5 Things You Must Do in

West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach Car Rentals

West Palm Beach, Florida (population 90,000), is 70 miles north of Miami and 46 miles north of Fort Lauderdale. The city has been credited with being one of the best places to live and work in the U.S. with its palm-lined streets, scenic waterfront views, quaint shopping districts, historic neighborhoods, and year-round outdoor festivals.

1. Beaches- The climate of West Palm Beach is subtropical, and the city has nearly constant sunshine and only mildly distinguishable seasons. The area’s numerous and famed beaches offer sunning, volleyball, swimming, fishing, roller-blading, strolling, and kayaking.

2. Historic homes- West Palm Beach was founded in 1894 by railroad tycoon Henry Flagler to house servants working at hotels on nearby Palm Beach. Many of the city’s historic structures were created in the 1920s, when the city swelled. They include Reve d'ete (Garden of Eden), residences and gardens built between 1900 and 1915, and the early-1900s Beach Club.

3. Museums and Zoos- The Norton Museum of Art houses a world-renowned collection of European, American, Chinese, and contemporary art, along with rotating exhibitions. The Whitehall Flagler Museum epitomizes the Beaux Arts mansion style of the U.S. Gilded Age of the 1890s. It includes the history of Flagler’s life and career and an extensive lace collection. The Flagler Kenan Pavilion, designed in the style of a 19th-century Beaux Arts railway palace, houses Flagler’s private railcar. Other facilities include The Armory Art Center, The South Florida Science Museum, The Elliott Museum, The Hibel Museum of Art, and The Raymond F. Kravis Center. Lion Country Safari is America’s first drive-through cageless zoo. It has seven sections: Las Palmas grasslands, five African habitats, and an Indian subcontinent national park.

4. Grassy Waters Preserve- This Florida Everglades habitat accounts for nearly half of the landmass of the city. The 20-square-mile wetlands resource was historically the headwaters of the Everglades system. It offers nature center pavilions, boardwalk trails, hiking, canoeing, programs, entertainment, birding, and nature viewing.

5. National sports teams- Miami is home of NBA champions the Heat, as well as the NFL’s Dolphins. Other nearby teams include the Jacksonville Jaguars football team, the Florida Panthers hockey team, and the Florida Marlins baseball team. The area is also well-known for its baseball spring-training facilities, where visitors can watch the action.