If you are looking for easy sea-breezy meets lap of luxury, Palm Beach is your ideal winter getaway. Within a three-hour flight from New York and only about 15 minutes from Palm Beach International Airport the posh island has been a prized destination since the first hotel opened in 1880, the Coconut Grove, named after the Providencia wrecked off the coast and left 20,000 coconuts which were disbursed and planted. Part Lilly Pulitzer, part Prada, Palm Beach is both old school and new school. While it is the winter home to the wealthy, Palm Beach is also fabulous fun for a quick trip to imbibe in sun, cuisine, fashion, art, and sports. Here’s our itinerary.
Friday
1 PM: When you arrive at the Five-Star, Five-Diamond Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach you have the perfect moment of attitude adjustment, greeted with a glass of champagne and warm welcome from the staff who aim to perfect your stay. The resort has recently undergone a major renovation to even heighten its glam factor, a sophisticated yet ultra comfortable oceanfront pampering experience. Expansive water view rooms with luxurious bathrooms and all amenities may tempt you to just lounge in your robe, but there is plenty to enjoy at the resort: two pools (one for adults only) an oceanfront restaurant and bar, fantastic Florie’s restaurant, beach lounges and cabanas, as well as boutiques.
2 PM: The Four Seasons full-service spa as well as beauty salon offer many services to elevate you to your best self. The Ocean Salt Stone Massage takes smooth Himalayan salt stones and bathes the body in alkalinizing negative ions and 84 essential minerals. The huge spa which would put the Romans to shame includes Jacuzzis, steam and saunas, and expansive locker rooms with therapeutic showers as well as relaxation rooms with drinks and nibbles.
Note that if you are not staying at the resort, you can take advantage of the Day Spa Beach Retreat with a 50 minute spa treatment, credit towards lunch, full day access to the private beach, use of fitness center and 10 percent discount on spa retail items.
5 PM: Now that you have left your stressed-out self behind, it is time to head into town to Meat Market and put the “happy” in happy hour. Note the hotel is happy to arrange in town transportation and also ride share apps and Circuit electric shuttles are prevalent, no need to drive. Sit at the buzzy bar and enjoy specials 4 to 7 PM like a $12 glass of Veuve or Tito’s Classic Martini with $2 oysters on the half shell and other discounted nibbles.
7 PM: Recently celebrating its 20th anniversary with a festive Rio themed party, Café Boulud at the Brazilian Court Hotel is a credit to the acclaimed Daniel Boulud and also his incredible team including Executive Chef Dieter Samijn. If you sense romance in the air do not be surprised. It is where Daniel met his wife, Katherine, who he married in 2013. Café Boulud offers breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner with the Chef’s French-American cuisine and dose of South Florida flavor. The sommelier is always available for perfect pairing suggestions. If you have trouble deciding, the tasting menu is a great way to get all the delectable flavors. The dramatically backlit bar is also a hot spot and if you need the most beautiful cocktail on the island order the White Cosmopolitan with a frozen orchid. Keep an eye out for more special events.
10 PM: There is nothing quite like driving down an elegantly lit allée of palm trees to arrive at the grand and historic Breakers Hotel. The stylish HMF lounge is the perfect place for a night cap, open to 11pm or midnight on weekends. Like most places in Palm Beach nice attire is required.
Saturday
8 AM: Enjoy coffee on your balcony or grab a coffee from the lobby to sit by the pool or on the beach. Send a picture to co-workers of your “today’s office view” to make them jealous.
9:45 AM: Labarre is a barre and pilates class which promotes strength, flexibility, and impeccable posture at any age. Founder Jacquelyn Bevilacqua shares her alchemy of timeless mind, body, beauty. Be sure to reserve in advance as it is a popular destination.
11 AM: As a reward, walk to the petite but fantastique French bakery Patrick Lézé with great coffees and pastries as well as delicious sandwiches on baguettes or croissants to take to the nearby beach. Or if you want a fantastic juice bar, head to the Amici Market. A Seaview is my green juice favorite. The fine food boutique market and wine cellar is also is the go-to for yacht and jet provisioning.
11:30 AM: For a fantastic walk, just blocks away is the Intracoastal walkway which runs north from the Flagler Memorial Bridge. You can walk, bike, or jog this paved waterside path and get a bit of fantastic yacht and waterfront mansion watching along the way. Then head back to the hotel to get ready for your power lunch.
1 PM: La Goulue redefined joie de vivre when it opened in 2020 in Palm Beach. With a history dating to 1972 in New York from acclaimed restaurateur Jean Denoyer, this second chic and lively bistro quickly earned new fans of Executive Chef Gwen Le Pape’s incredible French cuisine and fantastic wines including by the glass. The charming General Manager Mathieu Potelle adds his warm welcome. Be sure to start with Le Papillon cocktail with casamigos blanco, violette citrus, and butterfly pea flower infusion. Not to miss is Le Soufflé au Fromage, Moules Marinières Frites, and Chef’s famous Tarteau Citron Meriguée made since he was six years old.
2:30 PM: Valerie Yugova of A-Studio Spa is the secret weapon of youthful looking women in East Hampton and Palm Beach, offering a private client experience of fantastic facials with her Eminence Organic products, which smell good enough to eat, as well as microdermabrasion, peels, and laser photo-rejuvenation. With her calming energy and customization for your particular needs it is a relaxing and caring experience.
3:30 PM: The icing on the Palm Beach beauty cake is to book an appointment at the full service Le Bazaar salon. The bohemian loft like space, full-service bar, and revolving artwork makes it feel more like a private club. They work their magic whether it’s a sophisticated, beachy or edgy style, and are also in New York City to keep fans looking chicly coiffed in both places. Julian is also the go to for any Leo worth her mane.
4:30 PM: From beach to black tie, Michelle Farmer Collaborate, the favorite fashion mecca in both Southampton and Palm Beach is the place to dress for success. With Michelle’s own luxurious line of women’s ware paired with carefully curated international designers, it is a unique shopper’s fantasy. The helpful staff will style you to perfection with clothes, jewels, and accessories and Michelle can even custom create looks for special occasions.
7 PM: At the Four Seasons Resort, famed Argentine-Italian chef Mauro Colagreco of the world’s number one Mirazur restaurant in France graces the US for the first time with Florie’s. The spirit of the Mediterranean abounds with the live-fire cooking and earth conscious offerings, utilizing the bounty of Southern Florida. The passion for gardening is not only in the fresh offerings like the heirloom tomato and peach carpaccio but on the hand illustrated Botanical Guide cocktail and mocktail menu infused with herbal flare. Don’t miss the langoustine yakitori, New Zealand lamb shank, or seared local grouper perfectly paired from the award-winning wine list. And the white chocolate mousse is well worth the calories.
9 PM: Stop by for a night cap in the lovely lounge or sit outside to be serenaded by the sea. A perfect drink might be the Orchid, made with Woodford Reserve bourbon, Cocchi di Torino, clarified root beer cordial, sassafras bitters, and vanilla bean. You might even howl at the moon.
Sunday
8 AM: Start your day at Florie’s in healthy style with a cold pressed juice, vegan smoothie, turmeric ginger latte, or even the London Fog with Earl Grey tea, vanilla bean syrup, and steamed milk. Or opt for the Mediterranean fare fabulous breakfast buffet.
9 AM: Pick your exercise from a swim in the pool to a beach walk to paddle boarding to one of the classes at the fitness center or just sit and meditate by the ocean.
11 AM: You certainly have options for Sunday Funday in Palm Beach. The epicenter is Worth Avenue, which in the early 1900s was home to Alligator Joe’s Farm where visitors were entertained by his collection of alligators he often wrestled. While alligator purses may be all that remains, the rich history is there and you can do Historical Walking Tours of Worth Avenue on Wednesdays.
Addison Mizner created the upscale shopping mecca and you can even see the grave of his pet monkey Johnnie Brown by the popular Pizza Al Fresco. Unusual pets are not rare, and if you happen to see a pig walking around on a leash, do not fear — it is only the service pig Mona Lisa. These vivacious viaducts off Worth offer some famous shopping. On Via Mizner you have such Hamptons favorites as Via Coquina, Aerin, and Jennifer Miller and on Via Bice, Frances Valentine along with Bice restaurant. If you are lucky enough to score a reservation, Le Bilboquet is also just down the street and has a hopping brunch like its Sag Harbor counterpart.
12:30 PM: Paula Cooper Gallery, like its Soho sister, presents leading and upcoming artists and puts them in compelling contexts often with talks from the curators. The current group exhibition brings together Terry Adkins, Matias Faldbakken, and Veronica Ryan with their shared interest in the notion of re-purposing. With a unique sculptural vocabulary, each artist sources and transforms overlooked materials both fabricated and organic.
1 PM: The boutique Colony Hotel in the center of town has perfected its pink paradise and Swifty’s Restaurant is the see-and-be-seen spot. Reservations are definitely suggested for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but the pool side bar is a great place to pop in and soak in the haute PB vibe. While they are famous for their Cobb salad, the original crispy brussels sprout taco is sure to please. And get ready for some monkey business with the namesake cocktail of Monkey in Paradise, made with vodka, citrus, mint and ginger.
3 PM: It’s time to get on the water and LuxuryDayCharters.com offers everything from lunch, brunch, and sunset cruises to weekend or longer charters. With access to a diverse collection of classic and modern yachts, Dhardra Blake, a former yacht chef turned charter specialist, customizes clients’ experiences. Operating in the Hamptons during the summer as well as Palm Beach, South Florida, Bahamas, and the Caribbean during the winter, Dhardra caters to special occasions and charity events accommodating over 100 guests on select vessels. In Palm Beach, excursion options include cruising along the Intracoastal to view historic estates, properties available for sale, dockside dining, snorkeling off Peanut Island as well as bespoke itineraries to the Keys, Bimini, or the stunning islands of the Exumas in the Bahamas and beyond.
If you are looking to go farther afield, the Four Seasons offers a special package, Polo in Paradise with esteemed polo player Nic Roldan. Guests can attend a Sunday match with Roldan as their guide, attend a master class on foot to learn more about the sport, or even hop on for a one-hour lesson.
6 PM: Following polo, Jennifer Oz LeRoy’s Maxwell’s Plum in Wellington is the perfect spot to celebrate and close out the weekend.
Monday
With a sigh of regret and your special Four Seasons sunglass cleaner in your pocket, head back to the airport and hope maybe snow will have closed the New York airports.
