Impromptu Florida Trip ... Palm Beach

So there we were at the Ritz Carlton Palm Beach (now the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa), which is not actually in Palm Beach, but just south in Manalapan. 

After falling asleep to the sound of the ocean’s waves gently crashing to shore, we awoke to start our day in Palm Beach. First on the agenda was a workout in the hotel’s nice fitness center followed by a dip in the infinity pool. Then we were off to continue our ride up Ocean Boulevard.

The Breakers in Holiday Finery

As we passed Palm Beach, ogling at all the beautiful waterfront homes, we decided that we would continue to drive and stop in town on our return.

We approached the famous Breakers hotel and my husband told me that he had never been inside. So in we went ... you just can’t pass up an opportunity to experience such opulence. Breathtakingly beautiful, this fine “lady” was already decked out in all her holiday finery. We sauntered around the grounds and the public areas, enjoying the decorations and the ocean views. Ending up in the Seafood Bar, we settled into a little window table overlooking the water.

The bar was beautiful, with rich wood paneling, elegant furnishings, aquarium bar counters with fish swimming within, and that view ...

We sipped wine and feasted on clam chowder served in sourdough bread bowls and Prince Edward Island mussels with caramelized onions, apples, gorgonzola and smoked bacon … yum! It was an absolutely delightful way to spend an early afternoon.

Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church

Since our car was valet parked, we decided to leave it there and go for a little stroll toward downtown Palm Beach. Coming upon Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, we went inside to take a look.

Built in 1925, this Spanish Gothic church is adorned with graceful arches and stained glass windows. The grounds feature formal, ornamental gardens with a large coy pond as its centerpiece. It is quite a lovely little church and worth seeing if in the area.

Palm Beach

Continuing our walk, we found ourselves downtown among the tony shops along Worth Avenue … Tiffany, Gucci, Cartier, Chanel … oh my! We also discovered a few charming little shopping areas off the main drag, as well as a whimsical courtyard with delightful sculptures of children and curious pigs!

A Little Palm Beach Whimsy

Unfortunately, it was Monday, so we were not able to enjoy the local museums as they were all closed. We had dinner reservations at Café Boulud, but it was too early for dinner, and as we were still being treated to occasional downpours, we retrieved our car and headed back to the hotel. Once there, we settled in and decided to stay put. We canceled our dinner reservation in town and instead dined at the hotel’s Temple Orange restaurant.

We found ourselves dining on the restaurant's terrace. We enjoyed our seafood dinners, the breeze and the melodic sound of the ocean. By this time I was over my "vacation guilt" and was sorry we had only one day left of our relaxing Florida vacation.