Things to do in West Palm Beach
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Animal Park
The first cageless drive-through safari in the country, this incredible animal park puts you in the cage (ie your car) as 800 creatures roam freely, staring at you. Equal parts conservation area and safari, the park’s 500 acres are home to bison, zebra, white rhinos, chimpanzees and, of course, lions. You tour the safari section in your car (unless it’s a convertible; short-term rentals are available), driving slowly, hoping the animals approach the vehicle. The best time to go is when it rains, because the animals are more active when it’s cool.
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Clematis Street
Long before CityPlace came along and stole the show, there was Clematis Street, a hip strip that's bustling with locals doing their shopping, diners looking for a foodie scene, scads of bar-hoppers come nightfall, and a ragtag clutch of beggars and lost souls. This, my friends, is the most inclusive part of town - and much of it is also a historic district. Check out its eclectic collection of architectural samples - Greek Revival, Venetian Revival, Mediterranean Revival and art deco.
In its plaza at 2nd St and Narcissus Ave (where local school kids frolic in the fountains on hot afternoons) there's a small but wonderful West Palm Beach Greenmarket on Saturday mornings, w…
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Palm Beach Maritime Museum
There's not much to this museum in pleasant Currie Park, except for war buffs who will surely get off on the display of artifacts from the sunken battleship USS Maine. The museum's main attraction is as the place to catch the ferry to Peanut Island, home of the Kennedy Bunker, where typically brilliant Cold War-era advisers decided to build the president's fallout shelter. Here you'll see JFK's decontamination shower, then you can go hiking, snorkeling or even camping on the island.
The ferry comes at 10:00, noon and 14:00 Wednesday through Sunday.
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Riviera Beach
If you're hoping to enjoy the sand and surf, pickings are slim in West Palm proper. But Riviera Beach, about 3 miles north of downtown, has one of the nicest beaches in the area, with wild dunes that have remained undeveloped thanks to the area's blue-collar reputation. Lifeguards are on duty from 09:00 to 17:00 daily.
To get here, take Hwy 1 north from downtown West Palm Beach until you hit Blue Heron Way; cross the causeway and continue straight ahead until you see waves. Riviera Beach is served by PalmTran bus 30.
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Palm Beach Zoo at Dreher Park
The highlight of this compact zoo is the Tropics of the Americas exhibit, a 3-acre recreation of a rainforest, stocked with jaguars, monkeys, snakes, macaws and other tropical creatures. Gator feedings occur regularly and are advertised. The zoo’s also home to a few of the last remaining Florida panthers, North America’s rarest mammal. Other unusual residents include Komodo dragons (the largest lizard in the world), capybaras (the largest rodent in the world) and red kangaroos, which can hop at speeds of up to 40mph.
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Serenity Garden Tea House
Are we in London or what? Definitely not, but we are in the South, as easy as it is to forget, and tea-house charms go a long way in these parts. This spot, a more old-school, frilly option than the Little Tea House, is also way more concerned with your sweet tooth.
Its glass case of 'fancies' is a beauty to behold - white chocolate key-lime cheesecake, chocolate-macadamia nut mousse pie, lemon cakes - and its pear-and-gorgonzola salad, curried chicken salad and scone-filled 'low teas' aren't bad, either.
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Palm Beach Water Taxi
Palm Beach Water Taxi runs a water taxi between downtown West Palm and Singer Island (one-way/round-trip $7/12), as well as a water taxi to Peanut Island (round-trip $7) leaving from the Singer Island. Additionally, they offer guided tours along the Intracoastal, including 90-minute narrated tours of Palm Beach mansions ($24), 60-minute sunset cruises ($20) and seasonal manatee tours ($21). The pickup location in West Palm Beach is at the intersection of Banyan St and Flagler Dr.
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Wine Living
This new addition to the strip is a welcome haven. Sitting in the cozy space, with a tumble of small tables and couches, feels like you're visiting a friend's house, and the huge selection of wines and beers from around the world is heaven for any oenophile. Pairing a glass or a bottle with a pick from the tempting snacking menu - shrimp salad on a bed of greens, Italian or French cheese plates, caviar pizza or a three-chocolate cheesecake - makes for one lovely afternoon or evening.
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Forté de Asprinio
Launched by wunderkind Stephen Asprinio, a contender on the first season of Top Chef, Forté is a sleek, Jetsons-esque palette of whites and pinks and lavenders featuring a carnival of rotating Italian-ish menu items, ranging from the mostly traditional (butternut squash mezzaluna) to the curiously exotic (pasta with braised rabbit). With its emphatically South Beach vibe – nearly more nightclub than restaurant – it’s almost too cool for Clematis.
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Feelgood’s
Co-owned by Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil, this 8500-sq-ft rock bar/dance club has shiny choppers, rock memorabilia and a mammoth snake slithering into the rafters. Heads up: the place is packed with girls, from bartenders in skimpy outfits, to dancers on the poles, to customers coming to get wild – some visitors will love it and some will loathe it; bypass this place if you are of the latter variety. Not enough big ’80s hair, but it’s still good, cheesy fun.
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Ann Norton Sculpture Garden
This serene collection of sculptures is a real West Palm gem. The historic house, verdant grounds and enormous sculptures are all the work of Ralph Norton’s second wife, Ann. After establishing herself as an artist in New York in the mid-1930s, she became the first sculpture teacher at the Norton School of Art in West Palm and soon married Ralph. When creating the garden, she intended to create a soothing environment for the public to relax. She succeeded.
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Ragtops Motorcars Museum
This spot was originally a classic-car dealership with three convertible Mercedes, Ty Houck’s incredible automobile collection grew quickly, compelling area automotive enthusiasts to stop by for a look-see. Today, you can test-drive many of the vehicles on display, though it helps to have serious intent to buy. Otherwise, you’re free to browse the rarities displayed, including an amphibious 1967 Triumph, a regal 1935 Bentley and a 1959 Edsel station wagon.
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Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
All things to all people - arts-loving people, that is. Comprising a main concert hall, the black-box Rinker Playhouse, a pavilion housing lecture halls and practice rooms, and an outdoor amphitheater, the Center is host to astounding fare. A recent sample includes the World Famous Count Basie Orchestra with Bob Lappin and the Palm Beach Pops, the Russian National Ballet Theatre's production of Swan Lake and a concert by Englebert Humperdinck.
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Leila
Cobalt walls, gauzy scrims and iridescent sconces transport you to another place; after one bite you realize that place is heaven. Translating as ‘exotic night, ’ cosmopolitan Leila offers mouthwatering starters like grilled Syrian cheeses; main dishes include zesty plates of lamb, beef or veggies. Cap dinner with a muscular Turkish coffee or a post-meal puff from a hookah. (Also cool: each month, the owners donate a percentage of profits to charity.)
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Rhythm Café
Housed in a former pharmacy, this cozy bistro in the heart of West Palm’s antique district sports a super-fun, super-unpretentious atmosphere and delicious, eclectic eats. Owner-chef Ken Rzab unveils new, seasonal dishes daily, heaping on the flavor and morphing old standbys into novel creations (hog snapper with a tropical-fruit compote, ginger and rum). Aside from the vintage lunch counter, there are only 10 tables, so call for reservations.
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Palm Beach Fish Market & Bistro
Nestled in West Palm's antiques row, this new seafood house has quickly become a beloved spot. While its market half has a great selection of fresh catches, fine wine and gift baskets, its classic dining room turns out expertly prepared dishes including baked Chilean sea bass with tomatoes and shallots, seafood pesto pasta and pecan crusted swordfish. But is fish not your wish? Other options range from steaks to chicken dishes.
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Mounts Botanical Garden
This pleasant, 15-acre botanical garden, between Southern Blvd and Belvedere Rd, was hit hard by a 2004 hurricane, forced to close for five months to allow its grounds to recuperate. But it's back now and better than ever, with 14 acres of tropical and subtropical plants, including citrus and floral trees, plus fragrant herb and flower gardens. However, its guided tours have been suspended until further notice.
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Howley's Restaurant
Stick around for more than a couple of days and you'll eventually find yourself in this retro-diner institution, reopened recently after a extensive renovation that's made it look like a mint-condition relic. You can get breakfast all day long, comfort foods from Reubens to burgers, and either a thick old-fashioned milkshake or a strong Old Fashioned, thanks to its full-liquor bar.
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Tiki Waterfront Grill
Nestled inside the Riviera Beach Marina, this hidden gem is pure Florida. Open-aired, thatch-roofed and right on the water, it has a rowdy but friendly feel and live music Thursday through Sunday. In addition to hearty pre-boat-ride breakfasts on weekends, this divine dive dishes up the best Buffalo shrimp and Baja-styled fish tacos on the east coast.
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Pizza Luna
A popular spot both for folks grabbing a slice on the go or for savvy locals picking up whole pies, this is where you'll find 'New York-style' slices, cheese-stuffed calzones and pizza toppings from the standard (pepperoni, onion, meatballs) to the strange (avocado, feta cheese, bay leaves). There's also a large array of budget-wise salads.
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El Cid District
This residential historic district, founded in the Florida land boom of the 1920s as an upper-class community, is a lovely place to stroll. Visit streets including Barcelona, Belmont and Granada, as well as the Mango Promenade (off Olive Ave), with Mediterranean Revival houses, bungalows, and an eclectic collection of other tropical homes.
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Respectable Street
Respectables has kept South Florida jamming to great bands for two decades; they also organize October’s MoonFest, the city’s best block party. Great DJs, strong drinks and a breezy chill-out patio are added bonuses. See if you can find the hole that the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis punched in the wall when they played here.
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Pizza Girls
Pizza Girls’ huge, innovative pizzas named mostly after the Big Apple (the New Yorker sports portobellos, roasted peppers, spinach, onion and toasted goat cheese) are slices of heaven in earthly downtown West Palm. There are only five tables inside, so order a slice, trot to the Intracoastal and watch the water lap at your feet.
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Mr G’s Rock Bar & Grill
During the week, there’s Beer Pong (Tuesdays, also Biker Night), open mic (Wednesdays) and college night (Thursdays). Weekends rage with live rock blasting among a sea of pool tables. The menu features music-themed dishes (Phish dip), but don’t arrive too early: the party doesn’t get going till the dancers show up after work.
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Havana
Biting into this Cuban restaurant’s tender ropa vieja (shredded beef in a spicy sauce) is like stepping into Cuba, c 1955. Added bonus: the walk-up window, serving the full menu, is open round the clock. When you need a pick-me-up, nothing works faster or tastes better than the steaming café con leche here.
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