Palm Beach
According to early settler accounts, Palm Beach received its name from the shipwreck of the 'Providencia.' The ship washed ashore in January of 1878 with a cargo of cocoanuts bound from Havana to Barcelona. Early settlers lost no time salvaging and planting the cocoanuts, which were not native to South Florida, hoping to launch the area into the commercial cocoanut industry.
But this lush barrier island, 16 miles long and located 65 miles north of Miami, was destined for much bigger things. Its close proximity to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream produced a hothouse environment where the crème de la creme would flourish.
Henry Morrison Flagler, millionaire industrialist and owner of the Florida East Coast Railway, 'created' Palm Beach when he opened the Royal Poinciana Hotel in the winter of 1894 and claimed the island as the country's premier winter resort. With a social season lasting just 10 weeks, the glittering denizens of Palm Beach then dashed off for the Hamptons, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Newport and Bal Harbor. Today, the island of Palm Beach remains a winter retreat for many of the world's most revered celebrities other residents that have been vacationing here for decades.
Palm Beach today remains world-renowned for its extraordinary natural beauty, high quality of life and its small-town character. Full- and part-time residents enjoy their enclave free of chain restaurants (save for the brand new Starbucks!) and full of gorgeous Addison Mizner architecture, the acclaimed shopping along world-famous Worth Avenue, unique restaurants, luxury hotels and a beautiful stretch of white-sand beach.
Home to the famed Breakers Hotel, the newly renovated Ritz-Carlton Hotel and The Four Seasons, the grand hotels that serve Palm Beach offer an amazing level of pampering in keeping with the island's standards of elegance and charm. This international destination also boasts legendary dining establishments including Ta-boo, Amici, Cafe Boulud, Chez Jean-Pierre, and Renato's, and of course, Palm Beach wouldn't be Palm Beach without Worth Avenue where nearly every fashion and jewelry designer has a gorgeous storefront to showcase their wares.
The quieter north end of Palm Beach is the perfect spot for a relaxing walk or bike ride along the lake that serves as the backdrop for some of the island's most spectacular residences. The small-town charm of this elegant island is what continues to make it one of the most desirable spots in the world to own real estate.
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