Whether it’s the Secret Service security backing up Bentleys near Mar-a-Lago or the visibly increased foot traffic on Worth Avenue, one thing is obvious: Palm Beach, an island where 39 living billionaires besides Trump have homes, yacht slips, and club memberships, is buzzier and busier than ever.
We’ve done a lot of #veryTandC research—people watching, shopping, cocktail sipping!—and whether you’re old money or new, senior citizen or college kid, here are the best spots in town.
Where to Stay
Originally built in 1896 by railroad tycoon Henry Flagler, the Breakers is the soul of old-world Palm Beach. The 140-acre oceanfront resort’s restaurants and beach club are the center of the social scene during the high season between Christmas and New Year’s (note: the New Year’s Eve black-tie gala is not to be missed!). 1 South County Road
Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach
The Four Seasons reopened last year after a multimillion dollar renovation by interior architect and designer Martin Brudnizki that added two new restaurants, including Florie’s, which features cuisine from Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco (his restaurant Mirazur, in Menton, France, was ranked third on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018 list). Seaway, the resort’s oceanfront restaurant, highlights fresh Floridian fare with Latin influences. Jessica Altieri, the Four Seasons’s only sommelier certified to offer expertise in both wine and water, oversees the wine list and organizes weekly premium water tastings. 2800 South Ocean Boulevard
Created by the duo behind the lifestyle blog Palm Beach Lately, the Pineapple Pad might be the preppiest place to stay on the island. Sisters Beth Aschenbach and Danielle Norcross transformed a 400-square-foot space in the historic Palm Beach Hotel into a getaway with island vibes. A pineapple-wallpapered bathroom and striped awning over the kitchenette feel transportive, and nods to old Palm Beach style include rattan furniture and vintage tennis rackets on the walls. Beach bags, an umbrella, and a pair of pink bikes equipped with baskets are provided for guests. 235 Sunrise Avenue
A few years ago, he Ritz-Carlton south of Palm Beach was rebranded Eau Palm Beach and redecorated by PB personality Jonathan Adler. The designer’s colorful and cheeky touch has energized the resort into an activity-packed, family-friendly destination. For parents, the 42,000-square-foot spa is a big attraction. 100 South Ocean Boulevard
Since 1947, the Colony has hosted a cast of colorful characters from the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Marjorie Merriweather Post to Presidents Clinton and Bush. In 2014, the pink hotel was redecorated and washed with even more color (think palm print halls, pink chintz curtains, and gingham tablecloths) by Dorothy Draper’s protégé Carleton Varney. 155 Hammon Avenue
Where to Eat
When you ask anyone who winters in PB what their favorite restaurant is, Būccan consistently comes up. Known for its ever-changing menu and after-hours bar scene (with notably fewer college kids than Cucina’s), it’s a buzzy place to see-and-be-seen. If the wait for dinner is too long during high season, try the sister restaurant, Imoto, next door or drop in earlier at lunchtime for sandwiches served around the corner at the Sandwich Shop. 350 South County Road
Since opening in 1941, Ta-boo has epitomized old Palm Beach. Legend has it that the first Bloody Mary was concocted here, at the request of heiress Barbara Woolworth Hutton searching for a soothing drink after a night of partying. Next to Brooks Brothers and across the street from Cartier, the classic scene attracts a crowd of older patrons who value tradition. 221 Worth Avenue
Café Boulud at the Brazilian Court
Under the palms on the outdoor terrace of the Brazilian Court Hotel, Café Boulud is the perfect place for brunch or an afternoon cappuccino. At night, the courtyard lights up and dinner becomes quite the scene. During the high season, jackets are preferred. 301 Australian Avenue
New York City Milanese restaurant Sant Ambroeus counts T&C types like Carolina Herrera and Leandra Medine as regulars. Fortunately for well-dressed and fed New Yorkers who have alighted in the south, it just opened its first location outside of the city in Palm Beach. Located in the landmarked Royal Poinciana Plaza that, under new ownership, has undergone a major restoration, it’s already attracted PB social fixtures like Aerin Lauder, who designed the lighting for the space. 340 Royal Poinciana Way
Also located in Royal Poinciana Plaza, the Honor Bar is a sister restaurant to the popular Palm Beach Grill. Unlike its older sibling, however, the restaurant does not take reservations. The menu features a delicious burger, sandwiches, and salads, along with classic cocktails, beer, and wine. 340 Royal Poinciana Way
Where to Shop
Since 1959, Lilly Pulitzer’s colorful resort wear has been synonymous with Palm Beach. Last year, the brand celebrated its 60th anniversary and hosted a “Jungle Paradise”-themed block party on Worth Avenue that coincided with the opening of its new flagship store. 240 Worth Avenue
Interior designer Amanda Lindroth has been decorating Palm Beach’s most fabulous homes for decades. In 2015, she extended her signature coastal elegance to a shop that sells gifts (like block printed napkins, bamboo flatware, and wicker trays) and her famous basket bags—her hand-painted monogram grass totes and new basket bags inspired by the one Jane Birkin famously carried are must-have accessories in Palm Beach. 312 South Country Road
Palm Beach hosts and hostesses share one secret: Mary Mahoney. The tabletop emporium sells the prettiest porcelain plates from brands like Alberto Pinto and Richard Ginori and fine embroidered linens from Julia B. and Kim Seybert. 336 Worth Avenue
The only American outpost of Florentine paper store Il Papiro still standing is on Worth Avenue. (Yes, there’s used to be one on the Upper East Side, but it closed in 2015). Here, you’ll find stationery, place cards, and notebooks that are made with the most beautiful old-world inks and techniques. 347 Worth Avenue
Opened in 1923, Kassatly’s is the oldest shop on Worth Avenue. The store offers imported and domestic linens, designer lingerie, sweaters, and menswear, and visiting is like taking a step back in time. Today, the founding couple’s sons Edward and Robert Kassatly carry on the commitment to quality fabric and service that their parents established.
Palm Beach’s beloved thrift store, the Church Mouse is a must-visit for stylish PBers like Celerie Kemble and Aerin Lauder. In business since 1972, everything is donated by the island’s chic locals and sales benefit the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea. 374 South County Road
Palm Beach-based Stubbs & Wootton’s needlepoint and monogram smoking slippers have become a sartorial giveaway that someone frequents the island. Tongue-in-cheek styles (like a pair with an image of a screw embroidered on one toe and a “U” on the other) and old-money references (one pair features broken blue and white ginger jars) keep preppy Palm Beachers coming back to collect them all. 340 Worth Avenue
Where to Drink
This is the ultimate see-and-be-seen bar for cocktails in Palm Beach—if it’s high season, just walk into the Breakers on any night and follow the chatter towards HMF (initials of the resort’s founder, Henry Morrison Flagler). After you snag a table (HMF does not take reservations), order some wine from the 2,000-plus list and a few small bites. There is a DJ and they serve until 1 a.m., but things stay civilized. 1 South County Road
After grandma goes to bed, this is where the under-30 crowd congregates. By day, it’s an Italian restaurant that also serves brunch. By night, the tables are pushed back and the music is turned up. 257 Royal Poinciana Way
What to Do
The Botanical Garden at the Society of the Four Arts
Originally designed in 1938 to showcase the diversity of tropical plants native to the island, today, the original garden is maintained by the Society and the Garden Club of Palm Beach. It’s open to the public seven days a week. 2 Four Arts Plaza
Whitehall, the 75-room Gilded Age mansion that Standard Oil co-founder Henry Morrison Flagler built as a wedding present for his wife, Mary Lily Kenan, is now open to the public. When it was finished in 1902, the New York Herald wrote that the estate was “more wonderful than any palace in Europe, grander and more magnificent than any other private dwelling in the world.” Carrère and Hastings, the architectural firm known especially for the New York Public Library, designed the 60,000-square-foot mansion. Today visitors can tour the home and Flagler’s private railcar, Railcar No. 91. 1 Whitehall Way
Go for a Bike Ride
Don’t own a Fiat Jolly with wicker seats? A bike is your next best option. If you’re staying at the Brazilian Court you can check out their in-house Martone Cycling x Lilly Pulitzer bikes for a spin on the lake trail or zoom past the Kennedy and Trump Winter White Houses. For those staying anywhere else, Palm Beach Bicycle offers a large selection of wheels for rent. 223 Sunrise Avenue
