West Palm Beach took me by surprise! I didn’t know what to expect and I was pleasantly happy with what I found. West Palm Beach has (obviously) great beaches, excellent restaurants and some incredibly high end shopping. There are plenty of day trips nearby to provide variation to your trip. I would highly recommend visiting West Palm Beach. It is a great weekend break! Not convinced? Well, keep scrolling to check out the 10 best things to do in West Palm Beach, Florida. These were our absolute favorite things to do while visiting West Palm Beach.
Where to Stay in West Palm Beach
We stayed at one of my favorite Airbnb rentals on the East Coast. It is a small/ cozy house with a full kitchen and washer/dryer. It comfortably fit 2 people and 1 medium sized dog. The space was incredibly clean, charming and well decorated. The real winner of this rental was the small completely fenced in front yard. The property has a small, well manicured and private front yard that was perfect for our dog to run around and for us to sit and enjoy the Florida sun. Highly recommend for a couple and anyone traveling with a dog.
Private Cottage in West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach (Not affiliated with Airbnb)
Map of Attractions in West Palm Beach
Best Things to do in West Palm Beach
Palm Beach Lake Trail
This was by far my favorite thing to do in West Palm Beach. Yes, technically it is on Palm Beach but eh it’s close enough. The trail runs along the western edge of the very exclusive, expensive but beautiful Palm Beach (which is a barrier island.) The trail is five miles long and takes you along the water, down main streets and along beautiful neighborhoods. The trail is often lined with palm trees. It is just beautiful. I truly loved taking my dog and walking along the Palm Beach Lake Trial. I highly recommend this walk while visiting West Palm Beach.
Pro Tip: There is some free public parking for the trail near The Society of the Four Arts. I have no idea what this is but used it as a marker to find parking. Check out the map above for more details.
Take a Day Trip to Delray Beach
Delray Beach is about 30 minutes South of West Palm Beach. It has a beautiful high street with plenty of shops and restaurants. The beach was stunningly beautiful with plenty of public parking. It was an excellent change of pace from West Palm Beach.
Visit Norton Museum of Art
I so enjoyed my visit to Norton. The Museum itself is beautiful with an excellent outdoor sculpture garden. The exhibits are interesting and well down. But the real winner was the Impressionist area. It completely blew me away and I spent so much time exploring every nook and cranny. Highly recommend this!
Take your Doggo to Jupiter Beach
If you have a dog who loves to be around other people, dogs, the beach and the water-then this a must visit. You will love spending the day at the beach with your dog. It is dog friendly year round and all day. There is plenty of public parking and sidewalks along the beach to explore with your dog. It was pretty clean for a dog friendly beach. I will warn that if your dog has anxiety or struggles with other dogs, this might not be the best spot for you. Many, many people had their dogs off leash which is against beach rules. Just a heads up!
Visit Manatee Lagoon
I loved Manatee Lagoon. It was free and had a wonderful educational exhibit to learn all about Manatees. They had a large viewing area (on two different floors) to observe them in the Lagoon. There was a short but nicely manicured walk along the water. I loved watching them float by and all the great information that was provided. An absolute must visit! Your kids will love this.
Have a Beach Day at Palm Beach
I think this should be an obvious one. Drive back over the bridge onto Palm Beach for a much needed beach day. The beach is beautiful and had plenty of room to spread out and carve out your own little piece of paradise. If you navigate to the Clock Tower you will find street paid parking. I would go early to find decent parking as Palm Beach makes it a bit difficult to access their public beaches. (AKA not a ton of parking.)
Eat All the Food
There are some great places to eat in West Palm Beach. Check out the list below for our favorite spots!
- Pig Beach BBQ: The place had a great atmosphere and plenty of BBQ options. Their baby back ribs were definitely a standout! The parking lot was a bit small, just an FYI!
- Cholo Soy Cocina: This is a small taco restaurant with a great outdoor patio. The service was friendly and the food delicious! I loved the pork belly and fried fish tacos. The yucca fries are also a must!
- Singing Bamboo Chinese Restaurant: We were craving Dim Sum and Singing Bamboo came through. It is a bit of a hidden gem tucked away in small plaza. The food and service was fantastic! Highly recommend!
- Aioli: This is a great spot for fresh sandwiches, salads, bread and breakfast. Really enjoyed a quick sandwich at Aioli. This would be a great place to pack up a few sandwiches for the beach.
Visit Grandview Public Market
Grandview Public Market is a large indoor food market with plenty of indoor and out door seating. The aesthetic is modern and trendy. The food options range from pizza to ramen to sushi. It was a great spot to grab an affordable lunch and to hang with friends.
Have a Cocktail at Steel Tie Spirits
I really enjoyed visiting Steel Tie Spirits. Steel Tie is a distillery that creates their own vodkas, rums, etc. The tasting room has a large window overlooking their operation. Plus, they have some seriously delicious cocktails. I loved the Blackstrap Old Fashioned! Also it is close to Grandview Public Market.
Pro Tip: You can get a free flight at Steel Tie. Simply go to their website. Hover over Visit Us then click on Free Flight. Fill out the form and you will get a free flight on your next visit.
Explore Worth Avenue
So I always have mix feelings about areas like Worth Avenue where the stores are so expensive that I dare not go in. However, if you are big into fashion this is a must visit spot. Worth Avenue has a every kind of high end store you can imagine. Yes, it is very expensive but well worth it if this is your thing.
Your Thoughts…
These are 10 of the best things to do in West Palm Beach, Florida. What are you excited to do in West Palm Beach? What is your favorite thing to do while visiting the area?
