Palm Beach for Families

When I first considered exchanging into Palm Beach, I wasn't very enthused, although I had the notion of equating Palm Beach with the rich and famous. I had also stayed in Ft. Lauderdale a few years back and felt it wasn't a family destination. I am partial to the still waters of the gulf on the west side of Florida, so was also not anticipating a beautiful beach.

I was wrong on all accounts. The Atlantic Ocean by Palm Beach is absolutely gorgeous. The water was calm as bath water on some days, while a little rough with waves for fun on others. The atmosphere was less rowdy than Ft. Lauderdale and, while adult-oriented in some ways, families could certainly have lots of fun.

Quick Tips:

1. EAT! I suggest going to the better restaurants during the early-bird specials (before 6pm). You can order half-price drinks and dinners and not feel as if you are unwanted with your children. My favorite was the Waterway Restaurant.

2. RELAX! Take a few sightseeing trips to break up the vacation. I suggest the Diva Duck amphibious tour and the Lion Country Safari. Both of these are fun for both adults and children.

3. SWIM! Palm Beach is the shark capital of the US. Ensure there haven't been any sightings. Also, July is known for sea lice in that area. These are microscopic jellyfish that sting. The public beaches will post the information. The private beaches at the resorts don't. Otherwise, the water and sand are clean and beautiful. You can negotiate with the beach service to have your chairs and umbrella set up every day waiting for you by the water's edge.

4. SHOP! Take a ride to the mall in Boca Raton. Palm Beach's Worth Avenue is comparable to Rodeo Drive. Check out Lilly Pulitzer -- famous Palm Beach-style clothing. Giorgio's of Palm Beach is famous for the world's most colorful line of alligator handbags.

Best Way To Get Around:

You will need a car to drive to the different areas I've mentioned. Be careful not to get lost, as the area surrounding the affluent areas is poor.

Best Things Nearby:
The beach is very nice. There are lots of waterfront restaurants nearby. Lion Safari and Duck Tours are both great for kids.

Best Things About the Resort:
The service at this resort is exceptional. Everyone goes out of their way to make your stay enjoyable. It is very clean.

Resort Experience:
We rented at this resort for three nights prior to the exchange. RCI members get a $99/nt rate. The resort is U-shaped. Units ending with 38-48 and 04-14 overlook the pool and the ocean beyond on an angle. Units ending with 20-30 are at the bottom of the U and overlook the pool and ocean straight on. Units ending with 01,02, 49 and 50 are direct oceanfront. Units ending with 03-18 and 34-47 face out from the resort (outside of U facing the ocean). Those ending with 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, and 32 seem to have a "city" view. The units on the first floor facing the pool were blocked by a wall and landscaping, and didn't seem very nice. I stayed in 612, which was nice and then 505, which was even nicer. You can request a particular view ahead of time. They have updated some of the units with conveniences and a better layout (such as 505). We were two adults and two children, and were comfortable.

Everyone was wonderful, from the restaurant to the tiki bar to the front desk, activities counselors, activity director, housekeeping, beach rental staff, and hotel maintenance. Great service! There’s daily garbage disposal and towel exchange. There are big, plush lounges by the pool.

There is a nearby custom swimsuit place that has really nice suits. For restaurants, try the Waterway. They have greatly reduced prices before 6:30pm and half-price drinks until 7pm. There’s an excellent view and food.

The Lion Safari was fun. Diva Duck was cute, too (booked through hotel and they pick you up at the door).

One thing that everyone should be aware of is the sea lice! Palm Beach gets microscopic larvae jellyfish during the summer that sting beneath your swimsuit. My son experienced a terrible rash on his thighs and I couldn't figure out what it was. We ended up staying off of the beach because of it. I suggest that anyone thinking of visiting check out the web for further information.

I would gladly return during the spring or winter. Excellent resort.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

I usually enjoy dining on the water when I am on a beach vacation. Palm Beach had very few places with an ocean view. What I found, however, were several places on the Intracoastal Waterway. While you don’t see beautiful sunsets and calming waves, you do get to watch yachts and motorboats driving by and sometimes docking at the restaurant. Another sight, particularly at this restaurant, is the PGA drawbridge opening from beneath it. My sons thought this was exciting!

The Waterway Café offers a stunning view, good service, delicious food and an affordable menu. I suggest going during their twilight menu which is from 4-5:30pm. For $12 you get your choice of soup or salad, fresh bread, choice of meals that range from scrod to sirloin, to teriyaki chicken and others, and dessert -- Key lime pie -- and coffee or tea. It is a great deal! Drinks are also half price! Of course, this makes the bar very popular so stick to the opposite end of the restaurant or eat outside if you bring your family.

If you can come as a couple or single, then enjoy their floating bar! If the weather is warm, they have fans set up to blow the cool mist spritzing from hoses. It is really refreshing. During happy hour, this seems to be the place to be!

Some of their dishes not on the twilight menu are worth trying. Maybe splurge on the crabmeat and spinach stuffed portabello smothered with baked cheese or the BBQ shrimp appetizer served in a bread bowl.

The Waterway offers a children’s menu and has disabled access.

Panama Hattie’s is across the way and offers free water taxi rides. When I saw the vessel, I decided against it. I do not recommend Panama Hatties for the food either; it was awful and overpriced to boot.
Stick with the Waterway! You'll enjoy it!

Lion Country was founded in 1967 as the first drive-through wildlife preserve in the country. Their habitat provides a means for visitors to observe endangered or threatened species including: Southern White Rhinoceros, African Elephant, Chimpanzee, Brazilian Tapir, Siamang, White-handed Gibbon, Blackbuck, Brown Pelican, and Cinereous Vulture.

When you first arrive, you pay your ticket price and get a complimentary cassette or CD to guide your tour of the preserve. An informational pamphlet and map is also provided. The tour takes you through each of the sections of the preserve providing information about the animals and playing background music.

The preserve is divided into seven sections:
Las Pampas: South American Grasslands
Ruaha National Park: African wilderness
Kalahari Bushveldt: Southwest African plateau
Gir Forest: Indian National Park
The Gorongosa: Northern Mozambique wildlife area
Serengeti Plains: East African wildlife area
Hwange National Park: Western Zimbabwe Reserve

You drive at your own pace on a two-lane dirt road. Be aware that you can go through the safari again for free at the end of your trip (we found different animals moving and engaged in different activities each time). We had a rhinoceros walk right next to the car. They are HUGE. Chimpanzees are kept separated from the vehicles by water-filled canals so you can see them interacting with each other without worrying about them doing damage to your vehicle. At the end of the tour, you can park and visit the petting zoo, gift shop, cafeteria, and walk-through animal sanctuary. Before departing, you return the audio tour tape. We found a lot of fun souvenirs for the kids in the gift shop. Prices were pretty reasonable.

Ticket prices:
Adults (ages 10 and over): $17.95
Seniors (ages 65 and over): $15.95
Children (ages 3 through 9): $13.95
Children 2 and under: Free
Parking (per vehicle): $3.00
I suggest getting an Entertainment Card for the Palm Beach area and you can save the price of several adult tickets (worth buying the book for that savings alone!)

Note that convertibles are not allowed. Rental vehicles are available at the front office for cars and minivans seating up to eight people for $8 and 15-passenger vans for $15 per 1.5 hours.

Hours:
Open every day of the year--
Vehicles admitted: 9:30am-4:30pm Park closes: 5:30pm

Lion Country Safari is located in West Palm Beach, Florida, 20 miles west of downtown.

The DivaDuck is an exciting and fun amphibious vehicle tour in southeast Florida. The tour normally departs from CityPlace in Downtown West Palm Beach on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Wednesdays, however, The DivaDuck picks up passengers from Palm Beach Shores Resort.

Ticket prices:
Adults $19.95 (plus tax)
Children 4-10 $9.95
FREE for children 3 and younger

The tour guide and captain put on quite a show. The vehicle is both an open-air bus and a boat. We booked our tour through the activities desk at the Palm Beach Shores Resort. The vehicle came outside the lobby area and we boarded. The 75-minute, fully narrated, musical tour rides high and without windows through the beautifully transformed Historic Neighborhoods of Palm Beach, past the New Palm Beach Convention Center, along the Lake Worth Lagoon and then, get ready. . . as the captain drives right into the Intercoastal Waterway to the amazement of people standing at the boat launch.

During the cruise, you get to see the sub-tropical wildlife around Peanut Island and the spectacular mansions of Palm Beach as well as their yachts. All of this is accompanied by singing and narration.

The DivaDuck then climbs back on land via the Currie Park boat ramp and drives through the well-populated Clematis Street Shopping District with quacking horns and duck whistles. It’s fun to watch people react to the vehicle!

You can purchase water, snacks and Duck Whistles onboard (recommended to get in on the fun!)

The tour ends back by the hotel. Very convenient! I enjoyed getting a glimpse of the sites in and around the city. The tour wasn't very long, yet it whet our appetites to revisit certain places. We also got to tour the mansions from the Intercoastal Waterway. I was going to take a longer cruise to do this, but suffer from motion sickness. This was just long enough for me to see what I had hoped without investing too much time. And finally, it was a lighthearted and fun trip. They really do offer the best of both worlds!

This small shop located in a 7/11 shopping plaza caters to what women need...quality swimwear that fits. When you walk into the shop, you'll be greeted by a vast array of options, one-piece, two-piece, bikinis, cover-ups, etc. You can peruse the racks or look at the photos on the walls and in the scrap books on the tables. Better yet, talk to Larry Quick.

Larry asked me questions about what kind of bathing suit I usually look for and like. He selected one in my size and had me try it on. We assessed the look in a triple fold mirror that was unforgiving.

Next, he selected the swimsuit that he felt would best hide my flaws and play up my assets. I didn't think the suit he selected would look good, but it did! I suggested that I would like it a little different here or there and, voila, he showed me how he would alter it. As a matter of fact, I could wait and have a completely new suit created for me, or he would change the one I tried on while I waited.

I really liked the pattern of the suit and wanted it right away, so I decided to wait. Larry quickly made the straps fit perfectly and added a removable strap on the top. I got the wider sides on the bottom so felt comfortable even though it was a two-piece.

We next tried on cover-ups to complete the whole look.

Larry also suggested I purchase a matching hair scrunchy for a couple of dollars to go with my suit. I really loved that, as it shows the suit is custom-made.

Finally, Larry gave me a small container of white vinegar and instructions on how to care for my suit so the colors stay bright.

I was very impressed with this store. Larry was very knowledgeable and took so much time. It was a pleasure doing business with him. I still love my suit! My mother also purchased a plus-size custom suit.

You can also access their website here. You can either "Build a Suit" from the top and bottom styles and fabrics, or select a suit from their gallery and your fabric. You order the basic size you want to have. Then they use the information that you enter (bust, cup, rib cage, waist, hips and torso) to design a pattern. They keep the pattern for your future swimsuit orders.