H E L L O P A R A D I S E !
Destination: Palm Beach, Florida
WE HAVE ARRIVED:
Recently, my mom and I took a girls trip to the beautiful and iconic Palm Beach! Living in Florida, this was definitely on my bucket list. In this guide I’m going to be sharing some of our favorite finds including where to stay, where to shop, the best places to eat and what to do while you’re in paradise!
WHERE TO STAY:
WHERE TO STAY:
Palm Beach is a small island just a short ride over the bridge from West Palm Beach, Florida. When finding the best place to stay, we looked at three options. The famous Breakers Hotel, The Colony Hotel or a cute airb&b in the middle of town. We ultimately decided to go with The Colony Hotel. We couldn’t resist it’s prime location and boutique inspired look.
The Colony Hotel:
Known for its impeccable charm and tropical vibes, The Colony Hotel does not lack Instagram worthy opportunities around every corner. From the palm print decor to the pink and white walls, I was completely swooning! I cannot say enough wonderful things about their personable staff members and service.
The hotel is centered in the heart of town, making walking to your destination so easy! Just around the corner is Worth Avenue, known for its high end retail shops and restaurants. Down the road in eyes view is beachside. In the neighborhood of the hotel, we enjoyed walking the side streets and viewing the gorgeous homes and luxury cars. If your destination was a bit too far to walk, the hotel provided transportation in their fun pink themed golf cart or air conditioned Cadillac. We found this accommodation to be so helpful during the afternoon when it was extremely hot. We simply requested a ride and were picked up when needed! Talk about service!
Built in 1947, the rooms still maintain the old charm, bright colors and loud prints. Something to note about The Colony is each and every room is decorated completely different! We did manage to peek into some other suites while passing through the hall and saw so many fun color schemes. You could visit The Colony multiple times and have a new experience during each stay.
(While some rooms showcase a tropical vibe others are a victorian inspired feel. We loved the mixture of the two. It is quintessential Palm Beach!)
The hotel has a quaint and quiet pool area with aesthetically pleasing green + white lounge chairs and bar service. The cute Bimini bar is located in the lawn area where you can also find pink corn hole boards and other summer activities. The Colony has a wonderful restaurant that we enjoyed for lunch and room service!
For more information or to book a stay, visit:
WHERE TO SHOP + EAT:
A girls trip calls for a full day of coffee runs, shopping and Instagram worthy food (am I righttt). We absolutely conquered all of the above! Here are our favorite spots in Palm Beach.
Worth Avenue:
Worth Avenue is known for its luxury retail shops and restaurants, including Chanel, Gucci, J.Mclaughlin, Maus & Hoffman, Louis Vuitton and Neiman Marcus just to name a few. This row of unique buildings and storefronts is comparable to a “Southern Rodeo Drive”. With posh window marquees and so much island style to see, we had fun just grabbing our Starbucks and walking down the plush row taking in all of the fashion finds.
Hours and Directory:
Picture Perfect Views:
While you’re walking down Worth Avenue, keep your eyes peeled for some Instagram worthy photo ops. We found an adorable scripted wall, pink awnings, and bougainvillea covered storefronts!
The First Lilly Pulitzer:
Even if you don’t happen to be an avid Lilly Pulitzer costumer, you have to stop in to where it all began for this bright & fun brand! Palm Beach loves Lilly, it is showcased and scattered all over the town. We couldn’t get over the explosion of pattern and details in the shop! If you are a Lilly lover, there is a unique opportunity to design and create your very own shift dress with one of the stores stylist! We had to save this fun experience for another trip with the bestie who is a Lilly freak! (Love ya Meg)
Store hours and more details:
The Royal Poinciana Plaza:
“The Royal” as the locals call it is just a short ride from the middle of town. It is a beautiful shopping center with some of the best little stores and dining! Home to The Palm Beach Grill and Sant Ambroeus, this charming outdoor shopping center has everything a girl could want. We spent an afternoon walking the grounds and popping in the cute shops. Since the Palm Beach Grill (which was highly recommended to us by so many locals) was only open for dinner hours, we stopped into the new Coyo Taco, which was delicious!
** Side note for Palm Beach Grill: We did read that the restaurant has dress code guidelines for dinner, so be sure to visit their website before!
Hours and Directory:
Coyo Taco:
We ate at the new Coyo Taco located in the Royal Plaza. If you are a guacamole fanatic like me, then I promise you will want to stop in! The food was so fresh and delicious. I got the grouper tacos and my mom ordered the mexican chicken salad. It was a 10/10 for both of us!
Hours and Menu:
The Colony Restaurant (CPB):
Right in our hotel was some of the most fun + gorgeous dishes. Accompanied by its very own chef, The Colony does not disappoint when it comes to dining options. We ate here twice, once in the dining room and the other in our room! The margarita flatbread was incredible and the key lime pie was a different take and taste than I have had before. It’s a great plus to have good food where you are staying on nights that you don’t want to go back out!
WHAT TO DO IN PALM BEACH:
Visit the Palm Beach Clock Tower:
This historical landmark is a statement on the small island. Located on Old Ocean Blvd, the clock tower faces the entrance of Worth Avenue and has the picturesque backdrop of the ocean. With palm trees located on each side, it’s a dreamy spot for photos!
Discover more of the clock tower’s history here:
Walk the grounds of the Breakers Hotel:
The Breakers is hands down one of the most beautiful beachfront resorts I have ever seen. Founded in 1896, this hotel is an explosion of impeccable detail from the floor to the ceiling.
Built by Henry M., the luxurious architecture was continued from his home to this property. There is so much to look at and take in. From the overwhelming entrance of the grounds to when you walk in the lobby, it is sure to take your breath away.
At The Breakers there is a variety of restaurants and shopping. While we were there we stopped and had lunch at The Seafood Bar. The food was incredible. For an appetizer we were suggested the Parker House Rolls (and you guys, I am still drooling!). The shrimp cocktail was also a big hit amongst the table. The experience was just as nice as walking into the hotel. The restaurant had a fish tank bar and gorgeous views of the ocean. We were so pleased to have lunch while also watching people boating + snorkeling!
Beach it:
The Colony provides each guest with a beach bag that has all the beach day essentials (towels, a frisby, sunscreen, water etc.) along with the cutest pink and white beach chairs.
Being from New Smyrna Beach, I will be completely transparent and say that the beach did not impress us..AT ALL.. it was murky, dirty and there was little to no beach left. The sand was a thousand degrees and the grounds were rocky and uncomfortable. The hurricane definitely reshaped the land. With all that being said, if you don’t have normal access to a beach I would recommend getting as close to The Breakers beach access where there seemed to be more room and a beautiful Gulf Stream going through the ocean. This made the water more tuqrquoise and a better area for activities on jet skis, boats and a more ideal place to snorkel. If you are looking to lay out and soak up the sun, it is still a gorgeous view once you get past the walk to the water!
Explore and Take a Bike Ride:
Palm Beach is a small island that you can definitely cover completely by bike! They even have a specific bike route to see the island efficiently! At The Colony we were given access to complimentary cruisers to travel the island. If you aren’t planning on staying at The Colony there are different bike rentals in the area! Cruising is a great way to beat the heat and see some of the gorgeous sites that Palm Beach has to offer. Our favorite was of course the real estate and the fact that so many celebrities reside on the island!
Visit the Flagler Museum:
This was one of my favorite things we decided to do on the trip! The Henry Morrison Flagler Museum is completely enriched in history and luxurious decor. This estate resembles the wealth and brilliance that was brought to Palm Beach by Mr. Morrison. We were in awe by the sheer beauty in all 75 rooms. We were able to tour the entire site, inside and out. We were also able to view the railroad cart that Henry M. built and resided in while building the Florida railway system! So cool! Visit my Instagram stories to see a more detailed tour of the mansion!
For more information about the museum, visit:
Chase the Sunset:
This is free and undeniably the best photo you can get in Palm Beach! You can’t beat cotton candy skies every night while walking to dinner. We checked out the sunset from both the beach and Worth Avenue and we were equally impressed!
Palm Beach Wrap Up:
Our experience and stay truly felt so warm and welcoming. Not only was it stress free, it was easy. Everything is so convenient and close. I would highly recommend Palm Beach for a girls retreat or even a weekend getaway. From the beach to shopping, this island town has a variety of things to do. Packing our suitcases and leaving our fave tour guide + chauffeur (the amazing Scott from The Colony) was not fun but this sure isn’t the last visit we will have. See you sooner than later PB!
I hope this guide can help if you are planning a trip to paradise! Feel free to ask me any questions if I happened to miss anything and stay tuned for future blog posts and travel guides!
XO,
Kirsty
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