sleep” standing up, learn how astronauts work out and eat in space, and play various games that helped you learn what it feels like in zero gravity.
You can save money when you attend both the zoo and the science center with a dual discovery pass! I recommend doing both activities on the same day since they are located so close to each other. We hit the zoo at the opening so that we were finished by lunchtime (and before it got too warm). The Science Center was a great afternoon activity!
City Place: Shop and explore! We stayed at a hotel that was walking distance to City Place, so we could enjoy amazing food and attractions without worrying about driving. There are stores that you are familiar with along with a movie theater and unique boutiques too.
We enjoyed bowling and an arcade along with an awesome lunch overlooking the fountains inside City Place. We followed up with dessert!
Explore the arts: You can’t miss the beautiful artwork throughout the Palm Beaches.
From murals to shipping containers beautifully decorated, you can feel and see the vibrancy of the city through the various art displays.
Other Palm Beach Tips
- Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse is one of nine federally designated Outstanding Natural Areas in the U.S. We hope to visit this on our next trip!
- Don’t miss SunFest in West Palm Beach! It’s the largest waterfront music and arts festival in Florida.
When you’re ready to plan your trip, don’t forget to contact The Cultural Council of Palm Beach County which is the definitive source for information about arts and cultural organizations and events in The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®. Check the cultural event calendar to see what is coming up. The weather is getting cooler here in Florida, so this is an ideal time to visit!
Have you ever visited the Palm Beaches?
