West Palm Beach, Florida, was supposed to be the final stop on tycoon Henry Flagler's railroad through the state in 1893 and the commercial center for Palm Beach. West Palm has turned into its own city, however, where historic homes mingle with ultramodern high-rises, and the downtown area segues into suburbia.
In and around the area are theaters, restaurants, hotels, museums, historic sites, zoos, golf courses, tennis courts, parks and preserves, and watersports activities.
Palm Beach, West Palm's sister island, is just across the Intracoastal Waterway, so visitors have seemingly endless options when it comes to fine dining, upscale hotels, sandy beaches and shopping.
Clematis Street, the historical heart of downtown, is a popular area for concerts, films and street parties. There are activities there year-round.
