By plane
West Palm Beach is served by Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), a small, yet highly adequate airport. While both the Miami and the Fort Lauderdale airports are busy, PBI is easy to get in and out of, and is about 5 minutes from downtown West Palm Beach. Travelers flying into South Florida or the Bahamas should strongly consider PBI.
By train
Amtrak has a stop in the southern part of the county (about 12 miles away), and the Tri-Rail runs between Miami and West Palm.
By car
West Palm Beach is easily accessible by Interstate 95 and the Florida Turnpike.
By bus
PalmTran runs throughout Palm Beach County. At the corner of Quadrille and Clematis you will find a popular hub, connecting many different routes.
By boat
See
There are entire guidebooks dedicated to covering Palm Beach County. Here is just a short list:
Do
There are over 40 miles of beautiful beaches in Palm Beach County. The proximity of the Gulf Stream keeps the waters warm year-round.
For snorkeling, 2 places might satisfy. One is John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, located on the north end of Singer Island. A shallow reef full of fish. Be careful, shark and barracuda are seen regularly. This park also has kayaking, music on Sundays, and some short hiking trails. Information can be found at http://www.macarthurbeach.org/ .
Another snorkeling spot is the Breaker's reef. Located on Palm Beach, the reef is nestled right behind the Breakers hotel. This reef is one long stretch that juts out into the ocean. You can park on the side roads near the Breakers, although it is technically illegal and police often tow out of town cars from this wealthy neighborhood.
A beach activity unique to Florida is watching spaceships launch out over the ocean. Ships lifting off from Cape Kennedy are visible during both daylight and night hours, although night and early morning launches are significantly more impressive. From most beaches, looking directly north up the coast will orient you correctly. Launches are visible from anywhere in Florida, but the ocean guarantees a clear view and night launches often reflect in the water.
There are bicycle paths throughout the area. One of the nicest is on the West (Intracostal) side of Palm Beach. It runs from the middle bridge to the inlet that separates Palm Beach from Singer Island. This path is also suitable for roller blading.
Buy
Shopping is a popular activity in West Palm, particularly considering the weather is so mild year-round. There are a number of places to shop, including:
Eat
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Sweets
Drink
Sleep
Budget
Mid-range
Hotel Biba is a funky, sea-foam-colored hotel with colorful, ultra-modern decor. Located about 3 miles south of Clematis Street, Hotel Biba bills itself as "a 43-room historic landmark boutique hotel." The hotel features Biba Bar, a hip nightclub featuring live music on the weekends. For more information, contact: 561.832.0094 or .
Splurge
Get out
The Tiki Bar is a casual bar on the Intracoastal about 2 miles north of West Palm, in Riviera Beach just off US 1. They feature live music 7 days a week. If you go, try the Grouper Tacos, an unforgettable taste treat. One plate serves 2 people.
Heading north about 5 more miles takes you to Blue Heron Blvd. Turn right, and cross the bridge. You'll find yourself on Singer Island, a small beach community that wants to be the next Cocoa Beach. Featuring clean, wide, white sandy beaches, several open-aired beachside restaurants, and a few large surf shops, this is a very relaxing place to get away from the trendy shopping and nightlife of West Palm.
There are a lot of other interesting cities surrounding West Palm, including Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens to the north, and Delray Beach, Boca Raton, and Boynton Beach to the south.
West Palm Beach, also known as West Palm, is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. As of the 2000 census, the incorporated part of the city had a total population of 82,103 but, according to the University of Florida's 2006 estimates, the incorporated city had a population of 107,617.
It is the county seat of Palm Beach County, the northernmost county in the South Florida metropolitan area. The West Palm Beach designated market area, which includes all of Palm Beach County as well as nearby Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Indian River Counties has a total population of 1,771,940. According to the 2006 Morgan Quinto Poll, West Palm Beach is the 14th most dangerous city in the United States.
Geography and Climate
According to the United States Census Bureau, this city has a total area of 150.7 km² (58.2 mi²). 142.8 km² (55.1 mi²) of it is land and 7.9 km² (3.1 mi²) of it (5.26%) is water.
Due to vast areas of swampland immediately to the west of the city's downtown, growth occurred to the north and south in a linear fashion. Until the 1960s, the city was no more than several blocks wide but over 100 blocks in length. Large scale development finally occurred to the west of the city with improved access and drainage in the 1960s. However, the city boundaries were not expanded much with the exception of the "Water Catchment Area", an uninhabited area in the northwest part of the city that serves as a reservoir for the city drinking supply.
Climate
The climate in West Palm Beach is tropical, with some discernible seasons, although not in the temperate climate sense. The brief, mild winters (December to early March) are noticeably cooler than the humid, tropical summers with low temperatures frequently dipping into the 40s F (5-9 C) and more rarely the 30s F (1-4 C), and on extremely rare occasions below freezing. High temperatures typically range from 65 to 82 F (18 - 28 C), although during cold spells high temperatures can remain in the 50s F (10 - 15 C). The lowest temperature ever recorded in the city was 27 F (-2.8 C) on January 19, 1977, a date which also recorded measurable snow; and January 20, 1985 which was accompanied by a heavy frost. Other notable freezes which damaged the area's lucrative winter vegetable industry occurred in 1983, 1989, 1997 and 2006.
The sixth months of summer (May through October) are hot and humid although easterly winds off the Atlantic and afternoon thunderstorms from the interior tend to temper the heat on a day to day basis during this period. Daily high temperatures consistently range between 86 - 92 F (30 - 33 C) between early June and late September. The heat index or humidex consistently measures between 90 - 102 F (32 - 38 C) during this period. Low temperatures average between 72 - 81 F (22 - 27 C) during this period. A record high of 100 F (37.8 C) was recorded in June, 1921.
The transitional months, November, March and April, are typically dry and warm with temperatures ranging from 55 F to 85 F (12 C - 28 C), although there can be short periods of quite cool weather in March and late November. Hurricane season is officially from June 1 through November 30, with the peak months being August, September and October. The city has received direct or near direct hits from hurricanes in 1928, 1949, 1979, 1992, 2004, and 2005.
Notable residents, past and present
Education
Primary and Secondary Education
Public education is provided and managed by The School District of Palm Beach County. Their main office is located in unincorporated West Palm Beach.
Post-Secondary Education
Palm Beach Community College is the oldest community college in Florida, founded in 1933. The original building housing Palm Beach Community College is in West Palm Beach, adjacent to the Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr. School of the Arts (on the site of the old Palm Beach High School), and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building has been restored and is once again being used by the college. The Community College now has four campuses in the county, with the main campus located in neighboring Lake Worth.
Palm Beach Atlantic University is a four-year, private, Christian university with approximately 3,200 students. The university has grown rapidly in the past ten years, and future growth is expected to continue. The expanding waterfront campus is located on seven blocks within the south end of downtown, and includes several historic structures converted to academic use.
Northwood University is a four year private business college offering bachelor and graduate degrees. The campus is located in the northwest part of the city.
Libraries
West Palm Beach’s public library sits on the end of Clematis Street. Prior to the library's construction in the 1960s, this site was a park - this gave a waterfront view to the famed Clematis Street. The city will later move the library a few blocks west (to the site of the D+D building) and again reopen this area as a park.
The Palm Beach County Library System’s main library is on Summit Boulevard just outside the city limits.
Attractions
Controversies & crime
During the past two years, West Palm Beach has experience a surge in political corruption scandals. Most recently Former City Commissioner Jim Exline was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for not reporting to the IRS a $50,000 payment from a developer and then funneling it through a jewelry store. Not long before, the County Commissioner of Palm Beach County, Tony Masilotti, pled guilty to Federal charges stemming from corrupt land deals.
In 1993, West Palm Beach was featured in a 60 Minutes segment on urban decay. At the time, 80% of downtown properties were vacant. Since then, the city has done much to improve its image, at least in the physical sense. Occupancy is high, and housing prices have risen rapidly. However, crime remains a serious issue. Annual crime rates are always more than three times the national average and West Palm Beach consistently ranks as one of the nation's 100 most dangerous cities. However, as of 2006, the city's crime average has been gradually decreasing while robbery was up 17 per cent.
Morgan Quitno lists West Palm Beach as ranking as the 14th most dangerous city by population in the United States. However, some may argue that the crime data concerning West Palm Beach is unfairly skewed because it does not take into account the much larger unincorporated area adjacent to the city, which has a much lower crime rate than the incorporated area. Even the troubled neighborhoods within the incorporated parts of the city are isolated geographically and largely avoided by the general public.
West Palm Beach was the focal point of a controversy regarding voting irregularities that some claim may have affected the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, 2000.
Transportation
Air: The city is served by Palm Beach International Airport, located in unincorporated West Palm Beach. The airport also attracts people from all over the county as well as from the Treasure Coast counties to the north.
Highways: US Highway 1 passes though the city’s downtown, commercial, and industrial districts. Interstate 95 bisects the city from north to south with several interchanges serving West Palm Beach. Florida's Turnpike passes through West Palm Beach further west. State Road 80, running east-west, is currently being converted from a surface artery to a partial expressway, which will run from Interstate 95 to State Road 7.
Rail: Amtrak and the Tri-Rail commuter rail system serves the city from a historical station located on the west side of Tamarind Avenue, just east of I-95. CSX Transportation and the Florida East Coast Railway also serve the city.
Bus: Greyhound Lines operates scheduled intercity bus service out of the train station on the west side of Tamarind Avenue. Palm Tran, the Palm Beach County municipal bus service, operates scheduled service throughout the city. A city-operated trolley-style shuttle bus also offers complimentary transportation between Clematis Street and Cityplace.
Media
West Palm Beach is served in print by The Palm Beach Post, which has the 57th highest daily circulation in the country, according to the 2007 BurrellesLuce survey, and is the city's sole daily newspaper. The Sun-Sentinel, historically based in nearby Fort Lauderdale is an increasing competitor, covering local news in Palm Beach County. West Palm Beach, along with Fort Lauderdale, is served by an alternative weekly publication called The New Times.
West Palm Beach is ranked as the 38th largest television market in the country by Nielsen Media Research. The market is served by stations affiliated with major American networks including WPTV 5 (NBC), WPBF 25 (ABC), WFLX 29 (FOX), WPEC 12(CBS), WXEL (PBS) and WTVX (CW).
External links
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/ Palm Beach Post on-line
