The Palm Beaches 4 ways

Blessed with year-round sunshine, brimming with wildlife, teeming with art-galleries and packed with restaurants; it’s no wonder Palm Beach County is no longer just a playground for the wealthy, but a glistening getaway for all adrenaline junkies, nature enthusiasts, food fanatics and art aficionados alike. Here’s how to do The Palm Beaches, four ways…

For the adventure enthusiast

There’s no end to the amount of sporting activities you can pack into a trip to The Palm Beaches, so be sure to bring your snorkel, your surfboard, your boots and your bike. With 234 days of sunshine, this East Coast county has become a sporting haven, with the beaches providing anything from surfing to paddle boarding, water-skiing to wake-boarding. Underwater, the adventure continues, with more than 150 dive sites promising fascinating wrecks and incredible marine life. On land, people tend to take to their bikes to experience this stunning coastline, picking from a vast selection of cycle paths. Or, you can even don your hiking boots, choosing between one of the many routes inland or along the coast, whilst keeping your eyes peeled for tropical birds, reptiles and more.

For the culinary connoisseur

Whether you’re after a fine dining experience or a casual bite, The Palm Beaches has got it covered. Laying claim to some of the best restaurants in Florida, foodies can expect to enjoy a diverse variety of cuisines, from a five star gourmet affair at Buccan to a light waterside bite at Dune Dog Cafe. But wherever you go, expect to see regular appearances from shrimp and key lime pie, both of which have long been hailed as classics. And with the Atlantic Sea right here on their doorstep, The Palm Beaches’ restaurants lay claim to some of the best catch on the East Coast. From world-class oysters to succulent lobster, you’ll be truly spoilt for choice. As well as an incredible array of restaurants, the area is also home to some delicious weekly food markets, a favourite being the West Palm Beach Green Market, whose 80 vendors sell some of the best fresh, seasonal produce in town. Another food highlight is the annual Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival, which takes place in December and showcases the rising stars of the culinary world. The festival is also graced by some of the biggest names in the business.

For the culture vulture

If you’re looking for a dose of culture, then look no further than the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum. Flagler was the father and founder of the county. His winter home, a Gilded Age mansion called “Whitehall”, is now a National Historic Landmark as well as a museum and archive to the public. The Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum, The Norton Museum of Art, The Boca Raton Museum of Art and Silverball Museum & Arcade are also worth a trip if you’re not quite museum’ed-out yet. Along with a wide variety of museums, The Palm Beaches is also the proud home to a number of art galleries, drama theatres and music venues. Be sure to swing by Worth Avenue, where most of the county’s leading galleries can be found, and wind your way through a maze of classics, contemporaries, local works and international pieces. As for music and theatre you can expect to see some of the best shows at the Kravis Centre for the Performing Arts, whose theatre can hold up to 1,400 people. The Palm Beaches is also home to Art Palm Beach, Art Boca Raton, Sunfest and the CANVAS Outdoor Museum.

For the wildlife lover

The Palm Beaches is rife with wildlife, on land and off. A huge hit with bird watchers, the county is home to native and exotic bird species. But you’ll have to bring your binoculars, since these winged beauties are often well hidden. With a stunning array of different species of flowers, it’s safe to say that The Palm Beaches is a flora and fauna oasis. There’s also an incredible variety of reptiles on land and it’s a popular home to crocodiles and alligators. Off land, the destination’s array of aquatic wildlife is just as impressive. From dolphins to rays and goliath groupers to angelfish – divers can expect to see a whole assortment of marine species. Perhaps the most exciting of them all, however, is the sea turtle, who come March, are making the most of Palm Beach’s sandy shores to lay their precious eggs. Five of the seven sea turtle species can be found here.

Tom Marchant is Co-founder of Black Tomato.

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