The Best Of The Palm Beach Florida

I have visited the area of Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Juno Beach and Jupiter, Florida since I was a child. With both sets of my grandparents calling it home I have spent time here since they first moved there in 1990. I have seen the area as a child and as an adult. I am going to try to give you ideas of places to visit whether you come with children or not. I can say I have no knowledge of hotels in the area due to the fact that I always stay with my grandparents. I will be giving some information on places to shop, dine and attractions to visit. I hope this Hub makes planning a trip easier. It is always nice to know what to expect from restaurants, shops and attractions before you arrive.

The beautiful area of the Palm Beaches, Juno and Jupiter are some of the most breath taking views in the world. The shopping is only rivaled the shopping in Hollywood. The dining is full of amazing experiences from simple to extravagant. The attractions are both entertaining for children and grown-ups. So please enjoy my favorites of the this South Florida vacation spot.

To make listing locations of places easier please follow this key:

• Palm Beach- PB
• West Palm Beach- WPB
• North Palm Beach- NPB
• Palm Beach Gardens- PBG
• Jupiter- JUP
• Juno Beach- JB
• Singer Island- SI

My favorite area restaurants are not just local spots. Some are national chains, but makes sure to check out those that are only locally found.

Testa's Restaurant- PB American/Italian/Seafood A Palm Beach institution since 1921. They also allow pets when dining on the outdoor patio.

Taboo- PB American/Bar Providing a place for rich and famous to enjoy a drink or dine since 1941.

Toojay's Original Gourmet Deli- PB, PBG, JUP New York Style Deli that opened in 1981.

Duffy's Sports Grll- WPB, NPB, JUP The name says it all. A sports bar and grill opened since 1985.

Sailfish Maria- SI Seafood/Breakfast Great seafood with a wonderful view. They also have breakfast. Saturday and Sunday they have large breakfast buffet.

Flamingo Cafe- PBG Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch A little hidden gem. This a great place for breakfast. It is hidden in a shopping.

Jetty's- JUP Seafood This is a great spot if you get there early. The patio will fill up quickly and because they do offer early bird specials the seniors will arrive early. If you sit inside it is VERY loud. For me the reason for dining here is the view. While the food is good there are places with quality on this list. They are only open for dinner.

Ke'e Grill- JB Seafood/Steaks This is one of the more expensive places on this list. The food is great and totally worth the price. They are only open for dinner.

Hurricane Cafe- JB American style food. The breakfast here is fantastic. They are open all day, but if you can make it go for the breakfast.

The Capital Grille- PBG Steak/Seafood This is the high end of high end on the list. This is where the celebrities and extreme wealthy like to dine. Don't be surprised to see a Bentley or Rolls-Royce out front. This one is not for children. They are open for lunch and dinner. The hours vary daily. Please check their website.

Brio Tuscan Grill- PBG, WPB Italian Grill This is a fantastic Italian dining experience. I can promise this one will taste amazing. On my last visit this was my favorite meal of the whole trip.

P.F. Changs Chinese Bistro- PBG This is an upscale dining experience. The Asian dishes are mouth watering. You will want to go back again and again. This is one of the places on the list that you might be able to find near your home.

Historical sites are some of the best attractions in the area. There are some that might not be as interesting to children, but others that could still hold their attention.

• The Flagler Museum- PB The museum is the home of Henry Flagler and was built during a period in history called the Gilded Age. The home was completed in 1902. Flagler made his money as part of the Standard Oil company. He would build the hotel in Palm Beach that would later be named The Breakers and he would also extend the railroad system he took part in creating all the way to Key West, Florida. On a side note: Make sure to check out the beautiful gardens to the left of the front entrance. There as an amazing site thanks to mother nature.

• Maritime Museum and Kennedy Bomb Shelter- PB The attraction is located in two locations. The first being on in Palm Beach and the other on Peanut Island. The location in Palm Beach is the place to go to set up a water taxi to go to the island. It is only accessible by boat.

• The Breakers Palm Beach- PB Staying here is way above most people's finances these days so maybe just dining in one of the restaurants on site or visiting one of the amazing shops will be a treat. The grounds are beautiful and nice to see if you get the chance.

There are many non-historical sites to visit in the area. Many of them are great for kids.

• Loggerhead Marinelife Center- JB The available options for touring the center vary daily. There are many timed activities involving marine life and activities are even non-marine related. Please visit there website before your visit. Having been many times this is a must see especially for children. http://www.marinelife.org
• South Florida Science Museum- WPB This is another great spot for children to visit. The website lists the regular exhibits and changing ones. There are also lists of any special activities. http://www.sfsm.org
• Palm Beach Zoo- WPB There is plenty to see and do at the zoo. Some of the animals include: North American River Otter, Malayan Tigers, Kangaroo, Tropical Birds, Monkeys, Florida Panther, Bush Dogs, Giant Anteaters, and Jaguars. Please visit the website to check for special events. http://www.palmbeachzoo.org

The shopping in the Palm Beach area is AMAZING! From top designers to small local boutiques this will make shop-aholics dreams come true. This is a small list of some of my favorite places that are not to be missed, but there are even more top locations that you should check out.

Worth Avenue- PB The upscale shopping area is sometimes called the Rodeo Drive of the east coast. The area is 4 blocks and smaller alleyways that are like courtyards.

Shops include: Cartier, Valentino, Pucci & Catana Luxury Pet Boutique, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, Giorgio Armani, Badgley-Mischka, Jimmy Choo, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, Gucci and Ralph Lauren

City Place- WPB CityPlace is an open-air, Italian-inspired shopping, dining and entertainment hot spot. There are more than 100 shops and restaurants, a restored 1920s church adapted that serves as a cultural center and an IMAX cinema. As if that was not enough to keep you busy all day there is more. They have free weekly entertainment outside and a show fountain in the center of the main plaza.

Shops Include: Armani Exchange, Brookstone, The Olive Tap, Puppies In Paradise, Macy's, Restoration Hardware, Sephora, Chicos and Williams-Sonoma

The Gardens Mall-PBG The Gardens Mall might seem like your typical shopping mall, but it is a great deal more. While you will find shops like you would at any other mall you will also find many high end stores that are not normally available at a mall. There are high end places to dine as well as normal mall fare and even an on site postal service.

Shops Include: Burberry, Bloomingdales, Chanel, Chicos, Coach, Lilly Pulitzer, LOFT, Macy's, Nordstroms, New Balance, Pandora, Vera Bradley, Teavana, Saks Fifth Avenue, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Tory Burch

A Florida treasure, Anthony's Ladies Apparel is a hidden gem. The 117 year old business specializes in women's resort wear, but they can be great summer looks whether you are at a resort or at home. Their beach cover ups are some of my favorite lounge at home clothing. They have locations in: NPB

There are many tours in the area. They show you the beauty of the landscape, the historic sites, the marine life and the large amount wealth found in the area.

• The Sailfish Marina Water Taxi- SI The Palm Beach "Now And Then" Cruise is fantastic. The tour lasts 90 minutes and is fully narrated. This is also the same boat that will give you access to Peanut Island.
• Diva Duck Land & Water Tours- WPB Visit the neighborhoods of West Palm Beach and view the homes of the rich and famous from the waterway. The tour is 75 minutes and fully narrated. There is also music and fun that kids will really like.
• Manatee Queen Excursions- JUP There are different types of cruises including sunset, moonlight and historical. There is also a some special cruise that I believe are upon request. The normal tours last 2 hours and are launched behind the Jetty Restaurant and Bubba Gump and Company Restaurant in Jupiter.

There are beautiful beaches and golf courses in the area. I am not much of a beach person (though I did go some as a child) or golfer, but they are a must if you like them.

Beaches

• Juno Beach Park and Loggerhead Park- JB
• Carlin Park, DuBois Park, Jupiter Beach Park and Ocean Cay Park- JUP
• John D. MacArthur Beach State Park- NPB

Golf

• Golf Club of Jupiter- JUP
• Jupiter Dunes- JUP
• Palm Beach Gardens Municipal Golf Course- WPB
• Okeeheelee Golf Course- WPB
• West Palm Beach Golf Course- WPB

I hope this article shows you some of the great vacation offerings of the Palm Beach area. Please remember there are even more activities, restaurants and shops that are not listed here. I only included places that I have personally gone to myself. So I support all the establishments and what they have to offer. Thank you again for viewing this HUB and please feel free to share your feedback.