West Palm Beach, FL Road Trips

West of the smaller, more famous town Palm Beach, West Palm Beach is mostly commercial but has some attractions and landmarks worth visiting.

1 Norton Museum of Art, 1451 S Olive Ave (In downtown West Palm on Dixie Hwy, about a quarter of a mile from Okeechobee Blvd), ☏ +1 561-832-5196, [email protected]. Th 11AM-5PM, F 11AM-7PM, Sa Su 10AM-5PM, 1st hour each day only for members and their guests. its permanent collection features American Art, Chinese Art, Contemporary Art, European Art and Photography. Its masterpieces of 19th- and 20th-century painting and sculpture include works by Brancusi, Gauguin, Matisse, Miró, Monet, Picasso, Davis, Hassam, Hopper, Manship, O'Keeffe, Pollock and Sheeler. The museum presents special exhibitions, lectures, tours and programs for adults and children throughout the year. Free. (updated May 2021) 2 The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts is one of the premier performing arts centers in the Southeast with a growing national and international reputation. (updated Nov 2018) Graffiti Street Art you will find one of the most beautiful and biggest graffiti street art of Florida if you walk around wpb downtown Henry M Flagler Museum, 1 Whitehall Way, Palm Beach (easily accessible from Interstate I-95 and A1A, on the corner of Cocoanut Row and Whitehall Way in Palm Beach), ☏ +1 561 655-2833. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. This National Historic Landmark was built as a wedding gift for Henry M. Flagler's new wife. The 55-room winter retreat became more than a winter home and held many of the most modern pleasures of the time.

There are over 40 miles of beautiful beaches in Palm Beach County. The proximity of the Gulf Stream keeps the waters warm year-round although many miles are private a nearby public beach in the city of Palm Beach has lifeguards during the day, and is easily accessible. Flags by the lifeguard announce hazardous conditions (red for dangerous surf conditions, and purple for dangerous sea life). For snorkeling, two places might satisfy. One is John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, on the north end of Singer Island. The beach contains a shallow reef full of fish. Be careful, shark and barracuda are seen occasionally. This park also has kayaking, music on Sundays, and some short hiking trails. Kayaking is popular in a calm inlet in the park, which is surrounded by mangrove swamps. Another snorkeling spot is the 'Breaker's reef on Palm Beach. The reef is nestled right behind the Breakers hotel. This reef is one long stretch that juts out into the ocean. You can park on the side roads near the Breakers, although it is illegal and police often tow out of town cars from this wealthy neighborhood. A beach activity unique to Florida is watching space shuttles launch out over the ocean. Shuttles lifting off from Cape Kennedy are visible during daylight and night hours, although night and early morning launches are significantly more impressive. From most beaches, looking directly north up the coast will orient you correctly. Launches are visible from anywhere in Florida, but the ocean guarantees a clear view and night launches often reflect in the water.

1 Whole Foods Market, 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Drive, Palm Beach Gardens (exit Hwy 95 at 79A, travel east less than one mile, it is in Downtown at the Gardens on the north side of PGA before (west) of the Gardens Mall), ☏ +1 561-691-8550. 8AM-10PM. Full grocery and cafe offering fresh and local produce, fresh and local seafood, grass fed beef as well as a butcher in the house, enticing array of salads and entrees prepared to eat-in or take-out, brick oven pizzas, custom sandwiches, full scale bakery, unique coffees, great wine and beer selections, nutritional supplements and spa products, and cheeses from around the world. 2 King Super Buffet, 4270 Okeechobee Blvd., ☏ +1 561-567-8886. M-Th 10AM - 9:30PM, F-Su 11AM - 9:30PM. Chinese food; large seafood variety. 3 Sushi Jo, 319 Belvedere Road #12, ☏ +1 561-868-7893. Best sushi around; always ask for market price! 4 Rhythm Cafe, 3800 S Dixie Hwy, ☏ +1 561-833-3406. The menu changes regularly -- in an eclectic setting. 5 ER Bradley's Saloon, 104 S Clematis St, ☏ +1 561-833-3520. Decent bar food at the end of Clematis St in sight of the Intracoastal. 6 Havana Restaurant, 6803 S Dixie Hwy, ☏ +1 561-547-9799. Authentic Cuban cuisine. Open for lunch and dinner, with an all-night take-out window. (updated Nov 2018)

Clematis by Night, sponsored by the City of West Palm, is a lively event each Thursday on Clematis Street until 9PM. There's live music, and the audience can purchase beer and wine -- poured by a (rotating) area non-profit, who gets to keep the profits. 1 O'Shea's Pub, 531 Clematis St, ☏ +1 561-833-3865. A traditional Irish pub with a great beer garden on Clematis.

1 Studio 6 West Palm Beach, 1535 Centrepark Dr. Very much a budget hotel; don't expect luxury or even much in the way of comfort, but if you're on a tight budget it's a private place to sleep. $75/night. 2 Quality Inn Palm Beach International Airport, 1505 Belvedere Rd. $79/night. (updated May 2021) 3 Delta Hotels by Marriott West Palm Beach, 1301 Belvedere Rd, ☏ +1 561-659-3880. Near CityPlace and the Kravis Center, this hotel features clean, comfortable rooms with beach-inspired décor and premium amenities like 32-inch LCD TVs, spacious work areas free wireless internet. $105/night. 4 Hotel Biba, ☏ +1 561-832-0094, [email protected]. A funky, sea-foam-colored hotel with colorful, ultra-modern decor about 3 miles south of Clematis Street. Hotel Biba bills itself as "a 43-room historic landmark boutique hotel." The hotel features Biba Bar, a hip nightclub featuring live music on the weekends. $195/night. 5 Homewood Suites, 2455 Metrocentre Blvd, ☏ +1 561-682-9188. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Suites with full kitchens, free internet, flat screen TV. Guests have access to free parking, free hot breakfast, pool and fitness center. $130. 6 SpringHill Suites West Palm Beach I-95, 2437 Metrocentre Blvd (just off I-95 and 8 miles from the Palm Beach International airport), ☏ +1 561-689-6814. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Extended stay hotel. Suites include free Internet, microwave, mini-fridge, and flat screen TV. Also available to guests are free hot breakfast buffet, free parking, pool, and fitness center. $90.

1 Donald J Trump International Airport (DJT IATA) (formerly Palm Beach International Airport (PBI)), 1000 Turnage Boulevard, ☏ +1 561 471-7420. This is a small, yet highly adequate airport. While the Miami and the Fort Lauderdale airports are busy with international and domestic traffic, DJT is easy to get in and out of for travelers from other cities in the U.S. and Toronto, and is about five minutes from downtown West Palm Beach. Travelers flying into South Florida, Treasure Coast, or the Bahamas should strongly consider DJT. The airport serves airlines and general aviation aircraft. The airport has a 24-hour control tower and a U.S. Customs & Immigration port of entry facility. The general aviation traffic at DJT has a choice of three fixed base operators. North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport (F45) is in the north portion of the county and provides easy access to the Florida Research Park, Jupiter, and Palm Beach Gardens. The #44 bus connects the West Palm Beach Station (see below) to the airport. 3 West Palm Beach station ((WPB IATA)), 209 S Tamarind Ave (downtown West Palm Beach). Served by Amtrak via its Silver Meteor and Silver Star trains, running from New York City to Miami via Washington, D.C., Savannah, Orlando, Tampa, Lakeland, Kissimmee, Sebring, Okeechobee and other cities along the eastern coast. The commuter rail service 2 Tri-Rail between Miami and West Palm also calls here. The Tri-Rail continues north from the West Palm Beach Station to Magnolia Park as its northern terminus.

The easiest way to get around West Palm Beach and South Florida is by car. The city is set up on grid system, and is fairly easy to navigate. Downtown is roughly 2 miles north east of Palm Beach International Airport. Palm Beach County is served by Interstate I-95 and U.S. Highway 1 and US 441. It is also served by Florida's Turnpike. In-Airport car rental companies include: Alamo Rent A Car, toll-free: +1-800-462-5266. Avis Rent A Car, toll-free: +1-800-331-1212. (updated Oct 2018) Budget Rent A Car, toll-free: +1-800-527-0700. (updated Oct 2018) Enterprise Rent-A-Car, toll-free: +1-800-261-7331. Hertz Car Rental, toll-free: +1-800-654-3131. Taxis are generally expensive, but available at almost any time and place. Yellow Cab, ☏ +1 561 777-7777. The largest company in the city. 9 Palm Tran, (Intermodal Transit Center) 150 Clearwater Dr (bus station west of the railroad tracks from the train station building), ☏ +1-877-930-4BUS (287). Operates local public transportation in/around W Palm Beach and Palm County on multiple routes. (updated Jan 2021) Rose Trolley, ☏ +1 561 260-1838. A free shuttle on demand to within 13 mi (21 km) radius of the West Palm Beach Station. Ride West Palm Beach (Circuit), ☏ +1 561 494-1094. Fixed route shuttle between West Palm Beach Station (Amtrak, Greyhound, Palm Tran); Brightline, and the adjacent downtown areas. They also operate on demand service to wherever the traveler needs to go within the City of West Palm Beach. (updated Sep 2023) Tri-Rail, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245.

Driving -- Florida has "no fault" auto accident laws, which means you are responsible for up to $10,000 in damage to your car, even if you are not responsible for the accident. Make sure your rental car comes with collision insurance, or obtain separate insurance. Florida also has a very high rate of auto fatalities, so take extra care on the roads. Crime -- Despite a dropping crime rate, the crime is very high for a city the size of West Palm Beach, it has been rated as the 14th most-dangerous city in the United States, but the areas of high crime are not anywhere near the areas that would be traveled by the everyday tourist.