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Just So You Know: Palm Beach Isn't Only For Your Grandparents Anymore

Yes, you read that headline correctly.

Let us be the ones to tell you that Palm Beach is surprisingly… hip. Seriously, it’s OK to come here even if you’re not visiting Poppy in his 55-and-over community, playing shuffleboard all day, snoozing by the pool and grabbing an early bird dinner at the diner.

From Instagram-friendly hotels, trendy restaurants and ample shopping opportunities, this city by the sea has everything you could want or need for a relaxing and luxe breach getaway.

Where To Stay In Palm Beach

The Colony Palm Beach

If you’re all about ~doing it for the ‘gram~ look no further than The Colony Palm Beach. We swear it’s like everything about this hotel was designed to be placed in your IG feed, from its eye-catching millennial pink-hued facade to a seemingly endless amount of hanging plants, lush palm trees, and beautiful blooms, setting the scene so that you’ll (almost) forget you’re in FL. The hotel’s pool area—complete with scalloped umbrellas, light green seating, and rattan furnishing—is the perfect place to sip one of the hotel’s signature Monkey Business or Pink Paradise cocktails.

Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa

For an equally chic stay that’s right on the beach, check into the uber-extravagant Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. The guest rooms here are designed by none other than Jonathan Adler (aka the designer who makes all the home decor you want for your apartment but you can’t afford). The true star of the show here is the over-the-top, 42,000-square-foot Eau Spa, where, in between incredible treatments—i.e., massages in a private garden villa and creating your own custom scrub—guests can sip on bubbly and nosh on cupcakes. (No, this isn’t a fever dream.) 

Breakers Palm Beach Resort & Spa

The palatial Breakers Palm Beach Resort & Spa—seriously, it looks and feels like a real-life castle with its Mediterranean-style architecture—has its very own private beach, plus two golf courses and ten (!) tennis courts for you can live out your retiree dreams in a stylish setting. Once you (pretend) to break a sweat, take an afternoon nap by one of the four pools, including an infinity-style adults-only one (read: no crying babies). When it comes time to actually get up and explore, take advantage of the chauffeured house car service.

Brazilian Court

For more boutique hotel vibes, head to the Brazilian Court, which looks and feels like an actual Mediterranean villa—like, the type you’d find in Tuscany. Here, guests can often be found sipping cocktails by the palm tree-lined pool, people-watching in the manicured courtyard, or hanging out at the private beach club a few minutes away. Oh, and did we mention there’s also an on-site art gallery? 

Where To Eat & Drink In Palm Beach

Palm Beach is home to a slew of haute NYC staples you won’t want to miss—think: Sant Ambroeus, Le Bilboquet, Cafe Boulud, and La Goulue—but don’t skip out on local favs either. Almond, for one, is the perfect spot for weekend brunch. Here, you can down on avocado toast, eggs Benedict, lobster omelets, and brioche French toast—washed down with a Bloody Mary (or three), of course.

Alternatively, head to Pizza al Fresco, which serves up, spoiler alert, brick-oven ‘za that’s *almost* as good as your favorite NY slice. Nab a seat in the courtyard for prime people-watching while sipping on pinot. 

For dinner, score a table at Lola 41. Located in the new-ish White Elephant Palm Beach hotel, this stylish eatery serves sushi and Asian fusion in a see-and-be-seen ambiance. As you sit down in the courtyard and nosh on fresh sashimi, you can’t help but wonder how all of the posh guests around you seemingly have their sh*t so perfectly together while you contemplate your life’s purpose… and order yet another round of cocktails. They also have great happy hour at the bar every day from 4 to 6pm. 

What To See And Do In Palm Beach

Worth Avenue

Break up your days spent sunbathing and swimming at the pool or beach with a stroll down Worth Avenue, known for its luxury shops. Pop into designer boutiques like Bottega Veneta (but no, you def don’t need that crossbody bag that everyone and their mom already has), Gucci, and Chanel for the best window shopping you’ll ever do. Smaller, equally chic shops like Mauss & Hoffman and Milou Palm Beach also make up this swanky stretch of shops and restaurants. And, who knows? Maybe you’ll bump into a Bravolebrity or two. 

Get Cultured

If you’re feeling ~intellectual~, hit up one of Palm Beach’s many museums. The Norton Museum Sculpture Garden, which spans over 37,000 square feet, is a highlight. And, inside the museum, you’ll also find a cool exhibit highlighting high fashion and street style (through February 2023). The Henry Morrison Flagler Museum is a Gilded Age mansion-turned-museum that’s now open for tours so you, too, can cosplay as a multimillionaire, even just for a few hours. Feeling extra fancy AF? Stay for afternoon tea at the on-site cafe. 

Check Out The Local Bar/Nightlife Scene

After an afternoon filled with culture and history, it’s time for a night out. This obvi isn’t Miami—a good thing, IMHO—so don’t expect over-the-top spots like LIV at every corner. But, there are a few options to choose from: Cucina, an Italian restaurant by dinner, and a hip club come nighttime, offers bottle service and DJs until 2am. If clubbing isn’t your thing (speaking from experience here), hit up Le Bar à Vin or HMF at The Breakers hotel to sip craft cocktails into the wee hours of the night. 

Featured image courtesy of Getty Images.

Lauren Ellman
Lauren Dana Ellman is a New York-based writer and editor specializing in all things travel, beauty, shopping, and wellness. Among her most toxic traits are making online shopping, watching Ted Lasso, and being a dog mom her entire personality (sorry, not sorry). Follow her on IG (@laurenvellman), where she's way cooler compared to IRL.