Take a Carless Road Trip to West Palm Beach
The Brightline station in downtown Miami offers convenient parking for a reasonable fee. Or skip the car altogether and take a ride share, Metrorail or Metromover’s Wilkie D. Ferguson station. If you spring for SELECT tickets, parking is free, along with a breakfast buffet in the lounge in the morning or happy hour in the afternoon.
Like NYC’s Grand Central or Chicago’s Union Station, a train station defines a city. Virgin MiamiCentral is sunny, modern and immaculate. A mimosa heightens the anticipation of a travel adventure. Trains run on the historic FEC rails, dating back to the original Flagler railway, giving you glimpses into history you won’t see from I-95, like Little River, Lemon City (Little Haiti) and the Stranahan House in Fort Lauderdale. On a weekend, you might spot soccer tournaments, golf rounds and croquet matches. The speedy 75-minute journey from Miami even takes you past the blimp station.
Market Paradise
Once in West Palm Beach, you can make it a day trip or stay the weekend. One block from the train station is the Hibiscus House, two hundred-year-old homes combined to form a unique B & B in the heart of West Palm Beach. I headed straight to the farmers market near the Intracoastal Waterway. With more than 90 vendors, the market features spectacular orchids, lobster rolls, pressed juices, mushrooms that look like sculptures, lots of fresh produce and good food. Save room for an outstanding bloody Mary at Pistache French Bistro on Clematis Street.
Stroll down Clematis Avenue for the Saturday Antique and Flea Market, open Nov.-May. Here you can pick up a cheap sarong or find a mid-century end table. I caught one of the free downtown trolleys to Northwood Village, a Palm Beach hipster neighborhood with vintage stores, restaurants, galleries and salons and restaurants like Agora Mediterranean Restaurant, The Grilled Cheese Gallery and Hello Cupcake.
Fine Art
Back on the trolley southbound, I got off at the Olive Street stop and walked three blocks to the Norton Museum – free admission on Fridays and Saturdays! Must-sees: the Chihuly ceiling and a whimsical sculpture garden. Upcoming exhibitions include Robert Rauschenberg: Five Decades from the Whitney’s Collection (Feb. 21-June 28) and American Art Posters from the Lauder Collection (Feb. 21-May 17). There’s also a chic minimalist cafe and a great gift shop.
On the other side of the cemetery is the Warehouse District, a group of industrial buildings populated by artists, entrepreneurs and tastemakers. The Grandview Public Market food hall is an airy space with lots of good dining choices. Other fun destinations are the Gypsy Life Surf Shop and the Steam Horse Brewing Company.
Weekend Stay
Sticking around for the weekend? Look into national and local productions at The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. Ride an electric cart on the Circuit, similar to FreeBee, across the Intracoastal for breakfast at Green’s Luncheonette, serving Palm Beach since 1938. Or rent a bike from Top Cycle to explore lush mansions. The Lake Trail winds past gorgeous trees and the Flagler Museum, where you can learn about the opulent history of Palm Beach. In between Worth Avenue’s chic boutiques and hidden courtyard shops are good casual spots, like Pizza al Fresco serving wood-fired pizzas and Sprinkles Ice Cream on Royal Poinciana Way. Into thrifting? The Country Mouse on N. County Rd. gets very exclusive merchandise. The Palm Beaches
Back in West Palm Beach, it’s time to catch the return Brightline. No doubt about it – spending a weekend without a car is a relaxing treat, and a smart habit to acquire.
A Return to Train Travel
Aggravating traffic, expensive or nonexistent parking, and high tolls are all reasons to explore alternative ways to get around. Selected as the Project of the Year by the Urban Land Institute Southeast Florida/Caribbean, Brightline aims to create seamless car-free mobility solutions in Florida. Virgin MiamiCentral is now the hub for transportation, leisure and business, connecting to Metromover and Metrorail and, by the end of 2020, to PortMiami. Look for promotional deals on the website, including discounts for groups; partnerships with the Rubell Museum; discounts on West Palm Beach food tour; and fare specials when you sign up for their newsletter. Go Brightline
