A Weekend Guide to Palm Beach, Florida

*Updated January 2024

Having grown up around here and over the years going back to visit family, it truly holds a special spot. Palm Beach is home to manicured lawns, elaborate mansions and hotels, upscale country clubs, and pristine beaches. Your weekend here will be nothing short of posh. This is a great girls trip or couples get away location.

The DL: Palm Beach is a popular “snowbird” destination meaning many from up north tend to visit or live here during the cold months. The best time to visit to me, is later winter-early spring because late summer gets pretty hot. Palm beach is on the ocean, and West Palm Beach (WPB) is on the intercoastal so you will get to Palm Beach by bridge from West Palm Beach, many think the two are the same place but they are actually very different.

Friday: 

• Fly into PBI, you will need a rental car since there is really no public transportation you would use (less than 3 hours from NYC). About a 20 minute drive from the airport.
• Check into the hotel (most are very expensive, check airbnb for a more affordable optoin or stay across the bridge in west palm).
• Head to the beach (Palm Beach) or spend the afternoon at the pool
• Grab Dinner: Explore the Breakers Hotel (hidden ballrooms) and go for cocktails and or dinner at HMF, the Seafood Bar or at one of my recs below.

Saturday: 

Daytime:

• Spend time at the beach and or pool at your hotel, if not staying on the water go to the public beach with access off S. Ocean Blvd and spend the day!
  • Tip: There is usually always paid parking close to Worth avenue on S. ocean blvd, go down the side streets like Hammon ave, Australian Ave for free street parking.
  • Tip: Go to Buccan sandwich shop and get something to go to bring to the beach with you, so you don’t have to leave!
• Other options for sit down lunch: Ta-boo, always the option for your hotel beachfront restaurant, Cafe Via Flora, or CPB/Swifties at the Colony Hotel (which would be my choice!)
• Make sure to drive, around the island and see all the beautiful homes, you will pass Mar-a-lago, Trump’s “Winter Whitehouse” when first crossing the bridge over.
• If you are a golfer, check out the famous Par 3 Palm Beach Course

Evening:

Nice Dinner: Henrys, Renatos, Flagler Steakhouse (patio), 3800 Ocean on Singer Island, Leopard Lounge, Sant Ambroeus, or Café Boulud just as options – make reservations – check my list below for more.

If looking for night life head across the bridge to West Palm Beach – most of the nightlife in Palm Beach takes place at the bars of restaurants, hotels, or private parties, not a huge going out scene here.

Sunday:

Daytime:

• Start off the day with Brunch at Sant Ambroeus
• Shop at Royal Poinciana Plaza they have the cutest stores in the same area and then walk across or drive to the museum
• Visit Flagler Museum (open 12-5 on Sundays)
• There are also a bunch of shops on royal poinciana way
• Drive around the island north or south and see the beautiful houses
• Grab pastries and shop high end home decor at the Hive in West Palm

• My favorite place to spend time is on Worth Avenue, it’s the Rodeo drive of Florida. Though many of the shops are unaffordable it’s fun just exploring all the hidden courtyards, taking pictures, eating at delicious spots, oh and being right on the beach isn’t bad either. Make sure to get a picture at the famous clock tower! Its just as pretty at night. Spend the rest of the afternoon shopping (window shopping) and exploring Worth Avenue.
• Tip: You can make an appointment and design your own Lilly Dress at this Lilly Pulitzer.  

Where to Stay:

Living here and always having family here, I have never stayed at a hotel but here are recommendations for Palm Beach – all will be very expensive for a cheaper option stay across the bridge in WPB or in South Palm Beach in the lake worth area which also has condo options! Here are some splurge-worthy hotels in Palm Beach:

• Colony Hotel – super girly, not on the beach, boutique hotel
• Brazilian Court – Spanish colonial, not on the water, close to worth ave
• The Breakers – on the ocean, the must luxurious
• Four Seasons Palm Beach (south palm beach) – beautiful hotel, if you stay here or on Lake Worth make sure to try Bennys on the beach for lunch near by (get the mahi tacos).
• Eau Palm Beach – their spa is amazing

Where to Eat

• Lola41 – at the white elephant, newer to Palm Beach from Nantucket
• Buccan – small plates, sandwich shop to grab and go for beach
• Sant Ambroeus – we have one in NYC so good, also grab gelato or pastries
• The Seafood Bar at the Breakers – get any of the seafood, come here when its daylight so you can see the ocean
• The Circle – brunch at the breakers
• Roccos Tacos (west palm beach)
• Flories – at the Four Seasons (Mediterranean), highly ranked, pricey
• Renatos – Italian (sit on the patio)
• Cucina – Happy hour or late night drinks, gets wilder after 10
• Spruzzo – rooftop get drinks or food here
• Proper Grit – brunch or dinner
• Almond – also in the Hamptons and nyc
• Cafe Boulud – fancy night out, French
• Breeze Ocean Kitchen at Eau – happy hour or brunch with live music and ocean view
• Grandview Public Market (west palm beach)
• Sloanes ice cream – they have the famous disappearing door (west palm beach)
• Henrys – a really good steak and seafood spot
• Le bibloquet – brunch, sceney spot
• The colony Hotel has a causal spot to grab coffee, charcuterie, macaroons etc. for beach goodies
• Pura Vida – acai and bowls in west palm
• Picocolo gelato

Instagrammable Spots:

1. Worth Avenue (check all the little hidden gardens) – Palm Beach
2. Palm Beach clock tower – Palm Beach
3. The Colony Hotel – outside and lobby – Palm Beach
4. Bougainvillea Wall
5. The Breakers – make sure to check out the hidden ballrooms and the outside gardens
6. The Hive
7. Eau Spa
8. Brazilian Court Hotel – Courtyard
9. You can find a good spot really anywhere with palm trees, try royal palm ave
10. Palm Beach Yacht Club and Marina

Extra Time:

Day Trip to the Bahamas by boat, drive up to Jupiter and eat lunch at Guanabanas, or drive down to Boca, explore WPB over the bridge, or see a polo match in Wellington. For more secluded beaches visit John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, for the prettiest water go to Palm Beach.

West Palm Beach is home to a beautiful intercoastal, Palm Beach Atlantic College, the popular Clematis street, Kravits center for shows, and shops and dining of Cityplace, check out my travel guide.