Winter is a great time in South Florida! The weather is at its best and the potential for fun is endless. So whether you're a local or just visiting, work these activities into your next trip or weekend!
Before Christmas visit City Place where you can catch the snowfall in West Palm Beach.
Light Show at Sandi, the sand tree, at Clematis Street.
Palm Beach Zoo: Zoo Lights at night.
Look at Christmas Lights: during the Christmas Season there are so many places to enjoy festive decorations with your loved one. Check out this list of the best light displays in Palm Beach County for inspiration.
Holiday Boat Parade: a festive event for all ages and several towns offers their own: Jupiter Boat Parade, Boyton Beach Boat Parade, Boca Raton Boat Parade.
Sporting Event :a little out the way but a short drive to Miami and Sunrise, Florida, is the opportunity to see the Miami Heat play at the American Airlines Arena (601 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132) and the Florida Panthers play at the BB&T Center (1 Panther Pkwy, Sunrise, FL 33323)
Board Game Cafe: Juuuicy's Northwood Cafe(540 Northwood Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33407) Enjoy a drink and play from a wide selection of board games!
Take advantage of the cool weather and enjoy the many trails in Palm Beach County! Some of my favorites are: The Wellington Environmental Preserve, 3491 Flying Cow Ranch Road, Wellington, FL 33417; Palm Beach Lake Trail, S Lake Trail Road, Palm Beach, FL 33480; Hog Hammock Trail, 8537 Northlake Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33412.
There are many amphitheaters that offer free concerts and live music accompanied by food trucks and other vendors. Check out: Wellington Amphitheater, 12100 Forest Hill Blvd, Wellington, FL 33414; The Pavilion at Old School Square, 51 N Swinton Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444; Canyon Amphitheater, 8802 W Boyton Beach Blvd, Boyton Beach, FL 33472; CityPlace Live Entertainment, 708 S Rosemary Ave, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.
There are tons of GreenMarkets in Palm Beach County and they are the perfect way to spend a weekend morning browsing their stands: West Palm Beach GreenMarket, 101 S Clematis St, West Palm Beach 33401; The Gardens GreenMarket, 10500 N Military Trail, Palm Beach Garden, 33410; GreenMarket at Wellington, 12150 Forest Hill Blvd, Wellington, FL 33414; Delray GreenMarket, 20 N Swinton Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444; Royal Palm Beach GreenMarket & Bazaar, 1128 Royal Palm Beach Blvd #169, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411.
Polo Match: Wellington, Florida is the Winter Equestrian Capitol of the World. And watching a polo match at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (3667 120th Ave S, Wellington, FL 33414) is a great way to spend the day. You can watch the game by sitting in the stands or tailgating!
Friday Night Lights & Saturday Night Lights: The equestrian events don't just stop at polo! On Friday nights at the Palm Beach Equine Sports Complex (13125 Southfields Rd, Wellington, FL 33414) is dressage and on Saturday nights at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (14440 Pierson Rd, Wellington, FL 33414) is horse jumping. There is no price for admission, but a $20 parking fee. There are food trucks, bars, restaurants, and local vendors. A great way to spend a Friday or Saturday Night!
Museums: Even in Winter, West Palm Beach gets rainy weather and that's a great time to spend the day in one of the many museums in Palm Beach County: The Palm Beach Museum of Natural History, 10300 Forest Hill Blvd Suite 172, Wellington, FL 33414; Museum of Polo & Hall of Fame, 9011 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, FL 33467; Norton Museum of Art, 1450 S Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach, FL 33401; Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, 1 Whitehall Way, Palm Beach, FL 33480. (You can read my post on the Flagler Museum here!)
Visit Loggerhead Marine Life Center (14200 US-1, Juno Beach, FL 33408)! Late winter is nesting season for sea turtles and the beaches of South Florida (especially Juno Beach) are full of sea turtle nests. Take your kids to the Loggerhead to learn about sea turtles, the 7 different species alive today, and the nesting process. Then take a walk over to the beaches and show them the nests! Or better yet, head to the beach at night to watch the turtles hatch. Loggerhead also throws a TurtleFest every year and releases rehabilitated turtles back to the ocean all year long. Check out their website for their release schedule.
Manatee Lagoon (6000 N Flagler Dr, West Palm Beach, FL 33407) located in Riviera Beach is right on the intercoastal. And as the temperature drops both in the air and in the ocean, the manatees come into Florida to stay warm. If there’s been a cold snap for a few days you can bet there are manatees visiting! But I always check the Manatee Cam to be on the safe side. Manatee Lagoon also puts on a Manatee Fest which is a great time for the family!
XXBDGT