TCynth

The Perfect Palm Beach Getaway

Oh, Palm Beach! What a beautiful place. A change of scenery is much needed this time of year, especially during the long winter days in Seattle. Palm Beach really surprised me with all that it has to offer. From beautiful beaches, countless intracoastal viewings, amazing seafood, and the radiance of luxury all around, this is the perfect escape. This whole working from home thing is quite nice when you can work from Florida. I spent 9 days in Florida, splitting time between exploring Jupiter and Palm Beach and got to spend some time with family.

The first part of my trip consisted of working a few days, and exploring around Jupiter. My husband and I stayed with family, so we didn’t have the hotel experience besides the last few nights of our trip on the beach at Singer Island. However, spending a week in Jupiter and Palm Beach, we had the best of both worlds exploring a little bit each day. Jupiter is one of the hidden gems in Florida. It’s about 30 minutes north of West Palm Beach and is just far enough away that it doesn’t draw big tourists crowds, but close enough to get a little slice of paradise. One of the high travel months to this area is during January-February, and I can see why. My trip was the end of February, and it was refreshing to get away and get some sunshine. Here are some of my recommendations for both Jupiter and Palm Beach!

Getting There

The closest airport to fly into is the Palm Beach International Airport. However flying from Seattle, the only direct goes to Fort Lauderdale (which is about an hour drive to Palm Beach). Renting a car is the easiest way to get around and explore, especially if you want to venture out further than Palm Beach area. We lucked out and got a Jeep Wrangler to drive around the city, my dream hiking vehicle!

Places to Stay

The Breakers Hotel - For an elegant experience in Palm Beach, this is THE place to go. It’s known as one of the world’s most iconic hotels. By far, one of the most beautiful historic hotels I’ve walked through. The original hotel was opened in 1896 by Henry M. Flagler to accommodate travelers on his Florida East Coast Railway.

The Colony - The colony hotel screams everything Palm Beach and more! This chic and luxe hotel is known for its bold colors and is located right in the heart of Palm Beach. The Colony showcases beautiful pastel pinks and luscious green palm wallpaper throughout the hallways. Take a short stroll to the beach or shop on Worth Avenue. The hotel also offers complementary rides around town in the golf cart or you can rent a cute pastel pink bike to explore. Your days can be spent lounging at their gorgeous pool, or enjoying cocktails at the bar. This is the ultimate girls trip for your next bachelorette or get together!

The White Elephant - Another luxury experience with timeless charm and elegance. This contemporary interpretation of Mediterranean-revival architecture boasts with excitement while capturing the spirit of a stately home. It was originally built in 1924, and has been recently renovated.

Places to Eat

Brunch/Lunch in Jupiter

• Lazy Loggerhead Cafe ($$) - An American Breakfast Café with extra long waits if you don’t beat the crowd. This is a local fav, located near the beach with beautiful views of the oceanfront.

• First Watch ($$)- My first First Watch encounter was during a trip in Cleveland, OH. I quickly learned that this restaurant is a chain that started in Florida. I love this place because there’s a good mix of your traditional breakfast, but there are also a lot of healthier breakfast choices if you’re not feeling something heavy. Try the delicious Million Dollar Bacon that’s baked with brown sugar, black pepper, cayenne and a drizzle of maple syrup, and the Kale Tonic fresh juice here. Every breakfast dish is amazing here, the avocado toast, French toast, pancakes and biscuits and gravy are all mouthwatering goodness.

Dinner In Jupiter

• Leftovers Cafe ($$) - Owned by the same owners of Food Shack and everything here is amazing. They have a daily special menu, I ordered the Grouper (local fish you can’t get in Seattle) and it comes with a giant plate of vegetables garnished underneath your either grilled, pan-seared, or blackened choice of catch of the day.

• Food Shack ($$) - Be prepared for an hour + wait but everything here is so good, you can’t go wrong. The local favorite is the sweet potato encrusted fish.

• Schooners ($$) - The freshest local seafood! A cute little local joint with outdoor seating and so many choices of fish to pick from. You can’t go to Florida without getting either Grouper or Mahi Mahi (called ‘dolphin’ on many menus - but not the dolphin you’re thinking of!).

• Blue Pointe Bar & Grill ($$) A unique waterfront experience with incredible food. There’s a pool right in the middle of the restaurant, great for kids to swim while parents are eating or drinking. The poké, tacos, and lobster roll were delicious here!

• U-Tiki ($$) - I was very impressed with this restaurant. Its right on the intracoastal and we came on a Tuesday night and it was pretty crowded with over an hour wait. It’s situated in the hot spot of Jupiter and has amazing drinks and views of the Jupiter lighthouse. While you wait for the table, you can walk along the marina, or there are beach tables in the sand to enjoy cocktails until your table is ready. The sushi rolls and conch fritters were really good here!

• The Lucky Shuck ($$) - A newer restaurant right on the intracoastal, come here for oysters and fresh seafood but prepare for a long wait.

Drinks in Jupiter

• Square Grouper Tiki Bar ($$) - The first bar in Jupiter! it used to be a bait shop that sold beer but now it’s a sandy outdoor bar right on the intracoastal with amazing views of the light house. Check out the live music here!

• Guanabanas ($$) - An outdoor tropical lush setting with great cuisine and cocktails, highly recommend coming here for at least cocktails!

Dessert in Jupiter

• Palm Beach Ice Cream ($) - A small quaint ice cream shop that sure won’t disappoint!

Brunch/Lunch in Palm Beach

• RH/Restoration Hardware ($$$) - Restoration Hardware brunch never disappoints! Come here for a cute brunch date and enjoy the rooftop. The matcha latte is to die for here!

• Pizza Al Fresca ($$) - We stumbled upon this place in Worth Avenue hidden in a cute alleyway. This casual eatery offers Italian food such as pastas and wood-fired pizza on a picturesque patio

Dinner in Palm Beach

• Buccan ($$$) - This was my absolute favorite restaurant I ate at during this trip. Located right in the heart of Palm Beach near Worth Avenue. This is a high-end bistro, featuring American cuisine in a causally sophisticated setting. I absolutely loved the miso black cod entree, and my husband got the burger. The smoked jalapeño margarita is one of the best cocktails I’ve tried and they make their own smoked tequila.

• Lola 41 ($$$) - Located at the White Elephant Hotel. This place has a vibrant outdoor ambiance with black and white booths and umbrellas, with brightly colored pillows situated between the hotel. A mix of a sushi and bistro, we really loved the cocktails and the crab rangoon’s!

Drinks in Palm Beach

• HMF ($$$) - Located at the Breakers Hotel, I highly recommend stopping by here for drinks or dessert. Make sure you get the HMF Baked Alaska for dessert. I didn’t know what a Baked Alaska was before coming here, its basically a dessert consisting of ice cream and cake topped with browned meringue, and the special that night was red velvet (OMG! my fav). They do a little flaming show to present the dessert to you.

Dessert in Palm Beach

• Sugar Milk ($S) - Finally got my Asian fix here in Palm Beach! My husband and I absolutely love bubble tea and bubble waffles, and you can build your own bubble cone here!

• Crema ($) - The first Thai rolled ice cream shop in West Palm Beach. I enjoyed every bite of my dessert here, but I always love a sweet late night delight. We loved the Cooking Monstruo and the P’Nut Butter Cups. There are also many gluten free, and vegan options, as well as açaí bowls and smoothies here.
  

Things to do

• Worth Avenue - Perfect stop for those who love to shop! Shop around Worth Avenue and discover the cute nooks and alleyways. Walking through here reminded me of Europe. There are so many hidden boutiques, restaurants, and charming façades that are within these small alleys you would never expect to be there. All the famous high-end shopping can found here such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Lily Pulitzer. My husband was more fascinated with all the fancy cars rolling through here than shopping.

• Henry Flagler Museum - If you have time to explore, the Flagler museum is worth checking out. This was Henry Flagler’s Gilded Age estate dating back to 1902. You can take a walking tour through the estate and also have an afternoon tea in the Café Des Beaux-Arts. A cute little tea room worth checking out.

• Drive Shack- Just like a Top Golf experience, this place is Palm Beach’s version. My husband and I loved it so much, we went here twice. If you’re going on a busy evening, be sure to reserve a time slot online.

• Dubois Park - Located in Jupiter and is a great outdoor area with marked areas to swim on the inlet. Take a stroll around the park and you can spot the lighthouse from here!

• Jonathan Dickinson State Park- Located North of Jupiter, a great nature spot where you can do some hiking and kayaking on the river.

• Delray Beach - A further drive down south, about 20 mins from Palm Beach into a vibrant and intimate town. The beach has a smaller crowd, and a great spot to catch the sunrise!