Introduction
If you’re looking for a wonderful South Florida experience within short driving distance to Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and more, you should consider a fun family trip to West Palm Beach, Florida.
West Palm Beach isn’t just a beautiful city on the water; it’s also full of fun things to do. Whether you’re looking for a great beach or a place to shop, there’s no shortage of activities in West Palm Beach. Our list below will help you plan your next trip to this Florida destination!
For great deals on even more great things to eat, see, do, and experience in West Palm Beach, Florida and the surrounding areas, be sure to check out Groupon. CLICK HERE!
McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary
McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center that provides care for injured, orphaned, and displaced wildlife. The sanctuary is home to over 200 animals! If you’re just stopping by for a visit, be sure to schedule a guided tour -this is the best way to see everything!
For a similar attraction, you may even enjoy a short drive up to Jupiter, Florida for the Busch Wildlife Preserve.
Palm Beach Zoo
Do you have children to entertain? West Palm Beach Zoo is the first place you need to visit! Our children love this zoo. The zoo’s collection includes birds, reptiles, mammals and amphibians from around the world. Although it’s not exactly the largest zoo in Florida, there are still plenty of great things to enjoy, and you can do so without overwhelming your children or having to walk great distances.
In addition to its exhibits of exotic animals like giraffes and hippopotamuses, it also has an aviary filled with colorful birds from all over the world. In all, the zoo has about 5,000 different types of animals to see and learn about!
Get this – they also have a carousel and various play areas! What more could you need? Your kids are going to have a blast here.
Norton Museum of Art
The Norton Museum of Art is easily one of the best things to do in West Palm Beach. This museum houses an extensive collection that spans various mediums including modern and contemporary art, photography and prints. They also offer a variety of programs including art classes for adults and children which are offered at different times throughout the year.
Rapids Water Park
While technically in Riviera Beach, Florida, Rapids Waterpark is just a short drive from West Palm Beach.
If you are looking for a fun place to relax with family and friends, Rapids Water Park is the perfect place. There is so much fun packed into this 35 acre waterpark making it one of South Florida’s BEST waterparks! The park offers so many water slides (about 40 and counting), a lazy river, a wave pool, and more! This park is perfect for children, teens, and adults alike.
The park also has many food options including pizza places, sandwich shops and snack bars that offer snacks like ice cream cones or hot dogs. You can also bring your own food into the park if desired.
Manatee Lagoon, an FPL Eco-Discovery Center
This wildlife sanctuary and manatee sanctuary is a wonderful place to bring the whole family. Visitors will learn about the environment, wildlife and of course manatees at this great location. The center offers a variety of activities for all ages that allow you to get up close with these gentle giants! Vivian loves seeing manatees. They don’t do much, but they are so fascinating to watch!
Palm Beach Outlets
This is hands down Alaina’s favorite place in West Palm Beach. The outlet stores here include many big brands like Adidas, Loft, and Carters. There are also various restaurants scattered throughout, so you can grab a bite to eat while you browse. In addition to the outlets, you can find Old Navy, Target, HomeGoods and more within walking distance. If you love to shop, you will likely be able to spend all day here!
Clematis Street
Clematis Street is a popular street in West Palm Beach known for being home to many restaurants and shops, but it’s also an excellent place to walk around and people watch. Because there are so many people out walking around on the street, it’s easy to strike up conversations with other pedestrians—you’ll be able to meet some new friends!
If you’re looking for something more relaxing, head over to Clematis Street during brunch hours when most of the restaurants are open for breakfast. Head out early enough and you might even catch live music at one of the places along Clematis Street where musicians sometimes play outside their doors! The best thing about Clematis Street, in our opinion, is the many MANY iguanas you see sitting by the water. Vivian loves spotting them from the car!
Mounts Botanical Gardens
Mounts Botanical Gardens is a beautiful place to visit if you want to experience the nature around you and learn about many different plants. It has a large collection of different types of plants, including flowers, trees and bushes – over 6,000 to be exact! Just be sure to bring bug spray as the bugs also enjoy the beautiful plants!
Okeeheelee Park
Okeeheelee Park is located on Lake Okeeheelee and is one of the most popular places in West Palm Beach. This park offers lots of wildlife to see, as well as trails for you to explore. There are also plenty of picnic areas and boats for rent! This park contains some of the most unique ammenities that you’ll find at just about any park including several waterskiing lakes, a dog park, a public gold course, an equestrian center, and a BMX course.
The park has a great view of The Fountains at Okeeheelee, which shoot up from the lake. The Fountains were built in 2010 by James Corner Field Operations and they bring a lot of visitors each year to this park because they look amazing!
Conclusion
There are so many things to do in West Palm Beach, Florida. Don’t waste any more time! Get out there and explore this beautiful city!
Also, it’s just a short drive to so many more great things to do on the Treasure Coast or to explore the great world-class attractions across Southeast Florida–including Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and more!
For great deals on even more great things to eat, see, do, and experience in West Palm Beach, Florida and the surrounding areas, be sure to check out Groupon. CLICK HERE!