Palm Beach

Palm Beach is the easternmost town in Florida. Commonly referred to as “The Island” by locals, The Town of Palm Beach is located on an 18-mile stretch of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Lake Worth Lagoon. Never exceeding three-quarters of a mile wide, the year-round population teeters on the 9,000 mark, with 20,000 additional seasonal residents during the “winter” months. It’s this privacy and exclusivity that helped Palm Beach rank as the 27th-wealthiest place in the United States by Bloomberg in 2018. Together, these residents donate more money per capita to charities than any other community in America.

Palm Beach was originally part of “Lake Worth” until the permanent pioneers arrived in 1872. The title “Palm Beach” was eventually given as the result of a shipwreck named “Providencia” that washed ashore in 1878 with a load of coconuts that were in transit from Havana to Barcelona. In an effort to launch a commercial coconut industry, locals tried to adopt the coconuts into their own ecosystem by salvaging and planting the foreign fruits. This, of course, did not work.

However, by the 1890’s, word had spread of the area’s beauty. People began to visit, eventually turning the town into a budding tourist location for the northern elite. Hotels were built, businesses formed, and the island community began to persify with seasonal tourists and residents. Henry Morrison Flagler made all of this easier with the advent of the Florida East Coast Railroad in 1896, conveniently connecting travelers directly to the Flagler System hotels, which included the Royal Poinciana Hotel and the Palm Beach Inn, located directly on the ocean. Later renamed “The Breakers” (because so many guests asked for a room “over by the breakers”), the infamous hotel—an integral part of the town’s nearly 100+ year history—burned to the ground twice between 1903 and 1925. Today, it stands tall thanks to fireproof concrete and hosts some of the most influential visitors and over-the-top parties in town.

While the island of Palm Beach itself has evolved into becoming one of the top destinations in the country, today, Palm Beach plays host to both year-round families and seasonal residents. 

A beautiful place to raise a family, Palm Beach is “home” to households of all ages and often includes multi-generational kinfolk. Living in sunshine for 12 months out of the year certainly has its perks. The Palm Beach lifestyle is often chosen by those who find peace and comfort in nature and outdoor adventure. 

For those seeking warm shelter during the cold winter months, Palm Beach is the perfect escape for the “season.” While it certainly feels like summer all year long, the months of October through April provide the most enjoyable temperatures for outdoor activities including world-renowned surf breaks, golf courses, tennis courts, and more. As such, these months showcase the liveliest version of the Island as businesses and social gatherings boom throughout the area.