Palm Beach, Florida: How to Spend 1 Perfect Day

Palm Beach is a gorgeous beach town separated from the mainland by the Lake Worth Lagoon. It’s known for its glitzy estates and its beaches, including the beautiful Palm Beach Municipal Beach.

Given its convenient location near many major cities, it can be turned into an easy 24-hour vacation. We recommend driving into town one day, staying the night, and then driving back the next day. However, if you do not have as much driving to do, you definitely could fit these activities into an eventual day trip! After spending one perfect day/night in Palm Beach ourselves, here is our suggested itinerary…

Morning: Drive Into Palm Beach

The beautiful city of Palm Beach is located in South Florida, near many of the major cities. From Jacksonville (our hometown), it is a little over 4 hours away via I-95 S. From Orlando, it is about 2 1/2 hours away. From Tampa, it is about 3 1/2 hours away. From Miami, it is about 1 1/2 hours away.

There are plenty of hotels to choose from during your stay in Palm Beach. We opted for an amazing night at The Chesterfield Palm Beach. This historic 4-star hotel was the best option because of its affordable rates and convenient location…it was just a few minutes from all of the popular sites!

We cannot recommend The Chesterfield enough. And did we mention that it is pink?

Afternoon: Relax at the Beach & See Clock Tower

You simply cannot visit Palm Beach without seeing Palm Beach! Prepare to be amazed by the gorgeous views, bright blue water, and peaceful ocean sounds. We spent a few hours simply relaxing at the beach.

All along Ocean Blvd is street parking for public beach access. With a bit of luck, you should be able to find a parking spot – especially if you visit in the off-season!

One of my favorite things about Palm Beach was its charming Clock Tower, located right along the beach and at the end of Worth Avenue.

You will 100% see people posing in front of this clock tower, but it’s worth the wait to not have anyone in the photograph.

Beach Access & Clock Tower Address: 423 S Ocean Blvd, Palm Beach, FL 33480

Late Afternoon: Visit The Colony Hotel

Another pink hotel – I love this area so much! First opened in 1947, this elegant, British colonial-style hotel cannot be missed. Any blog post you read about Palm Beach will list The Colony Hotel as one of the most Instagrammable spots in the city. It is very girly, luxurious, and picturesque. Even if you cannot manage a stay at The Colony Hotel, simply walking around the grounds is worth some of your time. It sure is one of the prettiest buildings around.

Address: 155 Hammon Ave, Palm Beach, FL 33480

Evening: Dinner

There are SO many options in the area for a delicious meal. Check out this huge list of the top restaurants.

Morning: Shop at The Royal Poinciana Plaza

One of my favorite memories was exploring the gorgeous shops at Royal Poinciana Plaza. The original reason I ended up here was because there was a pop-up exhibit that had a cute pink pumpkin patch. Once I walked through the indoor/outdoor shopping area, I quickly fell in love with the overall design, yummy restaurants, and unique shops.

One boutique in particular that deserves a lot of praise is LoveShackFancy. The shop always has a photogenic setup and a unique assortment of colorful clothes to browse through.

LoveShackFancy Address: 340 Royal Poinciana Way Suite M325D, Palm Beach, FL 33480

Late Morning: Stop by The Breakers

Located on a half-mile of private beach, The Breakers Palm Beach offers luxury accommodations with stunning architecture. The resort features an on-site spa and 2 championship golf courses. The Breakers is easily one of the area’s most iconic buildings. You are allowed to drive through the gate to snap a quick photo…but of course, the best way to explore the property is booking a stay.

Address: 1 S County Rd, Palm Beach, FL 33480

Lunch Break

There are SO many options in the area for a delicious meal. Check out this huge list of the top restaurants.

Afternoon: Worth Avenue Shopping

Worth Avenue is lined with upscale boutiques, galleries and restaurants. The lively street has been around since 1938! You will likely pass by Worth Avenue multiple times, given its central location. At one end of the avenue sits the Clock Tower and the beach.

There is plenty of street parking as well as parking garages along the avenue. Spend a few hours exploring the high-end shops and the yummy eats. You might also spot some of the photogenic staircases or wall art.

Address (starting at the clock tower): 423 S Ocean Blvd, Palm Beach, FL 33480

Afternoon: Photograph Royal Palm Way

Royal Palm Way gives me major California vibes. These massive palm trees cannot be missed on your drive into Palm Beach. There are a few parking spaces along the road, depending on what side of the road you’re on. I took the image above through my windshield, in fact. Be extra careful when photographing this iconic street. It is beautiful, but traffic is obviously busy. An extra bit of safety and patience will land you a gorgeous photograph!

Address: 205 Royal Palm Way, Palm Beach, FL 33480

Late Afternoon: Drive Home

While your stay might be short, it will be sweet. If you’re anything like me, you will leave the beach town in hopes to one day live there. Every inch of Palm Beach is picture-perfect. It is an ideal trip with the girls, with your significant other, or with your family. Multiple days would be amazing!

With Extra Time, Visit…

• Flagler Museum – Henry Flagler’s former residence
• Golf – so many course options with beach views
• Mounts Botanical Garden – a 14-acre tropical oasis
• Palm Beach Zoo – perfect for kids and families
• Peanut Island – plenty of water activities to participate in around the 79-acre landmass near Lake Worth Inlet
• Norton Museum of Art – features more than 7000 works of art from various eras and cultures
• Manatee Lagoon – see endangered manatees and learn about how to preserve and protect the beautiful creatures

We hope you enjoyed our guide to spending one perfect day in Palm Beach!

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Did you know that I am a professional photographer? If you love these photos, you can get them exclusively printed from my print shop!