Hidden Gems in West Palm Beach, Florida

"Hidden gems" here means lower-profile public places, local history, public art and walking routes. None of them is secret or off-limits, and all of them are publicly accessible.

The city's larger attractions, including the Norton Museum, the Kravis Center, the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, Manatee Lagoon, Mounts Botanical Garden and Grassy Waters Preserve's nature center, are covered in our things-to-do guide. For restaurants, see where to eat, drink and hang out.

Each entry below says where it is. Places outside city limits are grouped at the end and labelled Nearby. Hours, access and programs change, so check the official source before you go.

In West Palm Beach

The Sunset Lounge and the Historic Northwest

Where: West Palm Beach, on 8th Street in the Historic Northwest neighborhood.

What it is. The City describes the Sunset Lounge as one of the most significant venues in the South in the 1940s and 1950s. It hosted artists including Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong at a time when segregation kept many Black performers out of mainstream venues. The City's Community Redevelopment Agency, which owns the building, restored and expanded it, and marked the completion in December 2025. The building now has about 20,000 square feet, with a restaurant, bar, rooftop and event space. The surrounding Northwest Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places, roughly bounded by Tamarind Avenue, 11th Street, Rosemary Avenue and 3rd Street, according to the National Park Service.

Before you go: programming and operations are still being set, so check the City's Sunset Lounge page for current events.

The Clear Lake Trail

Where: West Palm Beach, along the west side of Clear Lake between Okeechobee Boulevard and Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard.

What it is. A City multi-use trail about 5,300 feet long and 8 feet wide, with a 700-foot boardwalk connecting it to Okeechobee Boulevard. The City says it opened to the public at the end of August 2024. It's a walking and cycling link along a lake that many people only see from the road.

Before you go: see the City's Clear Lake Trail page for access points and any notices.

The Apoxee Trail

Where: West Palm Beach, part of the City's Grassy Waters Preserve. The entrance is at 3125 Jog Road, on the west side of Jog Road north of Okeechobee Boulevard.

What it is. A 2.5-mile hiking trail in the City's western preserve, separate from the Grassy Waters nature center on Northlake Boulevard. The City describes a short paved loop from the parking area, with the rest on natural ground that is uneven and has exposed roots.

Before you go: the City lists hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., hiking only (no bicycles or dogs), seasonal flooding and muddy areas, and no drinking water or shelters. Conditions change, so check the City's Apoxee Trail page.

Public art around the city

Where: West Palm Beach, citywide.

What it is. The City's Art in Public Places program commissions permanent and temporary artworks in public places. It publishes a free digital guide on Bloomberg Connects. One recent example is José Alvarez's Surround Me with Your Love (May All Beings Be Happy and Free) at The Urban at the Mandel Public Library, which the City unveiled on April 28, 2026 and lists through spring 2028. Private murals also appear on buildings downtown. The mural at the top of this page is signed by Anthony Hernandez.

Before you go: temporary works come and go, so use the City's guide for what's up now, and view murals on private buildings from the public sidewalk.

Antique Row

Where: West Palm Beach, along South Dixie Highway just south of downtown.

What it is. A stretch of antique shops, galleries and design stores along South Dixie Highway. Discover The Palm Beaches, the county's tourism bureau, describes more than 40 of them, with pieces ranging from 17th-century furnishings to modern design. "Antique Row" is the name the merchants use for the corridor; it isn't a City neighborhood.

Before you go: shops set their own hours, so check with individual businesses.

Historic streets, from the sidewalk

Where: West Palm Beach, in the City's local historic districts.

What it is. The City maintains 18 locally designated historic districts, and several are also on the National Register. For example, the National Park Service lists the Old Northwood Historic District (listed in 1994), roughly bounded by Broadway, North Dixie Highway and 26th and 35th Streets, and the El Cid Historic District (listed in 1995), roughly bounded by Flamingo Drive, South Flagler Drive, Dyer Road and South Dixie Highway. Walking the public sidewalks is a way to see early 20th-century residential architecture across the city.

Before you go: these are residential streets, so stay on the public right-of-way and respect private property. The neighborhood guide lists the districts and what the City's data shows about them.

Howard Park

Where: West Palm Beach, 1302 Parker Avenue.

What it is. A City park with a playground, sports fields and courts, walking paths and a community center. The Howard Park Tennis & Pickleball Center is at 1101 Lake Avenue.

Before you go: the City says the park is scheduled to close for renovations in fall 2026, so check the City's Howard Park page for its current status.

A note on Currie Park

Currie Park, the City's waterfront park at 2400 North Flagler Drive, has been closed since September 2025 for a City redevelopment project, including its boat ramps and parking lot. The City's Currie Park page links to the redesign and its progress.

Nearby, outside city limits

The Flagler Museum (Whitehall)

Where: Nearby, in the Town of Palm Beach, across the lagoon. It is not in West Palm Beach.

What it is. Henry Flagler's Gilded Age estate, completed in 1902. The museum says Whitehall is a National Historic Landmark, open to the public with self-guided tours, changing exhibitions and programs.

Before you go: check hours and admission on the Flagler Museum's site. Parking and rules on the island are set by the Town.

Lake Park's Kelsey City history

Where: Nearby, in the Town of Lake Park, north of West Palm Beach. It is not in West Palm Beach.

What it is. According to the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, Harry Seymour Kelsey bought a large tract north of West Palm Beach in 1919. He hired the Olmsted Brothers and John Nolen to lay out a town, and the plan is believed to be Florida's first zoned community. It was established as the Town of Kelsey City in 1923 and renamed Lake Park in 1939. Its Town Hall is listed on the National Register.

Before you go: see the Historical Society's Kelsey City page for the history, and the Town of Lake Park for current visiting information.

Using this list

A few of these can be combined in one outing. You could walk a historic district and then visit the Sunset Lounge in the Historic Northwest, take a Saturday on the Clear Lake Trail, or follow the City's public-art guide through downtown.

For the practical side of the city, see the local guide and what it's really like living in West Palm Beach. When you're ready to look at homes, start from the West Palm Beach community page or the relocation decision guide.