PALM BEACH FOR CATS: A TRAVEL GUIDE
In the past month I’ve gotten a small taste of what Palm Beach offers- beautiful ocean views, vibrant gardens and outdoor sports (swimming, fishing, diving) are just some of the gems available to visitors. Here is our guide to the perfect weekend in the area.
Pastry Heaven on South County Road has delicious croissants and café au lait to help you start your day on a buttery paw. I made two trips in one day.
While you’re here, check out County and Brintz Galleries also on South County Road, and be sure to visit the Society of the Four Arts very well maintained gardens (including a sculpture garden). I spent ages in here admiring the variety of trees and flowers and enjoying the fountains.
Later, head down the beach to Phipps Ocean Park. This public park has tennis courts and a guarded beach so you can swim in safety, but there is no store so if you come be sure to bring your own water, drinks and snacks. The beach isn’t lighted in the evening to cause minimal disturbances to nesting sea turtles.
For dinner, Benny’s on the Beach at Lake Worth Pier has amazing seafood- we recommend the crab cakes and coconut breaded shrimp. If you’re feeling more like sampling some delicious Cuban food, go over the bridge and up Dixie Highway to Don Ramon’s. We tried the chicharones de pollo with maduros (sweet fried plantains). There’s a live band several nights of the week and the mojitos are really, really good.
In the morning, grab a coffee from Subculture Coffee on Clematis Street, or get in line for chicken and waffles at Bay Bay’s- they’re voted the best in Florida and it’s only in West Palm.
Scott Fine Art has an impressive array of glass work and a new section of the gallery devoted to paintings. The Norton Museum of Art is just south of Downtown West Palm in Flamingo Park- it's worth a visit even while under renovation, and is actually free of charge while renovations go on. Works range from Chinese pottery to French impressionism and there is a large section of American 20th century art. The courtyard is a nice place to take a little rest.
If you’re feeling hungry, Kabuki on Clematis street has good happy hour deals on drinks and small plates. The scallop sashimi and spicy edamame was good fuel for our next stop.
Set in a massive warehouse on Dixie Highway (think the size of a major supermarket), World Thrift is one of my favourite discoveries. It has everything- clothes, electronics, furniture, art, dishes. Really recommend a good meal before you go in because the place usually seems pretty busy and you don’t want a blood sugar dip while you push your cart around rabid thrifters.
If you’re hungry again after all that fashion hunting, don’t miss a visit to Lupita’s. My boyfriend swears it's the best Mexican food around and obviously I had to sample (read: eat three) of their fish tacos while sipping on a margarita. I bet that on weekends at 2 am this place is totally full.
To stay, we recommend the Hibiscus House Bed and Breakfast on Rosemary Ave. Very beautiful design in spacious rooms with large claw foot tubs. The bacon and eggs was pretty bomb as well. There's an open air bar on the ground floor that opens to the public in the afternoon.
There are lots of places I still want to try: Buccan in Palm Beach looks really delicious, Darbster for vegan food and Grotto have been recommended to me. The Henry Flagler Museum is devoted to the history of the local area and its founder. I also really want to check out the Palm Beach Zoo. Flamingos!