Fun in the Sun: West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach is an ideal location for the professional who wants to experience all that South Florida has to offer. Residents here work hard and play harder. The weather, the water, and walkable entertainment districts are all part of the West Palm Beach experience.
And as if this alone weren't enough, West Palm Beach is where the now infamous dog Marley first made his home with John and Jenny Grogran in the movie "Marley and Me."
West Palm Beach (population 105,000) is a mid-sized city, but its appeal is distinctly urban. Luxury condominiums dot the landscape, including Trump Plaza on Flagler Drive. Many are set off with stately palms, outdoor pools and water views.
West Palm Beach recently wowed visitors with construction of a $30 million waterfront redevelopment project along six miles of the Intracoastal Waterway, The waterfront features a mile-long esplanade and pedestrian-friendly docks that jut out into the Intracoastal. You can find entertainment on the waterfront each weekend including spectacular laser light shows.
West Palm Beach offers two popular entertainment and shopping districts: City Place and Clematis Street. Anchored by the beautifully restored 1920s Harriet Himmel Theater, City Place is a shopping, dining and entertainment destination featuring approximately 20 restaurants, including Ruth’s Chris, The Cheesecake Factory, and local favorites including Taverna Opa and Blue Martini.
Macy’s and Barnes & Noble anchor the shopping district, which also includes Tommy Bahama, A/X Armani Exchange, Banana Republic and White House Black Market. Clematis Street comes alive every Thursday night from 6-9 p.m. with a fountainside outdoor concert series. Clematis Street is another great locale for a bite to eat or a drink at any of its more than 40 dining destinations. A free trolley connects these two districts and the waterfront.
Arts and Entertainment
You'll never be bored in West Palm Beach (Unless you want to relax on the beach on do nothing at all).
Each May, SunFest, a large arts and music festival on the waterfront, attracts more than 270,000 visitors. Moonfest celebrates Halloween on Clematis Street with live bands, street performers, a haunted house, rides and games. Once a month, the Northwood Village sponsors its Art & Wine Promenade featuring complimentary wine tastings, live entertainment and streetside artist trunk shows.
In addition, West Palm has a rich cultural history. The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts was described on Trip Advisor as “like Lincoln Center in West Palm Beach.” The Kravis celebrates its 20th Anniversary season this fall, and during the 2011-12 season will present more than 350 performances in a variety of genres. The Kravis is home to the Miami City Ballet, Palm Beach Opera and the Palm Beach Pops.
Norton Museum of Art is another of West Palm Beach’s gems. Its collection consists of more than 7,000 works of art, including paintings by Impressionist Mary Cassatt and Abstract Expressionist Jackson Pollock.
The Ann Norton Sculpture Garden, another of West Palm Beach’s cultural treasurers, includes the Norton home, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and more than 100 works of art by Ann Weaver Norton.
The Great Outdoors
West Palm Beach a good fit for those who want to keep fit. Each December West Palm Beach hosts the Marathon of the Palm Beaches. Palm Beach County has more golf courses than any county in America. Biking, boating and enjoying the beach are all part of the West Palm Beach lifestyle. Great fishing is at your fingertips. Nature lovers may enjoy the miles of trails through woods and wetlands at West Palm Beach’s Okeeheelee Nature Center.
Getting There is Half the Fun
West Palm Beach is easy to get to. Palm Beach International Airport is conveniently located 2.5 miles from downtown and is much more manageable for travelers than Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Carriers include American Airlines, Continental, Spirit, Jet Blue, Delta and Southwest. The downtown is also convenient to I-95, connecting you to points North and South, like Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach.
As the county seat, West Palm Beach, is home to Palm Beach County Courthouse and the Convention Center, which keep the city’s professional life active and varied.
West Palm Beach is not your grandmother’s Florida. After a day’s work, residents can enjoy the good life at the city’s restaurants and bars, museums and local theaters all while basking in the South Florida sunshine. With an average annual temperature of 74.7 degrees, it’s easy to get outside in West Palm Beach.
