Lake Worth Beach
Lake Worth Beach is a city of 39,000 people (2019) in Palm Beach County, Florida, about 10 miles (16 km) south of West Palm Beach.
Understand
In 2019, the city changed its name from Lake Worth to eliminate confusion with unincorporated areas of Palm Beach that people call Lake Worth.
Get in
By plane
Palm Beach International Airport (PBIA IATA), in neighboring West Palm Beach, is a small airport serving most major cities in the Eastern and Midwest United States, along with a handful of international destinations in the Caribbean. The airport is about 8 miles north of Lake Worth Beach, just off I-95. Lake Worth Beach is also accessible from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL IATA), which serves a greater variety of domestic and international destinations. Further afield, Miami International Airport (MIA IATA) has flights to most American cities along with Europe and the Middle East.
By train
Intercity passenger rail service is pretty non-existent in Lake Worth Beach, but Amtrak has a station in neighboring West Palm Beach served by the Silver Star, Silver Meteor, and Palmetto lines connecting to elsewhere in Florida and other cities on the Eastern Seaboard. West Palm Beach is also served by the new Brightline, which offers higher-speed connections to Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and by 2022, Orlando. Both stations are located in downtown West Palm Beach, which can be reached from Lake Worth via I-95.
The regional Tri-Rail commuter line connects Lake Worth to other cities in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties, including the Fort Lauderdale and Miami airports. The Lake Worth station is immediately west of I-95 on Lake Worth Road. Like most stations on the line, facilities are very minimal - little more than an outdoor platform with an automated ticket machine and a parking lot. The station is connected to the rest of the city by PalmTran buses. If using the train to venture to other destinations within South Florida, be aware that the stations are several miles west of the beach and most cities' downtown cores - great for commuters who have a station close to home, but a little inconvenient for travelers attempting to tour the area without a car, unless you're willing to connect via a ride-share service at both ends of your trip.
By car
I-95 serves as the main north-south thoroughfare connecting Lake Worth Beachto other destinations within South Florida and beyond. Exits 61-64 serve Lake Worth Beach from both directions. If heading downtown or to the beach, take either exit 63 (6th Ave S) or 64 (10th Ave N) east to US-1. This will take you to Lake Avenue and Lucerne Avenue, each of which are one-way only in the downtown area. The roads merge into two-way Lake Avenue at the Intracoastal Waterway, where you'll cross a drawbridge to the barrier island that houses the town's beach facilities. West of downtown, the roads merge into Lake Worth Road, which reaches the city's western suburbs.
Get around
Cabs are readily available at taxi stops around the city. PalmTran has local bus service to destinations around the county.
See
- 🌍 Downtown Lake Worth, Lake and Lucerne Avenues between US 1 and Federal Highway. Once sneered at by locals as crime-ridden and decrepit, Lake Worth Beach's downtown area is quickly becoming a regional hub fine visual arts and experimental music, dance, and theater. The area has an eclectic, "New Age-y" vibe. See "Do" for events like the annual Street Painting Festival and "Buy", "Eat", and "Drink" for shops, restaurants, and coffeehouses.
- 🌍 Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, 601 Lake Ave, ☏ +1 561-471-2901, info@palmbeachculture.com. Tu-F noon-5 PM. The headquarters of Palm Beach County's regional arts council houses exhibitions from local artists in its 2,500-square-foot gallery space and offers a visitor center, store, and educational programs featuring Lake Worth's sizable artist community. The building's south side is the vast canvas for a kaleidoscope-like mural of Martin Luther King, Jr. Free.
Do
Downtown Lake Worth Beach has a new-agey kind of feel, with ample yoga studios, antique shops, and local fashion stores. Enjoy a stroll around the downtown area. The First and third Fridays of each month see the streets closed off with live music and temporary shops set up. Every Thursday night is biker night so motorcyclists feel welcome downtown.
- 🌍 Lake Worth Casino and Beach Complex, 10 S Ocean Blvd. Daily 9AM-5PM. One of the most popular beaches in central Palm Beach County, Lake Worth Beach's centerpiece is the old Lake Worth Casino building, which has been renovated into a unique shopping and dining destination and event space (despite the name, there is no gambling on the premises). The adjacent Municipal Pier is popular with fishers and also offers an outdoor bar and restaurant. Oceanside Beach Service rents chairs, lounges, and umbrellas, each for around $20 a day. Arrive early on weekends or expect a struggle to find parking. Beach access is free; parking $3/hour.
- 🌍 Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave, ☏ +1 561-586-6410, BoxOffice@lakeworthplayhouse.org. Box office: M-F 10AM-4PM and during all performances; performance spaces: daily 2-8PM and during all performances. Located in one of the oldest buildings in Palm Beach County, the Lake Worth Playhouse offers a variety of both mainstream and alternative programming. The theater's Main Stage hosts Broadway-style shows; dinner packages are available at several nearby restaurants. Other unique events include drag shows, radio plays, and an annual film festival. The 60-seat Stonzek Studio is a black box theater that displays independent films and small, alternative theater productions. In addition to its performance schedule, the Playhouse offers a number of classes for children and adults. Main Stage $35-40; Black Box $25; Films $7-9.
Events
- Lake Worth Beach Street Painting Festival, Lake and Lucerne Avenues (Parking is available around downtown or at Palm Beach State College, with free shuttles to the festival area.). One of the region's quirkiest and most-anticipated cultural events, the free annual Street Painting Festival, first held in 1995, attracts some 100,000 visitors to the city each year. Over 600 artists and their chalk transform the city's streets into a vast, vibrantly colored living art gallery - at least until the next near-daily Florida afternoon rain. While the art is the main attraction, the festival also features a diverse selection of food vendors and a main stage with live entertainment. Free.
- Palm Beach Pride, Bryant Park, 100 S Golfview Rd. Despite the name, Palm Beach County's annual LGBTQ pride event takes place in Lake Worth Beach. Typical activities include a colorful parade and open market with a variety of vendors.
Eat
- 🌍 Benny's On The Beach, 10 S Ocean Blvd (At the base of Lake Worth Pier adjacent to the old casino building), ☏ +1 561-582-9001, info@bennysonthebeach.com. Daily 7AM-9PM. Located on the Lake Worth Pier overlooking the ocean, location may be the main draw at Benny's, but the menu, heavy on seafood and casual staples like burgers, is a close second. Brunch is extremely popular and often features live music. $30-40 for an entree and a signature tropical drink.
Drink
There are plenty of bars in the downtown area. Sneaker's on Dixie Highway is open until 5AM on weekends.
Sleep
- 🌍 Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, 2800 S Ocean Blvd (Just north of the casino area on A1A), ☏ +1-561-582-2800. Palm Beach Island's truly high-end hotel is not in the Town of Palm Beach - though it would really, really like for you not to know that. This resort is as luxe as they come, with a price point to match. It is on the ocean just north of Lake Worth's beachfront complex. Amenities include a 24-hour gym with yoga and fitness classes, highly-rated spa and salon, private beach with chaise lounges, an on-site restaurant, and children's activities. $600 and up.
- 🌍 Sabal Palm House Bed and Breakfast, 109 N Golfview Rd, ☏ +1 561-582-1090. This small Bed and Breakfast just east of the downtown area has just seven guest rooms in a historic, two-story converted home. Each has a covered balcony and antique decor inspired by a particular artist like Monet, Rockwell, or Dali. Price includes a hot breakfast each morning served in-room or on the tropical outdoor courtyard. $150 and up.
- 🌍 Mango Inn Bed and Breakfast, 128 N Lakeside Dr, ☏ +1 831-227-4859. This downtown-area bed and breakfast consists of a 1915 main house and a private poolside cottage, with colorful rooms and suites named for native Florida flowers. A vegetarian breakfast is served daily on a terrace overlooking the pool. Extras like in-room massages and chocolate-covered strawberries are available at an additional fee. $130 and up.
Stay safe
Although the downtown area has gotten much safer in the late 2010s, visitors should still exercise caution at night.
On 20 May 2018, local authorities issued this warning: “Power outage and zombie alert for the residents of Lake Worth and Terminus. There are now far less than 7-thousand 3-hundred 80 customers involved due to extreme zombie activity. Restoration time uncertain.”
Consulates
- Guatemala, ☏ +1-.
Go next
| Routes through Lake Worth Beach |
| Daytona Beach ← West Palm Beach ← | N S | → Delray Beach → Fort Lauderdale |
| Daytona Beach ← West Palm Beach ← | N S | → Delray Beach → Fort Lauderdale |
| Mangonia Park ← West Palm Beach ← | N S | → Delray Beach → Miami |