Live in West Palm Beach or just visiting? These 17 things should be on your to-do list

Eddie Ritz, Palm Beach Post
·8 min read

Whether you've just moved to West Palm Beach, are considering moving to this beautiful city, just visiting the area or maybe you're a lifetime resident and just need a gentle reminder, there are lots of great things to see and do here.

If you love the arts, animals, science, great music, outdoor events, seasonal events and/or an incredible food scene, West Palm Beach has got you covered.

Whether the great outdoors are your thing or you prefer taking in the best of West Palm Beach with air conditioning, here are 15 amazing things, from north to south, definitely worth checking out:

1. Meet manatees at Manatee Lagoon

Looking for something to do outdoors on a cold day? Go see what the manatees are doing at Manatee Lagoon. Part of the FPL Eco-Discovery Center, this destination is dedicated to educating the public about manatees and the importance of the Lake Worth Lagoon. In the winter, especially after cold fronts, this literal hot-spot (really, warmer spot) can attract dozens of manatees as they congregate around the nearby power plant's warm water discharges.

Information: 6000 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach. 561-626-2833; visitmanateelagoon.com

2. Canoe through Grassy Waters Preserve

Whether you get out on the water via canoe or kayak or explore by land, Grassy Waters Preserve is a great way to learn about the Everglades and enjoy our natural world.
Whether you get out on the water via canoe or kayak or explore by land, Grassy Waters Preserve is a great way to learn about the Everglades and enjoy our natural world.

This 23-square-mile ecosystem, a pristine example of the Everglades, is a mosaic of wetlands, tree islands and forested hammocks. It is home to dozens of species of native wildlife and is an incredible place to explore on foot or by canoe or kayak. Guided tours are available.

Information: 8264 Northlake Blvd., West Palm Beach. 561-804-4985; wpb.org

3. Shop and people watch at the GreenMarket

Taking the title of 'Best Farmers Market in the USA' for three years in a row (and nominated for a fourth), the West Palm Beach GreenMarket runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays from October through April. Held along the city's beautiful waterfront, it features more than 110 vendors with fresh produce, seafood, baked goods, smoothies, sandwiches, arts, crafts and much more.

Information: 100 N. Clematis St., West Palm Beach. wpb.org

4. At the holiday's visit Sandi Tree

Every December, a 35-foot tall, 800-ton holiday sand sculpture fondly named Sandi, rises along the West Palm Beach waterfront. At night, the tree is the focal point of an amazingly-cool light show set to music. But she's not the only attraction. Families can also explore mini-golf, rides, music and more.

Information: 100 N. Clematis St., West Palm Beach. instagram.com/sanditreewpb

5. Go to the movies without stepping in a theater at Screen on the Green

Though the once-awesome AMC Theater at The Square is sadly gone, movie lovers can still get their big-screen fix on the second Friday of each month at Screen on the Green.
Though the once-awesome AMC Theater at The Square is sadly gone, movie lovers can still get their big-screen fix on the second Friday of each month at Screen on the Green.

Bring a lawn chair or beach blanket from which to watch a movie outdoors on the waterfront during West Palm Beach's Screen on the Green. The family friendly movies play on the second Friday of every month.

Information: 100 N. Clematis St., West Palm Beach. wpb.org

6. Check out the bands at Respectable Street

Opened in 1987, this club helped spark the downtown area's resurrection and has been a great place for drinks, dancing and seeing plenty of local and national live music acts. They have hosted over 1,000 bands ranging from locals like Surfer Blood to national acts like The Misfits, Reverend Horton Heat, A Flock of Seagulls and even The Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Information: 518 Clematis St., West Palm Beach. sub-culture.org/locations/respectable-street

7. Hang out (and take a swim?) at Roxy's Pub

Roxy's Pub in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla., on August 3, 2023.
Roxy's Pub in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla., on August 3, 2023.

Stop in at this nearly 100-year-old establishment on Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach. Established in 1933, the pub features 64 beers on draft, 22 flat-screen televisions for watching sports and an extensive menu. They also have a rooftop bar which is currently in the process of adding a rooftop pool.

Information: 309 Clematis St., West Palm Beach. roxyspub.com

8. Take a 2-hour water tour from a catamaran

Enjoy a sunset cruise aboard the Hakuna Matata Catamaran Cruise that leaves from the West Palm Beach docks. Take in the beautiful architecture on both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway during the two-hour trip.

The enjoy a cruise down the Intracoastal Waterway aboard the catamaran Hakuna Matata.
The enjoy a cruise down the Intracoastal Waterway aboard the catamaran Hakuna Matata.

Information: 138 S. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach. 561-881-9757; visitpalmbeach.com/water-tours

9. Admire the (Chihuly) glass ceiling at the Norton Museum of Art

Walk below and snag Insta-worthy pics of the amazing 600-piece Chihuly glass ceiling at the Norton Museum of Art found along the Dixie Corridor in West Palm Beach. The colorful pieces combine to make an artwork that looks like light pouring through a coral reef and is called the "Persian Sea Life" ceiling. The museum is home to several permanent collections and has classes, docent led tours and events like 'Art After Dark' on Friday nights, many times with live music.

Made of over 600 pieces of glass, The Persian Sea Life Ceiling, 2003, detail, by Dale Chihuly (American b. 1941) can be seen at the Norton Museum of Art.
Made of over 600 pieces of glass, The Persian Sea Life Ceiling, 2003, detail, by Dale Chihuly (American b. 1941) can be seen at the Norton Museum of Art.

Information: 1450 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach. norton.org

10. Dine along the so-called Dixie Corridor

The Dixie Corridor dining scene, starting at Okeechobee Boulevard and working south along South Dixie Highway, is a food lovers dream with literally dozens of great restaurants. Some of these include HIVE Bakery & Café, Table 26 Palm Beach, Grato, Joy Noodles & Asian Cuisine, Pig Beach BBQ, kitchen, Celis Juice Bar, Ana's Killer Empanadas, Lynora's Kitchen, City Diner, Cholo Soy Cocina, Belle & Maxwell's, Rhythm Café, Tropical Smokehouse, Howley's Diner, Austin Republic, Palm Beach Meats, Dixie Grill & Brewery, The Blue Door and more. That's all in about a two-mile stretch so come hungry!

Information: South Dixie Highway from Okeechobee Boulevard south to Ellamar Road

11. Grab some air at Phipps Skate Park

Work your wheels — skateboard, in-line or BMX bike — on the specially made courses at West Palm Beach's Phipps Skate Park off Dixie Highway. The park is undergoing major renovations and upgrading its steel and panel ramps with new, much better, concrete ramps. The ramps are being built by Spohn Ranch Skateparks out of California and are expected to be completed in summer 2024.

Information: 4715 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach. wpb.org

12. Meet more than 350 wild animals at the Palm Beach Zoo

See over 350 species including cougars, capybaras, jaguars, tigers, tapirs, bears, otters, koalas, kookaburas and more at this West Palm Beach landmark that began over 60 years ago. Bring swimsuits for the zoo's fountain and splash pad and during the holidays don't miss Zoo Lights when over one million eco-friendly lights are used to illuminate the park, trees and pathways.

Information: 1301 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach. 561-547-9453; palmbeachzoo.org

13. Time travel to the 1970s via laser light planetarium concert at the science center

The Cox Science Center and Aquarium is home to the area's only planetarium, where laser light concerts are on the schedule. The center also offers incredible exhibitions and other planetarium show. The already-awesome facility is slated for a major upgrade and expansion.

Information: 4801 Dreher Trail N., West Palm Beach. 561-832-1988; coxsciencecenter.org

More: Higher construction costs push Cox Science Center in West Palm Beach to hike fundraising goal

14. Go further back in time at Yesteryear Village

The Riddle House was the gatekeepers house at a cemetery in West Palm Beach. An accountant who got caught fudging the books hanged himself in the rafters. Many people have seen his ghost. Grown workmen have be known to run from the attack screaming and totally walking off the job, refusing to return.
The Riddle House was the gatekeepers house at a cemetery in West Palm Beach. An accountant who got caught fudging the books hanged himself in the rafters. Many people have seen his ghost. Grown workmen have be known to run from the attack screaming and totally walking off the job, refusing to return.

Discover a large collection of early, original and replicated buildings including an old school, a farm, a blacksmith shop, a general store, and several houses. One of those houses, the Riddle House, which was featured on the show "Ghost Adventures."

Information: 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach. southfloridafair.com

15. See a real Willy Wonka golden ticket, and lots of candy

In addition to having nearly every type of candy imaginable, the Bulk Candy Store has candy memorabilia including an actual Everlasting Gobster and a golden ticket from the 1971 classic "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory."
In addition to having nearly every type of candy imaginable, the Bulk Candy Store has candy memorabilia including an actual Everlasting Gobster and a golden ticket from the 1971 classic "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory."

The Bulk Candy Store is packed with all the sweet treats you could ever desire. Seriously. From Laffy Taffy, Tootsie Rolls, Jelly Belly, Smarties, Lemonheads, Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, Skittles, Dubble Bubble, Chick-O-Sticks, Bit-O-Honey, Mike and Ike, Now and Later, Pez, Hot Tamales, Jolly Rancher, Pop Rocks, Charleston Chew, Fun Dip, Chuckles, Twizzlers, Nerds and more, if you love it, there's a good chance they have it — along with 50 flavors of gourmet popcorn, chocolate treats, fudge and nuts. As if that wasn't enough, the stores has a shrine to sweetness filled with art and memorabilia. Not just any pieces either, they pretty much have the Holy Grail of candy memorabilia in their collection. Yes, they have a golden ticket and an Everlasting Gobstopper from the all-time classic, 1971 movie "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory." That golden ticket was even signed by all the child actors in the movie. To see these pieces, as well as six rooms of candy memorabilia, sign up from one of their 40-minute tours. Reservations are required.

Information: 235 N. Jog Road, West Palm Beach. 561-540-1600; bulkcandystore.com

16. (Window?) shop your way down Antique Row

Word has it that an Architectural Digest story in the 1990s cemented Antique Row's reputation as a destination for those in pursuit of items from the 1920s Art Deco and mid-century modern eras. The stretch along South Dixie Highway just north of Southern Boulevard has become more polished in the decades since that article and is now "full of moneyed newcomers and trendy restaurants, and an annual street fair," reporter Kimberly Miller wrote in 2023.

17. Check out the garden you wish you had - the Ann Norton Sculpture Garden

The house, studio and gardens in West Palm Beach's El Cid neighborhood were the former residence of Ann Weaver Norton and husband Ralph Hubbard Norton. Built in the 1920s, the place is on the National Register of Historic Places, but it is just a cool space (literally — the yard is shaded by all variety of native fauna and gets a breeze from the nearby Intracoastal). There you can also find more than 100 works by Ann Norton, who was a world class artist and sculptor whose work appeared in solo and group exhibits around the world, including in the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Ann Norton died in 1982, but her home, studio and fabulous gardens are open to the public for an admission fee or membership. There you will find hundreds of sculptures, some of them abstract looming monoliths of brick others more recognizable in form. All worth a gander.

Information: 253 Barcelona Road, West Palm Beach; 561- 832-5328. ansg.org

Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at eritz@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Best things to do in West Palm Beach: a year-round bucket list