West Palm Beach
Distance from Polk county – 155 Miles
Foodies and culture cognoscente will love this South Florida slice of paradise. This is a coastal city dripping in fine cuisine, arts, and culture (oh, and shopping).
Described as a “foodie paradise,” West Palm has an offering of eclectic eats. Enjoy Asian small plates, gyoza tacos, dim sum, noodle dishes (duh), and craft cocktails at Kapow! Noodle Bar. Slurp your noodles amidst their sidewalk seating to take in the pulse of West Palm. For some of the best pho and other Vietnamese street food, check out Inch & Ounces – and snap an Instagram photo with their “Crazy Pho You” neon sign in the background for extra social media cred.
Buccan gives a fresh perspective on an upscale casual dining experience. The dining space is unbuttoned, juxtaposed with exceptional seasonal small plates and craft drinks. Other recommendations include Eccho for their “mouthwatering” Peking Duck and sushi as well as the Avocado Grill. E. R. Bradley’s Saloon, an open-air waterfront favorite of locals and visitors, boasts beachy cocktails and bites including Baja local fish tacos and Aloha classic cocktails.
Bring your credit card because the shopping at Rosemary Square is killer. Rosemary Square has a stunning water pavilion fixture to admire from a distance or dance in if you please. Stop and make a wish at The Wishing Tree while on your shopping excursion. At night, the 26-foot-tall installment flaunts a breathtaking display of 100,000 full-color-spectrum LED lights across its 10,000 leaves. “The lighting algorithm is inspired by the fluid behavior of South Florida’s inherent weather systems,” according to www.rosemarysquarewpb.com. Another high-end shopping experience can be had just over the Flagler Memorial Bridge in the botanical backdrop of Palm Beach’s The Royal Poinciana Plaza with 50 hand-selected brands to shop.
Once your belly is full and your wallet hopefully not too empty, check out the city’s arts and culture offerings. The exhibition, George Cohen: Artist of the Chicago Avant-Garde is up now through September 6, 2020, at the Norton Museum of Art. Or you can snag tickets to a performance at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts downtown. Across the bridge to Palm Beach is the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, a 75-room Gilded Age estate and museum.
If you’re more of an animal than arts person, head back into West Palm to the Palm Beach Zoo. Guests can admire over 190 species of animals – everything from tamarins to toucans, ocelots to otters, and koalas to Komodo dragons. Fun fact, the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society sponsors conservation efforts throughout the world.
During your visit, you’ll likely notice the blue bikes around town. These are a part of the SkyBike Bike Share, a pay-as-you-go bike share available through the nextbike app. You can rent a bike to suit your needs from 30 minutes, the whole day, or even monthly if you’re planning an extended stay. The bike share is a great way to burn off all the calories from your West Palm foodie adventures!
Article Written By: Tara Crutchfield & Amy Sexson Jul 1, 2020. LKLD Haven Magazine