How to Spend a Perfect 48 Hours in Palm Beach
Consider this the ultimate itinerary for design enthusiasts, art aficionados, and cocktail connoisseurs alike.
Welcome to the VERANDA Weekend Guides, where we show you how to make the most of 48 hours in our favorite destinations. Ever since the first hotel opened on Palm Beach in 1880, this charming South Florida resort town has been enchanting visitors from around the world, whether they are snowbirds from the Northeastern U.S. or design enthusiasts across the pond. Palm Beach is one of our editors's favorite places to spend a leisurely long weekend as it's not only home to pristine stretches of coastline but also features fabulous shopping, architecture, art galleries, and cocktail bars, all the while exuding the midcentury glamour that makes one feel like they are living in an iconic Slim Aarons photograph. What more could you ask for?
While "the season" formally begins in Palm Beach just after Thanksgiving and extends through Easter, we've noticed greater extensions year after year—especially in light of the pandemic—and this locale is truly becoming a year-round destination. If you're really looking to beat the crowds (and peak South Florida heat), we recommend visiting in late March, April, October, or early November, but we are always looking for an excuse to get back to this South Florida destination any time of the year. Here, you'll find a jam-packed weekend itinerary that offers some of the best Palm Beach has to offer, whether it's your first visit or you've vacationed there dozens of times.
Friday Afternoon
What better spot to kick off your Palm Beach weekend than with a stay at The Breakers? This iconic resort perfectly encapsulates the grand yesteryear glamour associated with this city while offering all the modern touches. Once you've dropped off your bags, admired the ocean view, and freshened up, it's time to start soaking up all the beauty, luxury, and creativity that surrounds you.
Friday Evening
Just down the street lies Royal Poinciana Plaza, one of the city's architectural gems with a brilliant history. Built in the mid-1950s by world-renowned architect John Volk and surrounded with lush, tropical plants, this shopping, dining, and entertainment epicenter is the perfect place to venture off to on a Friday night.
Try to get to Royal Poinciana Plaza as early as possible to peruse Pace Gallery, Lévy Gory, Assouline, and Gavlak Gallery before dinner. Fans of Sant Ambroeus's New York outposts will adore this fabulous Palm Beach location with a vibrant, sunny patio for enjoying a glass of wine and your favorite dishes.
Make sure to pop into HMF (named after Palm Beach scion Henry Flagler), the ultra-chic bar inside The Breakers at the end of the night to enjoy music, cocktails, and a 2,000-item wine list before heading up to your room for the night. This place hosted the Palm Beach gliterati for decades as the Florentine Room and now feels like a modern take on an exclusive social club.
Saturday Morning
There's a lovely walking path around The Breakers, and it will lead you to the stunning Henry Morrison Flagler Museum. Make sure to grab a latte on your way out of the hotel and spend the morning soaking up the Gilded Age opulence of the vacation home Flagler built as a wedding present for wife Mary Lily Kenan Flagler. It won't take long to realize why this 100,000 square foot estate established the Palm Beach "season" for the wealthy snowbirds at the turn of the 20th century with its jaw-dropping ballroom, art-filled music room, and lavish bedrooms that offered the utmost in hospitality.
Saturday Afternoon
Make a stop down the street at The Brazilian Court Hotel to enjoy a leisurely lunch (or brunch) at Café Boulud before venturing to Antiques Row in West Palm Beach. The French-American bistro features a menu by legendary chef Daniel Boulud inspired by the fabulous flavors of South Florida cuisine.
Once you've had your fill of Café Boulud's Dover Sole or Moules Frites, it's time for an afternoon of art and antiques. Antiques Row and adjacent Interior Designers Row home to some of our favorite shops, like Cedric DuPont Antiques, Casa Gusto, Authentic Provence, Circa Who, Hive, and Town Country Coast (shown here). From there, you're just a three-minute walk away from the newly refreshed Norton Museum of Art, which is home to an incredible permanent collection from The Nortons while also housing an array of coveted exhibitions from around the world. It's also home to an acclaimed museum restaurant if you need a little pick-me-up before dinnertime.
Saturday Evening
Head back over the bridge to Palm Beach proper for the final night of your stay. White Elephant Palm Beach is one of latest five-star properties to take on the city, and fans of the Nantucket location will be thrilled to discover the hotel is also home to a LoLa 41 outpost as well. After you've checked in and explored this art-filled hotel, enjoy an evening on the LoLa 41 patio with a a Palm Beach-inspired cocktail, a few stellar sushi rolls, and the ocean breeze.
If you're looking to continue the evening, Cucina Palm Beach is just a short walk from White Elephant Palm Beach and offers a fantastic menu of exciting cocktails and organic wines to enjoy in a chic and lively atmosphere. There may or may not be a disco ball to lure you out on the dance floor.
Sunday Morning
Soak up your final hours in this sunny resort town with a morning at another of our favorite hotels: The Colony. After you've admired the newly redesigned lobby, enjoy a delectable brunch at hotel restaurant Swifty's under the outdoor hanging garden. Be sure to make your way to the beach if you haven't yet to enjoy the jewel-toned waters before heading to your last stop.
Sunday Afternoon
It wouldn't be a Palm Beach weekend without an hour (or four) on Worth Avenue right off the beach. This prestigious street is home to some of the country's best shopping and is widely considered to be the East Coast's Rodeo Drive. Not only will you find favorite brands like Chanel and Van Cleef & Arpels, but you'll also find a new design studio and firm from Alessandra Branca, with many designers beginning to follow suit with their own outposts coming in 2022 and 2023. And if you can spare the time, The Church Mouse is just around the corner and is considered to be one of the top resale shops in the U.S. You'll find everything from vintage Hermes handbags to antique books in this unassuming building of treasures.
Lauren Wicks is a Birmingham-based writer covering design trends, must-have products, travel inspiration, and entertaining. She’s obsessed with globally inspired textiles, hosting dinner parties, and French cocktails.
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