W
est Palm Beach is one of the oldest cities in South Florida, and the historic areas have a unique tropical ambience, combining the Spanish Colonial Revival influence of renowned 1920s architect Addison Mizner with the updated beauty of sleek contemporary buildings. The distinctive skyline is often photographed from the Intracoastal Waterway, and the city is instantly recognizable from the air as you fly into Palm Beach International Airport. From bohemian and artistic to trendy and modern, urban to upscale, West Palm Beach gives residents much more than balmy tropical weather. Its residents have created a city where people can walk, ride bikes, or push baby strollers, and everyone can explore a long list of things to do. There are two public transit systems: The Tri-rail commuter train makes downtown easily accessible from surrounding communities, and the newest rail alternative, Virgin Trains USA, puts downtown Miami just over an hour away.
The heart of West Palm Beach is the Arts and Entertainment District, with every cultural amenity one would expect in a major urban area, including Palm Beach Opera, Palm Beach Symphony, Ballet Florida, visiting musical acts, world-class museums such as the Norton Museum of Art, the regional theater Palm Beach Dramaworks, an active historical society, the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, and much more. Rosemary Square is at the geographic center of urban West Palm Beach. The European-style plaza and walkways are lined with shops and restaurants, and live entertainment fills the air with music Friday and Saturday evenings. Clematis Street is the place to go for food, and a short walk will bring you to nearly every type of cuisine in the world, including local landmarks like Roxy’s Pub, where more than 60 beers are available on draft and a rooftop provides an aerial view of the surroundings. Life in West Palm Beach is all about the
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water, and the city has amenities that no other place can offer. With the Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean to the east and Clear Lake and Magnolia Lake to the west, this is a water-activities paradise. Head down to the waterfront to rent a kayak or Jet Ski, take a snorkeling cruise, or go for a sunset sail on a 50-foot catamaran. On Saturdays from October through May, walk down to the waterfront for the West Palm Beach Green Market, a pet-friendly event where you can buy farm-fresh produce and artisanal prepared foods. In March, the Palm Beach International Boat Show draws thousands of boats from around the world. The waterfront is also the home of SunFest, Florida’s largest waterfront music and arts festival, attracting more than 275,000 visitors every spring for a celebration of sun, music, food, and fine arts. At Halloween, MoonFest takes advantage of the cool fall air with a costumed street party along Clematis Street.
WEST PALM BEACH 561-822-2222 wpb.org
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE PALM BEACHES 561-833-3711 palmbeaches.org
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