The Ultimate Palm Beach Travel Guide for 2024
I’ve been visiting the West Palm Beach and Jupiter area since I was a child, so it’s about time I wrote this! After writing my Things To Do in Palm Beach post earlier this month, I am back with a complete Palm Beach travel guide.
This post will include everything you need to know for a trip to Palm Beach! It is filled with all my favorite restaurants and hotels, in addition to the things to do. Whether you are taking a day trip or a vacation, this guide will help you plan the perfect experience.
Things To Do in Palm Beach
I covered all the things to do in West Palm Beach and Jupiter in my last post, but I wanted to reiterate them here for this Palm Beach travel guide. Keep this list handy for figuring out what you want to do while you are traveling here!
- Enjoy Shopping, Dining, and Entertainment at a Town Center – The Palm Beach area has a variety of shopping districts with all sorts of things to do! City Place is arguably the most popular one in West Palm Beach. I also love Downtown at the Gardens in Palm Beach Gardens and Downtwon Abacoa and Harbourside Place in Jupiter! Worth Avenue could even be considered a town center as well, with all of its luxury stores.
- Scuba or Snorkel with the Fishes – Palm Beach is one of the best places for diving in the country! I got certified here and was amazed by the diverse sea life and stunning coral reefs I saw. You can book a scuba or snorkel charter out in the ocean, or go off the coast on your own. For going on your own, Blue Heron Bridge is ideal for diving, and John D. MacArthur State Park has some decent snorkeling.
- Take a Boat to Peanut Island – If you have every wanted to explore an island, then you have to take a boat ride to here! Peanut Island is accessible only by boat and is a fun place to walk around, spot nature and camp at. There’s a ferry service available daily or you can take your own boat!
- See a Spring Training Game – Palm Beach hosts four MLB teams for a month of practice games every year in March. We love watching the Nats at the FITTEAM Stadium, but you can also see games at the Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter.
- Visit the Manatee Lagoon – Manatees flock to the waterways of this lagoon in the winter and you can get a chance to see these adorable sea creatures up close! In addition to sea life sightings, this center has educational exhibits and programs, so you can learn how to help the ocean and its inhabitants.
- Soak Up the Sun Beachside – Palm Beach is home to some of the best beaches on the east coast of Florida and most of them are free to visit. In the northern area of Palm Beach, Juno Beach park and John D. MacArthur State Park are popular spots to visit. For the West Palm Beach area, I recommend Municipal Beach and Phipps Ocean Park.
- See Animals at the Zoo or a Nature Sanctuary – Animal lovers will find plenty of things to do in Palm Beach. The Busch Wildlife Sanctuary and the McCarthy Wildlife Sanctuary are both exciting places to encounter rehabilitated animals and take a nature trail tour. For more exotic animal encounters, you can visit the Palm Beach Zoo and find tigers, koalas and many other creatures.
- Try Your Hand at Golf – Probably the thing Palm Beach is most known for, is its prestigious golf courses. Avid golfers, will definitely want to get a tee time at a local country club. For less experienced players, don’t be intimidated! There are some public courses, as well as fun driving range games at Drive Shack and of course a few mini golf courses.
- Climb the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse – For a look at Palm Beach history, you have to visit the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum. This lighthouse has been around since 1860 and you can climb the 105 for one of the best views around.
- Take a Brewery Tour – I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend visiting my favorite brewery Civil Society while you are here. However, there are plenty of other breweries to check out as well, and you can visit them on a Damn Good Beer Bus tour or on your own!
- Explore the Blowing Rocks Preserve – For nature fans, the Blowing Rocks Preserve beach is one of the coolest sights in the area. The rock formations are unlike anything else on the coast and make for gorgeous pictures as well. If you get a chance to watch the sunset here, you will not regret it!
Palm Beach Restaurants to Eat At
There are so many restaurants in this area, that this Palm Beach travel guide would go on forever if I included them all! Instead, I have narrowed down some of my favorites at each price point and area. You can expect to find a lot of seafood as a specialty, however, there is cuisine of every kind. Here are some restaurants I recommend with one dollar sign meaning meals for $10 and under, two meaning $10 to $20 entrees, three meaning $20 to $30, and four meaning at least $30 entrees.
- Dune Dogs ($) – A tropical café with family favorites including hot dogs, sandwiches and barbecue in Jupiter.
- Jupiter Donuts ($) – Creative donuts, coffee and breakfast sandwiches with locations throughout the county.
- Cucina Pizza ($) – Customize your pizza, panini or pasta at this counter service restaurant in West Palm.
- Brooklyn Water Bagels ($) – I don’t usually include chains, but I have searched far and wide and these are seriously the best bagels you can get in Florida!
- Paris in Town ($) – Breakfast and lunch with Parisian specialties from crepes to escargot in Palm Beach Gardens.
- Rivales ($) – Tacos and tequila at this cozy spot on the main West Palm strip
- Copacabana Cuban Cuisine ($$) – The best Latin American food in the area with Cuban and Dominican favorites at Abacoa.
- Thirsty Turtle Seagrill ($$) – A casual café with seafood dishes and more in Juno Beach.
- Grandview Public Market ($$) – A food hall with whatever cuisine you desire in a beautiful setting in West Palm.
- Waterway Café ($$) – This is where we had our rehearsal dinner! It’s a gorgeous spot on the water, with all your favorite seafood and some American classic dishes.
- Brother Jimmy’s BBQ ($$) – Classic Southern style barbecue, including dry-rubs ribs served at City Place.
- Calaveras Cantina ($$) – A trendy Mexican restaurant with authentic food and craft cocktails at Harborside Place
- Hokkaido Hibachi and Sushi ($$) – A variety of sushi rolls, Asian dishes and hibachi with excellent lunch specials at Abacoa.
- Guanabana’s ($$) – The perfect vacation restaurant for tropical food right on the water.
- Little Moir’s Food Shack ($$) – A foodie spot with a quirky atmosphere and some crazy combinations in Jupiter.
- City Cellar ($$) – A wine bar and restaurant featuring pizza, steaks and other Italian specialties at City Place.
- Square Grouper ($$) – A laid back tiki bar and restaurant for adults only where you can enjoy bar food right on the sand.
- Avocado Grill ($$) – A tapas style restaurant focused on fresh flavors located in both West Palm and Palm Beach Gardens.
- Agora Mediterranean Kitchen ($$$) – Mediterranean food with a Turkish focus where you can get platters of shish, lamb shank and more.
- Jetty’s Waterfront Restaurant ($$$) – An upscale waterfront restaurant in Jupiter with some of the best surf and turf in town.
- Aaron’s Table and Wine Bar ($$$) – A foodie spot focused on contemporary food, with an emphasis on small plates, in the Abacoa Town Center.
- The Regional Kitchen & Public House ($$$) – A southern style restaurant with a twist, serving favorites like a low country boil and fried chicken in West Palm Beach.
- Seafood Bar ($$$$) – A splurge worthy spot boasting oceanfront views at the Breakers hotel and delectable seafood dishes.
For a more in depth guide to where to eat in Palm Beach, check out my Palm Beach Restaurant Guide!
Getting There and Around
If you are flying to Palm Beach, the Palm Beach International Airport will be the easiest to fly into. This is located 10 minutes west of West Palm Beach and half an hour south of Jupiter. If your hotel is in the West Palm Beach area, you could conceivably use Uber or Lyft for the duration of your trip, and still be able to experience a lot. However, for anywhere north of there, a rental car would be ideal.
You can also fly into the Fort Lauderdale or Miami airports. They are about forty-five minutes and an seventy-five minutes away respectively. You can even take the tri-rail train to get in between. It’s about an hour and a half to an hour ride from these airports and less than $12 round trip.
If you would like to go to Central Florida, the Palm Beach area is at least two hours away from the Orlando Airport. Disney World is a solid two and a half hours away, so I recommend splitting your trip up, and staying in Orlando for a few days, if you want to visit a theme park. There is plenty to do in the half an hour radius of Palm Beach, though, as you can probably see from above!
Palm Beach Hotels to Stay At
There are a variety of hotels and resorts to stay at in the Palm Beach area for whatever type of experience you desire. For a low-key beach vacation, I recommend staying in the Jupiter and Juno Beach area, especially oceanfront if you can. For a little nightlife and more things to do, staying near Dowtown West Palm is ideal. I don’t think the Palm Beach Gardens area is good for vacations, because it is mainly just shopping, but you can find some good deals there occasionally. I have chosen four hotels to spotlight for this Palm Beach travel guide below.
- Courtyard Marriott Jupiter – If you are on a budget, this hotel is the bang for your buck. We actually stayed here for my wedding, because it is in a central location and affordable. This hotel is located in the Abacoa Town Center, so there is a few restaurants within walking distance and it is only a ten minute drive to the beach.
- Hilton West Palm Beach – This hotel is right in the heart of Downtown West Palm Beach and is perfect for those who want a walkable vacation. You will find plenty to do nearby and the beach is just a bridge away. It also has a modern aesthetic and a large pool area, perfect for a posh Palm Beach trip.
- Jupiter Beach Resort – For a beach vacation, the Jupiter Beach Resort is ideal. You’ll be surrounded by oceanfront views at this large resort complete with a pool & spa, tennis courts and plenty of outdoor hangout areas.
- The Breakers Palm Beach – If you want to stay in the height of luxury, The Breakers is one of the most notable places to do so in the world! This famous resort has been around for over a century and continues to impress with its beach side property. It’s an expensive spot, but you will have access to world-class restaurants, beaches and other amenities.
I hope this Palm Beach travel guide answered all your questions about exploring this beautiful area of Florida! There are constantly new restaurants and things to do emerging, and I’ll be sure to update this in the future with any notable changes. For a more in-depth look, check out my 20 Unique Things To Do in Palm guide.
Have you been to West Palm Beach or Jupiter? Let me know if I missed anything if you have! If you are looking for more Florida vacation ideas, I have Ultimate Guides to Miami Beach, St. Petersburg, New Smyrna Beach, and Melbourne and Cocoa Beach currently published. Which area should I write a guide about next? Let me know in the comments!