Palm Beach attracts over 7.3 million visitors every year. They spend approximately $4.6 billion, including $600 million on recreation alone.
There are plenty of attractions in the area worth your time and money, but it all depends on what you’re looking for. History buffs will love its museums. Wildlife enthusiasts will enjoy its unique species of animals. There are plenty of shopping centers if you need some retail therapy.
Like and subscribe to ViewCation for more on what to do in this popular section of the state. Keep watching to learn about the best things to do in Palm Beach, Florida.
Panther Ridge Conservation Center
Judy Berns opened this center in the 90s. It’s full of injured or endangered big cats, including tigers, black panthers, jaguars, mountain lions, cheetahs, and ocelots. They roam freely throughout the center.
There are several options for exploring the center. You can take a guided or twilight tour, go for a keeper experience, or even get up close and personal with a leopard.
Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
This is the place to go if you want to see species of plants and animals that only live in the Everglades. This includes the snail kite, the wood stork, the American alligator, and more.
Elevated boardwalks and hammocks make it easier to walk through the treacherous terrain. There are also walking and biking trails, and you can even paddle through some like the Everglades Canoe Trail.
Lion Country Safari
This is another excellent place to see wildlife and one of the best things to do in Palm Beach if you have animal-loving kids. It was established in 1967 and covers over 600 acres.
There are over 1,000 animals to see on the safari roaming around without cages. An audio guide will give you information on them. There’s also a theme park with rides, waterslides, a petting zoo, and giraffe feeding.
Palm Beach Zoo
This smaller, 23-acre spot still manages to stuff over 550 animals and 190 species into its space. There are also beautiful native plants to enjoy. You can take a guided tour, feed an animal, or even stay overnight.
Manatee Lagoon
Manatees are one of Florida’s most familiar and beloved animals. The officials at the Power & Light’s facility noticed them gathering around its warm-water outflow and decided to turn it into a lagoon to help the endangered creatures recover.
The gentle, friendly manatees love to swim up to tourists on the docks and have their bellies rubbed. You can also enjoy the lagoon’s exhibits, observation areas, and manatee webcam. Admission is free, but it’s is a popular spot, so be sure to arrive early to get a parking spot.
Rapids Water Park
This fun attraction has been entertaining locals and visitors since 1979. Its most thrilling rides include the Big Thunder, the Brain Drain, and the Pirates Plunge slides. Barefooting Bay is a playground for the kids, and Big Surf is a 25,000-foot wave pool the whole family will love.
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park
This 483-acre park is full of local plants and animals. It’s easy to walk through with boardwalks and trails. The 1600-foot bridge takes you from the estuary to the beach and is a perfect place to spot birds or even manatees. There are also 2 subtropical trails to walk on.
The actual beach is long and calm. You can enjoy the water in a canoe, kayak, or paddleboard, or just relax on the sand.
Riviera Beach
Also known as Singer Island Beach, the white sands and clear water make this one of the best things to do in Palm Beach. It has a shady pavilion and benches to relax on as well as working bathrooms. There’s even a grassy park with plenty of other amenities. They include picnic tables, shade trees, barbecue areas, a playground, and tennis and volleyball courts.
Peanut Island
Take a water taxi to reach this 80-acre park. It offers plenty of water fun, including kayaking, fishing, and snorkeling. You can also relax on one of its beaches or walk its paved pathways.
Juniper Inlet Lighthouse
This historic lighthouse, which opened in 1860, has a red brick color that sets it apart from all others. It’s 108 feet tall with over 105 stairs on its spiral staircase. It also has a museum and gift shop to enjoy.
Loggerhead Marine Life Center
One of the most special things you can see on any beach is newborn sea turtles making their way to the ocean. You can do that here from April to October, but there are also plenty of other ways to get close to the magnificent animals. Take a tour, go to the turtle hospital, or even name and adopt one of your own.
Cox Science Center and Aquarium
This is one of the best things to do in Palm Beach because the two buildings that make it up are full of enough activities to keep you busy all day. It has a large aquarium in the center, hands-on marine life displays, a planetarium, a mini-golf course, splash pads, and more.
Like and subscribe to ViewCation for more Florida travel recommendations. Keep watching to learn about more of the best things to do in Palm Beach, including informative museums, beautiful hikes, and memorable tours.
Flagler Museum
Henry Flagler built Palm Beach and other Florida landmarks like the Overseas Railroad. His former home later became the first museum in the state.
The New York Herald called it the grandest mansion in the world. It was one of the most technologically advanced homes of the 20th century with a telephone, electricity, central heating, and 22 bathrooms.
Visitors can tour the grand hall, kitchen, parlor, and study. The hallways are full of art, and there are also other revolving exhibitions full of culture. There’s also a cafe and, in the winter, you can enjoy afternoon tea in the garden.
Norton Museum of Art
Ralph Hubbart Norton established this gallery in 1941. It’s the largest one in Florida and has over 7,000 works from around the world.
Take a free tour of the galleries, courtyard, and sculpture garden. You can also stop by for a lecture or educational program and finish your visit at the restaurant or gift shop.
Ragtops Automobile Museum
This is one of the best things to do in Palm Beach for automobile enthusiasts, but anyone can enjoy it. Ty Houck owns it and likes to say he’ll bring home anything that can fit in the trunk, and there’s no end to the amount of memorabilia he’s brought to the museum.
You can look at or even buy classic cars like Chevrolet Corvettes, Deluxe Woody Wagons, and a 1933 Essex Terraplane Cabriolet. You’ll also see road signs, oil company emblems, toy cars, and other highlights. Always call ahead to see when the museum opens.
Rosemary Square
Rosemary Square, also known as simply “the Square” is often rated as one of the best things to do in Palm Beach. This entertainment and dining center has everything you could want, including clothing and jewelry shops, restaurants in a variety of cultures, gourmet marketplaces, and more.
Local bands perform in the open-air plaza on the weekends. You can also be entertained at the Improv Comedy Club & Dinner Theater, The Harriet Himmel Theater, or the AMC CityPlace 20.
Royal Pinciana Plaza
This new shopping area is full of unique places to visit. Restaurants include TooJay’s Deli and the hip speakeasy within Coyo Taco. You can also stop by the Celis Produce mini-market, the wine academy, a pilates or yoga studio, or just walk along its checkboard corridors.
Worth Avenue
This street is a great place to window shop. It has luxury brands, unique antiques, art galleries, and more. The Ta-Boo Restaurant was once a favorite of the Kennedys, and there are plenty of other gourmet food stops as well. Learn about the area’s history on a Palm Beach Walking Tour in the winter.
Juno Dunes
This unique hiking area has 2 loop trails that stretch 576 acres from Highway 1 to the Intracostal Waterway. It’s full of dunes and low shrubbery. There’s not much shade, so come in the off-season and bring water.
Lake Trail
This 5.5-mile bike trail is one of the best things to do in Palm Beach because it gives you the best views of everything in the area. You’ll see a coral cut, a huge kapok tree known as Big Tree, and more.
International Polo Club
This spot hosts some of the best athletes in the world and is also full of gorgeous gardens. The season lasts from New Year’s to the last week of April. You can get a different experience here each time, enjoying fancy accommodations like grandstand seating and champagne or a more relaxed tailgate.
Green’s Pharmacy & Lunchenottte
This unique spot has created milkshakes and comfort food and served as a pharmacy since 1938. It’s attracted plenty of celebrities over the years, including John F. Kennedy, Frank Sinatra, Rod Steward, and Jimmy Buffett.
Johnny Longboats
This restaurant has a unique menu full of everything you can think of when you picture beachy food, including sushi. The decor adds to the feeling and features boats, sharks, and crabs in every room and on the large patio.
Islander Grill and Tiki Bar
This great restaurant sits outside of the Palm Beach Shores Resort. It has circular seating that adds to a community atmosphere. The menu includes Mahi Mahi tacos and other delicious seafood, and they also have great drink specials.
Honey Fitz
Who wouldn’t want a chance to add a trip on John F. Kennedy’s former presidential yacht to their trip itinerary? It’s 93 feet long and holds up to 70 people. The price is steep at up to $5,390 per day, but it’s an unforgettable ride.
DivaDuck Amphibious Tour
Sometimes, it’s the vehicle you’re riding that makes a tour stand out. A DivaDuck is one of the best with its colors and amphibious nature.
The narrated tour is 75 minutes long. It starts at Rosemary Square and then goes through Clematis Street. You’ll end up at The Breakers, a popular luxury resort, and then go to the Flagler Museum. You’ll end with a cruise along the Intracoastal.
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