Celebrating The Holidays In Palm Beach

If there’s any place better than Palm Beach in December, we’d like to know about it. While the only thing white about this Christmas is the sand along the Atlantic Ocean shoreline, it’s nonetheless a merry destination to spend the most wonderful time of the year. Below, find the most jolly festivities and best light displays, both on and off the island.

Christmas at Whitehall
On display from late November through early January, the decorations at Whitehall (better known as the Flagler Museum) transform the already-marvelous space into a festive wonderland with historically accurate greenery, trimmings, and ribbons, plus a 16-foot-tall Christmas tree adorned with traditional Gilded Age-style ornaments. Don’t miss the cherished holiday evening tours, which run December 19 to 23 and provide the rare opportunity to see Whitehall by the glow of the home’s 1902 light fixtures and enjoy carolers, refreshments, and more.

Stroll Worth Avenue
It’s not Christmas in Palm Beach without a stroll down Worth Avenue while the iconic 40-foot-tall Christmas tree and thousands of lights are on full display. Following the tree lighting that kicks off the Christmas season (and usually includes a parade culminating in Santa Claus perched atop an exotic car), the lights and festive window displays of one of America’s most luxurious shopping streets is among the nation’s most delightful.

Visit The Breakers
No place does Christmas quite like The Breakers. Step foot inside the lobby of this grande dame resort during the holiday season and your jaw will drop at the festive display, which includes two 18-foot evergreen trees and a sculptural menorah. Beginning the day after Thanksgiving, The Breakers team works around the clock to deck their halls (and their entryways, loggias, courtyards, and landscaping) with traditional Christmas decor plus thousands of white lights, ornaments, ribbons, and bows. Even the main entrance leading to the hotel is lined with 100 royal palms and Canary Island date trees, all illuminated for the season. A sight to see, indeed.

Marvel at tropical trees
Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach always welcomes the holiday season with a walk-through menagerie of lights, but this year, they’ll celebrate with a new exhibition, Tropical Holiday Trees at Mounts, which will feature three trees up to 15 feet tall designed by the horticulture team and crafted from hundreds of colorful bromeliads, orchids, and other tropical botanicals. The exhibit runs through December 31 and is open during regular garden hours.