78 Best Sights in Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast, Florida

The chief landmark along Atlantic Avenue since 1926 is this sunny Mediterranean-revival-style building, which is a member of the National Trust's Historic Hotels of America. Stay a night here or simply walk through the lobby to the parking lot where original garages still stand—relics of the days when hotel guests would arrive via chauffeured cars and stay there the whole season. The bar is a locals' gathering spot.

Both fresh- and saltwater aquariums greet the curious at this interactive, family-friendly science museum. Permanent exhibits of Moon and Mars rocks and meteorites, a giant sphere with global animation projection for Earth sciences, and an Everglades conservation exhibit teach while entertaining. A planetarium with daily theme shows and a conservation 9-hole minigolf course designed by Jim Fazio and Gary Nicklaus are popular with all ages; they are included with admission charges.

Frequent weekend festivals, including an annual celebration of seafood, take place at this scenic city park next to the Intracoastal Waterway. Sit on one of the piers and watch the yachts and fishing boats pass by. Put on your jogging shoes—the park is at the north end of a 6.3-mile waterfront biking-jogging-skating path. Tennis courts, a boat ramp, and a playground are here, along with the Maritime Museum. DivaDuck tours launch from this park.

Instrumental in the revitalization of Delray Beach circa 1995, this cluster of galleries and event spaces was established in restored school buildings dating from 1913 and 1925. The Cornell Museum of Art & American Culture offers ever-changing exhibits on fine arts, crafts, and pop culture, plus a hands-on children's gallery. From November to April, the 323-seat Crest Theatre showcases national-touring Broadway musicals, cabaret concerts, dance performances, and lectures.

Take a look at how life once was at this modest pioneer outpost dating from 1898. Renovated to repair hurricane damage to its structure, it's a picture of life before South Florida became a resort area. Sitting atop an ancient Jeaga mound 20 feet high and looking onto the Jupiter Inlet, it has Cape Cod as well as Old Florida design. It's in Dubois Park, worth a visit for its lovely beaches and swimming lagoons. Docents lead tours Tuesday and Thursday, 10–1. The park is open dawn to dusk.

No Palm Beach mansion better represents the town's luminous legacy than the Spanish-style home built by Addison Mizner as his own residence in 1925. Mizner later sold El Solano to Harold Vanderbilt, and the property was long a favorite among socialites for parties and photo shoots. Vanderbilt held many a gala fundraiser here. Beatle John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, bought it less than a year before Lennon's death. It's still privately owned and not open to the public, but it's well worth a drive-by on any self-guided Palm Beach mansion tour.

The museum's glittering, green-certified 48,000-square-foot facility houses a permanent collection along with traveling exhibits. The museum was founded in 1961 in honor of Sterling Elliott, an inventor of an early automated-addressing machine, the egg crate, and a four-wheel bicycle, and it celebrates history, art, and technology, much of it viewed through the lens of the automobile's effect on American society. There's an impressive array of antique cars, plus paintings, historic artifacts, and nostalgic goods like vintage baseball cards and toys.

Off Wabasso Beach Road, the 64 acres here are almost completely surrounded by water. In addition to a 600-foot boardwalk through the mangrove shoreline and a 1-mile canoe trail, there are aquariums filled with Indian River creatures. Boat and kayak trips to see the historic Pelican Island rookery are on offer along with guided nature walks and touch-tank encounters. Call or check the center's website for times.

This hydroland is the place to go for an interactive marine experience and to live the center's mission "to inspire environmental stewardship of Florida's coastal ecosystems through education and research." Petting and feeding stingrays can be done at various times; in the morning, a sea turtle program introduces you to three full-time residents. Make sure to catch the "feeding frenzy," when keepers toss food into the 750,000-gallon lagoon tank and sharks, tarpon, and snook swarm the surface. Join a 1-mile guided walk through the coastal hardwood hammock and mangrove swamp habitats, or explore the trails on your own—you may see a dolphin or manatee swim by.

Across the inlet at the northern side of Hutchinson Island, a fishing oasis lures beachgoers who can't wait to reel in snook, flounder, and bluefish, among others. The park is also known as a prime wave-riding locale, thanks to a reef that lies just outside the jetty. Summer is the busiest season by a long shot, but don't be fooled: it's a laid-back place to sun and surf. There are covered picnic tables but no concessions; however, from where anglers perch, a bunch of casual restaurants can be spotted on the other side of the inlet that are a quick drive away. Note that the area of Jack Island Preserve has been closed indefinitely. Amenities: lifeguards (summer only); parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; surfing; walking.

Built in 1875 on Hutchinson Island, this is the only remaining example of 10 such structures that were erected by the U.S. Life-Saving Service (a predecessor of the Coast Guard) to aid stranded sailors. The displays here include antique lifesaving equipment, maps, artifacts from nearby wrecks, and boatbuilding tools. The museum is affiliated with the nearby Elliott Museum; package tickets are available.

A big draw for kids, this stellar spot has four huge saltwater tanks brimming with sea life, from coral to stingrays to spiny lobsters, and touch tanks, plus a sea turtle rehabilitation center. Nocturnal walks in spring and early summer, when staffers lead a quest to find nesting female turtles coming ashore to lay eggs, are popular; so are the hatchling releases in August and September. (Call to purchase tickets in advance, as there are very limited spaces.) This is one of only a handful of centers that offer this. There is also a nature trail and butterfly garden, a ¼-mile boardwalk, and a 40-foot observation tower, where you're likely to see brown pelicans and osprey.

Stroll through this 3½-acre green space, which includes a palm walk, a Japanese garden, and a collection of 100 bonsai trees. There is also a gift shop with whimsical and botanical knickknacks. Guided tours are available by appointment for an extra fee.

You'll learn that more grapefruit is shipped from the Indian River area than anywhere else in the world at this museum in downtown Vero Beach. The memorabilia harks back to when families washed and wrapped the luscious fruit to sell at roadside stands and cattle hauled citrus-filled crates with distinctive Indian River labels to the rail station.

Nature lovers seeking to get as far as possible from the madding crowds will feel at peace at this refuge managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. It's a haven for people who want some quiet while they walk around and photograph the gorgeous coastal sand dunes, where turtles nest and shells often wash ashore. You can't actually venture within most of the 735 protected acres, so if hiking piques your interest, head to nearby Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: solitude; surfing; walking.

Just south of the Driftwood Resort on Ocean Drive sits Humiston Park, one of the best beaches in town. Parking is free and plentiful, as there's a large lot on Easter Lily Lane and spots all over the surrounding business district. The shore is somewhat narrow, and there isn't much shade, but the vibrant scene and other amenities make it a great choice for people who crave lots of activity. With lifeguards on duty daily, there's a children's playground, plus a ton of hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops within walking distance. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunsets; swimming; walking.

An angler's dream, this beach has a 990-foot pier that's open daily, like the beach, from sunrise to sunset—but from November through February, the pier gates open at 6 am and don't close until 10 pm on weeknights and midnight on weekends, making it an awesome place to catch a full sunrise and sunset (that is, if you don't mind paying the small admission fee). A concession stand on the pier sells fish food as well as such human favorites as burgers, sandwiches, and ice cream. Rods and tackle are rented here. Families adore this shoreline because of the amenities and vibrant atmosphere. There are plenty of kids building sandcastles but also plenty of teens gathering and hanging out along the beach. Pets are not allowed here, but they are allowed on Jupiter Beach. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; sunset; swimming.

This public beach bustles with beachgoers of all ages thanks to the prolific family offerings. The waterfront retail promenade—the old-fashioned nongambling Lake Worth "casino"—has a Mulligan's Beach House Bar & Grill, a T-shirt store, a pizzeria, and a Kilwin's ice cream shop. The beach also has a municipal Olympic-size public swimming pool, a playground, and a fishing pier—not to mention the pier's wildly popular daytime eatery, Benny's on the Beach (open for dinner weekends in season). Tideline Ocean Resort and Four Seasons guests are steps away from the action; Eau Palm Beach guests are a short bike ride away. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming.

Drive your own vehicle along 4 miles of paved roads through a cageless zoo with free-roaming animals (chances are you'll have an ostrich tapping at your window), and then let loose in a 55-acre fun-land with bird feedings, games, and rides. Audio included with admission narrates the winding trek past white rhinos, zebras, and ostriches grouped into exhibits like Gir Forest, which is modeled after a sanctuary in India and has native twisted-horned blackbuck antelope and water buffalo. (For obvious reasons, lions are fenced off, and no convertibles or pets are allowed.) Aside from dozens more up-close critter encounters after debarking, including a petting zoo, kids can go paddleboating, play a round of minigolf, climb aboard carnival rides, or have a splash in a 4,000-square-foot aquatic playground (some extra fees apply).

The oldest public green space in the county is, unbelievably, across the road from the West Palm Beach airport; but the planes are the last thing you notice while walking around and relaxing amid the nearly 14 acres of tropical trees, rain-forest flora, and butterfly and water gardens. The gift shop contains a selection of rare gardening books on tropical climes. Frequent plant sales are held here, and numerous plant societies with international ties hold meetings open to the public in the auditorium. Experts in tropical edible and ornamental plants are on staff.

The history of the sport of kings is displayed in a time line here, with other exhibits focusing on polo ponies, star players, trophies, and a look at how mallets are made. It provides a great introduction to the surprisingly exciting, hoof-pounding sport that is played live on Sunday from January to April in nearby Wellington.

The world's largest croquet complex, the 10-acre center is also the headquarters for the U.S. Croquet Association. Vast expanses of orderly lawns are the stage for fierce competitions. There's also a clubhouse with a pro shop and the Croquet Grille, with verandas for dining and viewing (armchair enthusiasts can enjoy the games for no charge). You don't have to be a member to try your hand out on the lawns, and on Saturday morning at 10 am, there's a free group lesson with an introduction to the game and open play; call in advance to reserve a spot.

Commemorating the more than 3,000 troops who trained on these shores during World War II, when this elite military unit got its start, there are weapons, vehicles, and equipment on view. Exhibits honor all frogmen and underwater demolition teams and depict their history. The museum houses the lifeboat from which SEALs saved the Maersk Alabama captain from Somali pirates in 2009. Kids get a thrill out of the helicopters and aircraft on the grounds.

Explore 2½ miles of trails through 90 acres of western Palm Beach County's native pine flatwoods and wetlands. The visitor center has a gift shop and exhibit rooms with hands-on displays. Free guided wilderness walks are led by staff or the center's volunteers every Saturday at 10 am.

This residential area was developed by Addison Mizner starting in 1925 and is beautifully landscaped with palms and cycads. Its houses are mainly Mediterranean in style, many with balconies supported by exposed wooden columns. Explore by driving northward on Paloma Avenue (Northwest 8th Avenue) from Palmetto Park Road, then weave in and out of the side streets.

Local artist Fatima NeJame, who started the organization in Delray Beach in 1977, achieved her dream of a larger cultural site devoted to photography by moving into a 33,000-square-foot space in the West Palm Beach City Hall complex in 2009. The bright, spacious museum hall showcases changing exhibits; the second floor has classrooms and a large photo studio—but with the digital age in mind, there is no darkroom. Check the website for upcoming classes, workshops, and lectures.

At this 23-acre wild kingdom you can admire more than 700 animals, from the Florida panther to the giant Aldabra tortoise. Kids enjoy the zone that honors Central and South America with jaguars, capybaras, and tapirs, plus Mayan structures, stone sculptures, and foliage that make it seem like you're not in Florida anymore. A sizable Australian section with koalas, emus, and wallabies is also popular as are the daily animal and bird shows. On sweltering afternoons, kids can cool off at the large play fountain and catch a breeze on the carousel. A concession serves burgers and snacks.

Partiers, families, and overnight campers all have a place to go on the 79 acres here. The island, in a wide section of the Intracoastal between Palm Beach Island and Singer Island, with an open channel to the sea, is accessible only by private boat or water taxi, two of which set sail regularly from the Riviera Beach Municipal Marina and the Sailfish Marina. Fun-loving seafarers looking for an afternoon of Jimmy Buffett with picnics aboard pull up to the day docks or the huge sandbar to the north—float around in an inner tube, and it's spring break déjà vu. Walk along the 20-foot-wide paver-lined path encircling the island, and you'll hit a 170-foot fishing pier, a campground, and the lifeguarded section to the south that is particularly popular with families because of its artificial reef. There are picnic tables and grills, but no concessions. A new ordinance means alcohol possession and consumption is restricted to permit areas. Amenities: lifeguards (summer only); showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunrise; swimming; walking.

Founded in 1903 by then-president Theodore Roosevelt as the country's first national wildlife refuge, the park encompasses the historic Pelican Island rookery itself—a small island in the Indian River lagoon and important nesting place for 16 species of birds such as endangered wood storks and, of course, brown pelicans—and the land surrounding it overlooking Sebastian. The rookery is a closed wilderness area, so there's no roaming alongside animal kingdom friends; however, there is an 18-foot observation tower across from it with direct views and more than 6 miles of nature trails in the refuge. Another way to explore is via guided kayak tours from the Florida Outdoor Center. Make sure to bring a camera—it's a photographer's dream.

About 2 miles south of "Billionaire's Row" on Ocean Boulevard sits this public oceanside park, with two metered parking lots separated by a fire station. There are four entry points to the beach, but the north side is better for beachgoers. At the southern entrance, there is a six-court tennis facility. The beach is narrow and has natural rock formations dotting the shoreline, making it ideal for snorkelers. There are picnic tables and grills on site, as well as the Little Red Schoolhouse, an 1886 landmark that hosts educational workshops for local kids. If a long walk floats your boat, venture north to see the megamansions, but don't go too far inland, because private property starts at the high-tide line. Parking is metered and time limits strictly enforced. There's a two-hour time limit for free parking—but read the meter carefully: it's valid only during certain hours at some spots. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; walking.