Palm Beach

The greater Palm Beach area is ripe with private country clubs of all kinds. So many in fact, we can’t cover them all here. Instead, we will highlight some of the best of the best and separate the clubs into two lists: The historically tight lipped, traditional, old money, genteel clubs of Palm Beach Island. And the more relaxed, family friendly, but still world class clubs west of the Intracoastal Waterway in the greater Palm Beach metro area.

Palm Beach Island country clubs are some of the most guarded, selective, and secretive private clubs in the world. Socialites, titans of industry, magnates, and the heirs to vast family fortunes built long ago gather together every season on the island and flood the grounds of these prestigious clubs. The long held rule of thumb for many of these clubs is if you have to ask to join a club, you really have no business being there. Instead, you must be invited. If you’re looking for the utmost in class and discretion, you can find it on the island.

Everglades Club

• First opened in 1919, the Everglades Club has always been the grande dame of the island’s club scene. It has an Old World feel with its wood-beamed ceilings and grand fireplaces. The club has no sign, website, or wi-fi, and cell phones are prohibited. There are 5 tennis courts on property along with an 18-hole golf course designed by Seth Raynor.

Bath & Tennis Club

• The Bath & Tennis Club is another secretive property considered to be one of the finest private beach clubs in the world. As the first cabana club in the United States it features inviting lounges, a magnificent ballroom, oceanfront dining, beach cabanas, saltwater pool, and 8 tennis courts.

Palm Beach Country Club

• The Palm Beach Country Club is yet another secretive club on the island. It has a largely Jewish membership and a strict focus on philanthropy by its members. The club boasts an 18-hole golf course designed by Donald Ross in 1917 and 2 tennis courts.

The Beach Club

• The Beach Club opened its doors in 1970 and immediately became known as the “club for all seasons” because it stays open year round. Located directly on the white sands and Caribbean-blue waters of Palm Beach Island is The Beach Club. The essence of the club is the pool and beach area with its ever popular Ocean Bar. Just across the street from the clubhouse are 5 Har-Tru tennis courts and 3 world-class croquet lawns. The club also features 2 unique dining venues, a card room, fitness center, and weekly Backgammon.

Mar-a-Lago

• Mar-a-Lago is a private country club property that disrupted the old guard, hush hush ways of the Palm Beach Island club scene after its opening in 1995. One socialite described Mar-a-Lago as a “new money idea in an old money location.” The club boasts an impressive membership roster that is more diverse and broad minded than others in the area. It is not uncommon for celebrities to be seen enjoying the property. World-class amenities include fine dining, oceanfront swimming pool, spa and salon, 6 tennis courts, croquet court, chip and putt golf course, fitness center, grand ballroom, and full service private beach.

The Breakers

• The Breakers is an historic oceanfront resort founded in 1896 by Henry Flagler. The resort offers four distinct membership opportunities to gain access to its outstanding list of amenities. The property boasts 4 pools and 5 different whirlpool spas along with a private beach complete with water sports rentals. The Breakers is home to Florida’s oldest golf course with its historic Ocean Course. The Breakers’ Rees Jones Course is a contemporary course with large fairways and challenging water carries designed by course architect Rees Jones. Other amenitites include a tennis center with 10 Har-Tru courts, indoor-outdoor spa, innovative fitness center, and 10 different dining venues.

The Sailfish Club

• The Sailfish Club was founded in 1914 on Palm Beach Island. Its attractions now include swimming, sailing, fishing, and boating. The Club features a marina located minutes from the Palm Beach Inlet, poolside cabanas, and a waterfront clubhouse with excellent cuisine. It has Platinum Club of the World honors and is a Distinguished Clubs award recipient.

If some of the above doesn’t sound like your idea of a good time, don’t worry. The greater Palm Beach area offers many world renowned country club properties with a more relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere all with a continued tradition of excellence in service and amenities.

The Preserve at Ironhorse

• The Preserve at Ironhorse offers several annual, non-equity membership opportunities. Arthur Hills designed the 18-hole par 72 golf course which was recently renovated along with the clubhouse in 2016. Tennis players of all skill levels enjoy lessons and clinics on the club’s 6 Har-Tru tennis courts. A fitness center, resort style swimming pool, and casual dining restaurant round out the clubs offerings.

BallenIsles

• BallenIsles is a private country club community that features a 72,000 square foot Grand Clubhouse complete with bar and grill room, private dining rooms, and well appointed locker rooms. Its tennis and fitness center is home to an enormous 23 court tennis complex along with pool, and indoor fitness center. The pride of the club is the 3 championship golf courses designed by Joe Lee, Dick Wilson, and Gene Bates Golf Design.

Frenchman’s Creek

• Frenchman’s Creek Beach and Country Club greets members with tranquil waterfalls amidst tropical greenery as they drive up to their club. At the Country Club members enjoy two 18-hole championship golf courses designed by Jim Fazio and Robert Cupp, 13 Har-Tru tennis courts, deepwater anchorage for private yachts, and a 24,000 square foot fitness and spa center. The Beach Club features private pool and beach access with concierge towel, chair, and umbrella service, and food and beverage waitstaff.

Frenchman’s Reserve

• At Frenchman’s Reserve, members live life to the fullest through golfing, dining, fitness, spa, tennis, and a full social calendar. The 18-hole Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course has large, subtle greens and fairways lined by mature Florida pine trees. A resort style swimming pool, relaxing spa and salon, large fitness center, and 7 Hydro Grid tennis courts round out the club’s offerings.

The Club at Ibis

• The Club at Ibis is an award winning club community with outstanding sports programs and an engaging lifestyle. Ibis offers world class golf at each of its 3 Nicklaus family-designed courses. The large tennis facility is made up of 16 Har-Tru tennis courts and the Health and Fitness Center offers a large selection of cardio equipment, strength machines, and fitness classes. At the heart of the club lies a beautiful resort style swimming pool and separate lap pool. A full calendar of social activities and 4 different dining venues keep members coming back for more.

Lost Tree Club

• The Lost Tree Club has an air of privacy and understated elegance. Opened in 2002, the centerpiece of the club is an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. At the Lost Tree Club Beach House one will find a private beach, small resort style pool and 4 clay tennis courts.

Mirasol

• Mirasol is a private country club community which boasts 2 championship 18-hole golf courses designed by Arthur Hills and Tom Fazio. Together these courses have hosted the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic four times. Mirasol also features a dynamic program with a brand new tennis center comprised of 15 clay courts and 1 hard surface court. The Sports Complex is where you can find a basketball court, pickleball courts, bocce, playground, artificial turf field, and 2,400 square foot recreational building. The aquatics complex houses a lap pool, resort style pool, and beach entry children’s pool. Also on property is a spa and state of the art fitness facility. Three dining outlets and full social calendar complete the club’s offerings.

Old Palm

• Old Palm is a golf centric club community with a perfectly manicured 18-hole golf course designed by Raymond Floyd. As honorary Club Chairman, Raymond is intimately involved in making sure Old Palm is synonymous with the finest courses in the world. Old Palm features an elegant and welcoming clubhouse with four dining venues ranging from formal to casual, and private wine room. A luxurious pool and spa is a great place to relax after an invigorating workout at the club’s state of the art fitness center including golf-specific training equipment. Private Casitas, steps from the pool and clubhouse, are perfect accommodations for guests of members visiting for a few nights. Finally, residents of Old Palm receive full access to the Hilton Singer Island Resort’s private beach and many oceanfront amenities.

PGA National Members Club

• PGA National Members Club provides full country club privileges with all its luxury resort benefits. Full privilege memberships provide access to 5 PGA championship golf courses, members only clubhouse with dining, an exceptional sports and racquet club, and access to the PGA National Resort & Spa which opens up an additional 6 dining venues.

There is a lot of star power in Palm Beach’s restaurant scene, as in Michelin star. The city is home to the first restaurant in the U.S. to partner with three Michelin star, and World’s Best Chef, Mauro Colagreco. Pair that with multiple James Beard-nominated chefs perfecting their craft at various eateries around the city and you have a fine dining paradise. Yes, there are many outstanding casual spots to grab a bite, but Palm Beach exudes opulence, and that is reflected in the area’s dining scene.

The City of Palm Beach and the greater metro area have a number of malls along with some great high end shopping.

The Gardens Mall is a luxurious 1.4 million square foot regional shopping center with over 160 shops including anchors like Nordstrom, Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdales. One can also find luxury goods retailers such as Louis Vuitton, Channel, Jimmy Choo, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Salvatore Ferragamo, and others.

Palm Beach Outlets is the premier outlet mall of the Palm Beaches. The mall features over 100 outlet stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, J. Crew, Anne Taylor, Brooks Brothers, and many others.

Worth Avenue is located on the ritzy Palm Beach Island and home to an impressive collection of luxury brands and upscale boutiques selling art, designer fashions, home furnishings, accessories, fine jewelry, and more. Here you will find stores by Channel, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Lilly Pulitzer, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, Peter Millar, Salvatore Ferragamo, Vilebrequin, and more in one of the most beautiful shopping venues in the country.

The Esplanade is at the far east of Worth Avenue and is flagshipped by Nieman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.  This luxury shopping destination is also home to a large collection of high end boutiques selling the latest in fashion, jewelry, eyewear, and art.

Also on the Island, is The Royal Poinciana Plaza. This unique shopping oasis features 180,000 square feet of retail space and lush gardens. A mix of sophisticated boutiques and luxury retail shops like Hermes, LoveShackFancy, Orlebar Brown, Oscar de la Renta, Saint Laurent, and Valentina Kova fill the beautifully restored John Volk designed architecture.

The West Palm Beach Antique Row Art & Design District is a charming shopping district with more than 40 antique shops with an impressive selection of 17th to 20th century antiques, fine art, period deco and modern furnishings. Some of the world’s best interior designers have been shopping the district for more than 30 years.

Northwood Village is a place with one-of-a-kind stylish shops, trendy wares, and fabulous restaurants. Stores here center on home décor and antiques, art and culture, and a number of carefully curated boutiques.

In the Clematis Street Entertainment District there is always something fun going on. One can walk the street or take the free trolly to its many popular nightclubs and bars, restaurants, and retail stores. This waterfront local hosts year round special events from Clematis By Night, Sunfest, Palm Beach International Boat Show, 4th on Flagler, and many others.

The Henry Morrison Flagler Museum was once the 73-room gilded age estate of railway magnate Henry Flagler. Completed in 1902, this spectacular mansion was said to be “more wonderful than any palace in Europe, grander and more magnificent than any other private dwelling in the world”. Today the museum is open to the public with guided tours and changing exhibitions.

Founded in 1941 by Ralph Hubbard Norton and his wife Elizabeth, the Norton Museum of Art has a permanent collection of over 7,600 works of art.

Manatee Lagoon is a free museum dedicated to the life of manatees and observing them in their natural habitat. Florida Power and Light Company built the museum right next to their power plant which in the winter attracts many manatees and other forms of sea life due to the warm waters flowing out from the plant.

The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches is the Spring Training home of the Major League Baseball teams the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals. The stadium was recently built and seats 7,700.

The Palm Beach Kennel Club is one of Florida’s oldest greyhound racing tracks. In addition, the property has a small casino with 64 poker tables and 2 dining facilities.

The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts is a thriving cultural complex that has become one of the top performing arts centers in the state. This not-for-profit presents a diverse schedule of national and international artists and companies.

The National Croquet Center is the world’s largest dedicated croquet facility. Its 19 full size croquet lawns can accommodate hundreds of players at any one time.

Beaches in Palm Beach can be very different from one another depending on where you go. There are also long stretches of the coastline that the general public is not able to access due to the many private oceanfront mega-mansions, resorts, and condos that line this pricey beachfront. Yet, scattered up and down the coastline the municipality made sure to preserve some great beach access for all its citizens and there are a number of beach parks with ample parking, lifeguards on duty, and great facilities. The water at these beaches is typically a clear Caribbean-blue color. In fact, since the Gulf Stream current runs so close to Palm Beach this area enjoys some of, if not the clearest ocean water in the state. If you are looking for a little taste of Palm Beach’s natural side, before all the development, condos, and snowbirds came to town, check out John D. MacArthur Beach State Park. The park stretches two miles of perfectly preserved beachfront with natural dune hammock opening up to a more tranquil, less trafficked beach than others in the area. Some beaches are great for snorkeling like Ocean Reef Park in the north or Lantana Municipal Beach to the south with the reef located just a short swim from shore. Others like Lake Worth Beach Park and Riviera Beach Municipal Beach will be a livelier scene. There are also two very unique beach parks on the Intracoastal Waterway near the Palm Beach Inlet. Both Peanut Island and Phil Foster Park are fantastic facilities offering residents guarded beach-like swimming areas with unique characteristics. Phil Foster Park is recognized by scientists, scuba divers, underwater photographers, and snorkelers for its abundance of marine life. The park features an underwater snorkeling trail, and daily guided scuba diving trips. Peanut Island is a 79-acre island at the mouth of Palm Beach Inlet with sandy beaches, snorkeling lagoon, campsites, and walking trails.

Palm Beach is a boating paradise. From small personal water craft to large multi-million dollar mega-yachts, nearly everyone in Palm Beach enjoys being out on the water. The city hosts one of the largest boat and yacht shows in the world every year and you can see the results on the waterways around the area. A wide Intracoastal Waterway makes for easy cruising, and the wide Palm Beach Inlet allows easy ocean access and for clear blue ocean water to enter the Intracoastal with each incoming tide. With some of the highest priced waterfront real estate anywhere, the shoreline is almost completely developed, largely with extravagant estates owned by some of the richest people in the world. There are multiple waterfront restaurants for nice dock and dine meals and more than a few marinas to store your boat. The most popular spot for boaters to enjoy a day out on the water is without a doubt Peanut Island. This manmade island at the mouth of the inlet can see hundreds of boats anchor just off its sandy shores to party, swim, cookout, and just have a great time with friends, family, or complete strangers. Crossing to the Bahamas can be done with ease out of Palm Beach with the right boat. West End is just a little over 60 miles from Palm Beach Inlet.

Fishing out of Palm Beach is a very popular activity for locals and visitors alike. Like the Florida Keys, Miami, or Destin, Palm Beach is one of the premier sport fishing locations in the state. Atlantic Ocean access is easy through the Palm Beach Inlet and not more than a few miles offshore the Gulf Stream current brings good numbers of sailfish, wahoo, tuna, cobia, mahi mahi, and other species all within sight of the beach. You can be in 100 feet of water less than 2 miles from shore. Inshore the inlets, bridges, and docks hold good numbers of snook. Other popular inshore species include spotted seatrout, Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper, and tarpon.

Palm Beach schools are controlled by The School District of Palm Beach County. Niche.com gives the school district a B+ rating and has it as the 16th best school district in the state. The Palm Beach County School District has 192,721 students in grades PK, K-12, with a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1. According to state test scores, 58% of students are at least proficient in math and 54% in reading. Several notable private schools include The Benjamin School, The Kings Academy (Christian), Oxbridge Academy, Palm Beach Day Academy, and Cardinal Newman High School (Roman Catholic).

Giving Naples a run for its money for the title “golf capital of the world”, the greater Palm Beach area is bursting at the seams with great golf courses. Many of the top courses in the area are private, but there are a few select courses open to the general public that will challenge and excite golfers of all skill levels. The Island of Palm Beach has a total of 4 golf courses with 1 course being municipal. Within a short 20 mile drive you will find another 96 courses of which 16 are public and 9 municipal.

The Island’s lone municipal course is the Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course, a beautiful Intracoastal to Oceanfront golf course set on some of the most desirable property in the country. The course was redesigned in 2009 by Hall of Fame golfer Raymond Floyd and has 18-holes ranging from just 81 to 211 yards.

Just over the bridges and west of the Intracoastal Waterway is the greater West Palm Beach metro area which opens up a whole new world of outstanding golf courses.

Okeeheelee Golf Course offers 27 holes of championship golf in a serene, park setting. The three 9-hole courses are set up to be played in multiple 18-hole configurations for a different golf experience each visit.

Old Marsh Golf Club is home to what may be Pete Dye’s finest design ever. Membership is by invitation only at this 18-hole championship golf course and club. Surrounded by pristine wetlands, the course has been ranked among “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses”.

Not to be outdone, Seminole Golf Club boasts, perhaps, the greatest course the legendary Donald Ross ever designed. As one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the world, chances are you will not be lucky enough to play it.

The Emerald Dunes Club is a private golf club with an environment dedicated entirely to the enjoyment of golf. That’s easy to do with its Tom Fazio designed 18-hole championship golf course with over 100 bunkers and 60 acres of lakes.

Atlantis Country Club’s golf course was designed in 1972 by architects Dick Wilson and Robert Simmons to be reminiscent of more northern courses. This par 72 championship style course is lined with dense clusters of massive oaks.

The Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach is the setting for a Jim Fazio championship golf course with multiple awards. Also on site is a Jim Fazio designed par 36 course that is distinctly different from the championship course.

Banyan Golf Club is a private member-owned facility with a Joe Lee masterpiece designed in 1973. The course was laid out like a “string of pearls” – with few holes parallel to each other. Banyan offers limited golf memberships by invitation only.