We have 4 days, 3 nights in West Palm. Is it West Palm, or just Palm Beach where the rich people are?

Do we have time to hit one of the northern Keys?

I am also under the impression South Beach is an hour from West Palm Beach?

Never been to FL. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

The best houses are on Palm Beach which is a long and narrow island alongside the coast. West Palm has several actraction poles like the new Auditorium, The City a new area inserted in West Palm Beach, full of cafes, rest. shops and much more.
Palm Beach has the beaches although it seems a a little difficult to access to them.
West Palm Beach hasthe Norton a very nice art Museum , Palm Beach has the famous shopping street:
Worth Street a must, including nearby small little alleys. It also has the famous The Breakers Hotel which merits a visit.
Palm Beach to South Beach by car is more than one hour, probably 1 hour 30 minutes .
I do not think it is a great idea to drive all the way to the Keys. I would
limit my short stay to Palm Beach, West Palm Beach and South Beach.

Tons of beachfront that is easily accessable and state park.

The stately Mizner mansions of the rich and famous are along Palm Beach and Lake Worth. Take the water taxi from Singer Island for a tour. It is entertaining. For celeb spotting or just a workout on your wallet, walk down Worth Avenue. Very upscale shopping. Taboo is also another place to spot celebs. The food is just OK but it is mostly a 'see and be seen' place.

South beach would be about an hour and a half down A1A and I highly recommend the drive.

Limit your efforts to West Palm Beach, Palm Beach and the drive to South Beach. The upper keys would be too far.
There is public access to the beachs on Palm Beach (West Palm is on the mainland and does not have beaches.) Simply locate a public access, park on a side street (in front of some multi-million dollar abode) and walk to the beach.

Lake Worth separates West Palm Beach from Palm Beach (you have to go over a bridge from WPB to get into PB). There are some lovely homes in WPB, but mostly condos facing the water. The really grand mansions are in Palm Beach, mostly behind gates & hedges.

I think Graziella is right about the time to drive from WPB to South Beach-about 1 1/2 hrs depending on traffic. I think the most direct route would be on I 95.

If you go to Miami (South Beach) & like mansions, you might enjoy touring Vizcaya, a grand Italian style palazzo on Biscayne Bay with magnificent gardens.

http://www.viscayamuseum.org/

There are also a few mansions in PB & WPB that are now open as museums for touring, but nothing like Vizcaya. I agree the Norton Museum is a wonderful small gem in WPB.

As others have said, don't miss walking along Worth Avenue. The wealth is truly amazing. In addition to Taboo that GoTravel mentions, I like the Italian restaurant Renatos that's in one of the courtyards at the south end of Worth Ave. Lunch on their outdoor terrace feels very European. There's also a Hamburger Heaven at the beginning of Worth Ave that makes a nice inexpensive lunch stop with good people watching.

In addition to City Place that Graziella mentions-a newish shopping complex in WPB, Clematis St in WPB also has some nice restaurants.

I hear the boat ride that GoTravel suggested is great. Here's the website that shows you can leave from downtown WPB rather than going to Singer Island.

http://watertaxi.homestead.com/

I agree, with only 4 days, the Keys are too far

Have a great time!.

Thanks everyone. We decided against going to the Keys.

My husband wants to see the Everglades. Do you think we have time to squeeze in an afternoon there? We're pretty busy "vacationers". However, I don't want to spread our time too thin. I understand the Everglades are 2+ hours from Palm Beach...

What do you think?

I think you'd be better off staying in Miami. Everything you want to see is closer-Keys, South beach, Everglades.

Thanks again.

We're flying into Palm Beach but I think we are going to stay in Miami now.

How far is Miami Beach from the Everglades?

Any info is appreciated!

South beach? Nothing special!
Key West? Super!
It's a 4 hour drive from Miami,and its worth it!

when i was in Miami in June i wanted to tour the everglades i believe they said the trip was a 45 min trip. different people like different things and it depends on what you like to see and to as to which places you'll go to...i didn't like key west at all...i am a water/beach person and Key West is not "it" for what i like to see...it's shops that have alot of the same ol' souvenir stuff and it gets old to me. The rest of the keys now are something to see if that is what you choose to do this trip or at another time.

Florida is a strange and varied state, and you'll have to decide which parts of strange and varied you want to squeeze into your vacation.

So in addition to the other advice, here are some things to think about.

Seasons matter, a bit, in Florida, if you want to spend time on the beaches. And it depends a bit on where you come from. If you live in Oregon, the Atlantic ocean is always warm, but for many people, the water is too cold for much swimming from about November to May. Even in the dead of winter, you can go swimming for a little while, just to say you did, and you'll still be warmer than Mass. in August.

Depending on what time aof day you arrive, and how flexible you are, you might want to spend one night in West Palm Beach, and two nights in Miami.

On your last day, it is easy enough to drive back up to the West Palm Beach airport.

By staying in PB the first night, you get to enjoy an evening in that city, and then enjoy two evenings in Miami.

You need to define "see the Everglades." All you need to do to get a quick look is drive west from either Fort Lauderdale on Interstate 75 for a while look out the window, and then turn around and come back. This will give you a good idea. Or head west from Miami on Highway 41 for a while, and return.

If he wants to spend a few hours and get closer, drive down south from Miami to the visitro center at the Everglades National Park. I've been to the Everglades half a dozen times, and I find it fascinating; beats lying on a beach as far as I'm concerned. Half a day should be enough time, if you get up early in the morning.

I suggest you drive from WBP to Miami right along the coast, rather thn on the Interstate. You'll get a feel for part of the range of the state, from super-tacky to super-luxurious.

Do some research on your Miami hotel. There's a huge range, from the Art Deco to the ultramodern; from huge to tiny, from reasonable bargains to very expensive, and in South Beach, picking a hotel that makes you feel perfectly located is more import, perhaps, than doing this iin other cities. I think you'll find yourself back and forth from your hotel more there than in some other cities.

Miami's Cuban areas are fascinating, butyou might perfer to be in the areas frequented by models and fashion photographers. or you might want to create a sort of Miami Vice tour for yourselves.

Or maybe a whole day on the beach; dinner might be very formal, or outdoors on a patio surroudned by the beautiful people, or you might head for a fishing community.

And Florida, although flat, has beautiful scenery, so maybe the beaches, dunes, little islands, and swamps will take a full day.

Florida is a wonderful place for almost everyone, if you find the "right" Florida. You might try to rent some movies made in and about Florida. Look for Gene Hackman and Jennifer Warnes in one movie, for instance. And warm up for your trip by listening to Jimmy Buffet.

Although there's opera in West Plam Beach. My daughter's sung there.

BAK

Here's the website for Everglades National Park. There's a map you can download there as well as info on tours.

http://www.nps.gov/ever/

Here's a link to one previous post on the Everglades but there are many. If you type Everglades in the text search you'll find lots of info.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34395712

Thanks again!

You're right about hotel choices.

What do you think of
1. Blue Moon
2.Whitelaw
3. Ocean 5
4. Chelsea
5. New Clinton?

Found them on Expedia 80-120/night. All look kind of funky. More into boutique then resort. Which is the best for quality?

I think we're going to dedicate an afternoon to Everglades. Husband is outdoorsy. We're flying from NY Metro area, so the water/weather is sure to be warmer then here!

Thanks again....

RE: South Beach hotels. Of the properties you list, the Blue Moon would definitely be my first choice based on location and good word-of-mouth (another poster on this board stayed there and had a good time). The Ocean 5 is way down in the SoFi section of Ocean Drive, but I've heard good things about it too. The Whitelaw is nothing special. The Clinton and Chelsea are on Washington-- and a rather commercial part of that road. Word is good on the Clinton, mixed on the Chelsea. You're two blocks from the beach and nothing gorgeous is around you (but you're in Nightclub Ground Zero-- lots of hot clubs around these hotels).

For a special trip, I'd recommend different properties. The National is chic, beautiful, famous (featured in music videos), and not as astronomically expensive as the Delano. I'm a fan of the Cardozo because it's beautiful and the staff are wonderfully friendly and helpful-- but it's small and noise can be a problem (hardwood floors). The Hotel is trendy, stylish, gorgeous, and has an incredible restaurant (Wish). Another small place.

What are you looking for in South Beach? Beachfront location, proximity to clubs, luxury, etc.?