Things to Do With Kids in Palm Beach County, FL
If you call Palm Beach County, Florida home, you likely know it’s a wonderful place for families to enjoy and make memories together. For those who are visiting or considering a permanent move to Palm Beach County, you may be unaware of the incredible range of activities designed specifically for families and kids to enjoy.
Let’s explore the plethora of fun happenings in Palm Beach County – complete with activities to fit any size budget!
Parks, Museums, Water Activities, and More!
Palm Beach County is an expansive playground with lots of room to play! Whether your kids love the land, the sea, or both, Palm Beach County is ready to welcome you and your family to join in the fun.
With nearly 50 miles of beautiful beaches along the Atlantic Ocean as well as nearly 40 cities and towns, Palm Beach County has lots to explore and enjoy as a family. Outside, in nature, is where you and your family will find most of the adventure – building sandcastles, boogie boarding the waves, paddle boarding, exploring eco-friendly options, and meeting some of the natives – like sea turtles, manatees, bald eagles, and more.
From waves to wild animals, museums to mini-golf, water slides to kayaking, the endless activities of Palm Beach County are calling – the only real question is where to begin?
Visit Palm Beach County’s Wildlife & Museums
Lion Country Safari
Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee is the perfect place to start! Here you’ll find your family immersed among more than 1,000 animals at the state’s only drive-through safari. Enjoy animal encounters, rides, shopping, and more as you roam more than 6,000 acres amid giraffes, zebras, and the like. As a leader in animal care, conservation, and education, Lion Country Safari also offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences like feeding a giraffe.
Located at 2003 Lion Country Safari Rd, Loxahatchee, FL 33470 (approximately 15 minutes from Sky Cove South), Lion Country Safari is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the last cars allowed to enter at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 for children ages 3-9 and $39 for everybody 10 and up.
For an even more memorable visit, premium experiences like the Flamingo Mingle, Giraffe Painting Experience, Birds and Brushes, or the Toddler Tour Petting Zoo Experience are available for an additional cost.
Palm Beach Zoo
Next up in the animal extravaganza is the Palm Beach Zoo and Conservation Society, where your family can enjoy a variety of hands-on wildlife experiences among more than 500 animals including spider monkeys, koalas, tigers, jaguars, and a number of endangered species.
Located at 1301 Summit Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33405, the Palm Beach Zoo is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas, with the last admission ticket sold at 4:15 p.m.. Tickets are $18.95 for children 3-12, $22.95 for seniors 60+, and $24.95 for adults.
Manatee Lagoon
Palm Beach County is proud of its beloved local fauna including manatees, sea turtles, and bald eagles. A great starting point for local wildlife is Manatee Lagoon, where you and your family can view wild manatee herds and learn about the loveable sea cows and Florida’s unique coastal ecosystem.
Manatee Lagoon is located at 6000 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, FL 33407. Admission and parking are both free. From November 15 to March 31 each year, Manatee Lagoon is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. From April 1 through November 14, they’re open the same hours but closed on Mondays.
Loggerhead Marinelife Center
Another great location to learn about ocean conservation and local wildlife is the Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Palm Beach County is well-known to be a prime location for leatherbacks, loggerheads, and green turtles to nest annually. The Loggerhead Marinelife Center also hosts a rehabilitation hospital serving injured sea turtles and allowing visitors to learn about these majestic creatures and conservation efforts on their behalf.
Open daily (except certain holidays, special events, or weather issues) from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Loggerhead Marinelife Center is located at 14200 U.S. Hwy 1, Juno Beach, FL 33408. Basic admission is free, but some experiences do have a cost.
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center
At the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton, you and your family will find 20 protected barrier island acres to explore. An indoor museum showcases local wildlife and plants, and outdoor facilities feature fish, turtles, and sea life plus a trail meandering through the woods complete with an observation tower.
Located at 1801 North Ocean Boulevard, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, parking and admission are free, but there is a $5 per person suggested donation. The nature trails are open from 7:00 a.m. to sunset every day except for major holidays, while the Nature Center, Sea Turtle Rehabilitation, and Aquariums are open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Mondays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (but the gift shop is closed on Mondays).
Busch Wildlife Sanctuary
In Jupiter, you’ll find the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, where you and your family can observe bald eagles, deer, black bears, panthers, alligators, and more. With the mission to rescue, rehab, release, and educate, the sanctuary offers a great opportunity for families to learn about Florida wildlife and conservation efforts.
A wildlife hospital is onsite, and patients unable to return to the wild make their home in the refuge of the sanctuary. In addition, families will enjoy exploring the nature trails, trekking through pine flatwoods, cypress wetlands, and oak hammocks, and visiting wildlife habitats featuring native wildlife.
Open Mondays through Saturdays (except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day) from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., admission to Busch Wildlife Sanctuary is free, although donations are encouraged. The Sanctuary is located at 2500 Jupiter Park Drive, Jupiter, FL 33458.
Sandoway Discovery Center
The Sandoway Discovery Center in Delray Beach allows you and your family to encounter native sea life as you learn about Florida’s marine and freshwater regions. Experience shark feedings, a coral reef experience, and a touch tank with live marine invertebrates.
Tickets are $6 per person ages 3 and up. The Sandoway Discovery Center is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is located at 142 South Ocean Blvd, Delray Beach, FL 33483.
Palm Beach Water Activities
John D. MacArthur State Beach
When the beach beckons, John D. MacArthur State Beach is a great place to explore and learn about marine and estuary life. This natural area takes you back in time to the subtropical habitat that once was Florida.
The park sits idyllically on a barrier island and offers nearly two miles of beach perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and fishing in the Atlantic Ocean. At the park, you can also hike nature trails, go kayaking, and enjoy a family picnic.
Located at 10900 Jack Nicklaus Drive, North Palm Beach, FL 33408, the park itself is open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset. The Nature Center is open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays; the Beach Outfitters Gift Shop is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas; Kayak Rentals are open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas; and South Paddle Launch Paddle Boarding is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Blueline Surf & Paddle Co.
Now that we’ve entered the realm of water fun, let’s explore some places you can learn and enjoy paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkeling, and more. First up is the Blueline Surf & Paddle Co., where you can stock up on beachwear, rent and learn to paddle board and kayak, enjoy eco-tours with first-class guides, do yoga on the beach, and more.
Blueline Surf & Paddle Co. is open Sundays through Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. They’re located at 997 Highway A1A, Jupiter, Florida 33477.
Phil Foster Park
Once you’ve mastered paddling, you and your family can learn snorkeling for a completely unforgettable experience. You’ll find lots of friendly snorkeling guides in Palm Beach County.
After mastering your snorkeling skills, you’ll want to take your family to the easily accessible Phil Foster Park and enjoy the underwater snorkel trail, where you’ll find rays, starfish, octopi, and even some hammerhead shark statues.
You’ll find the entrance to Phil Foster Park at 900 Blue Heron Blvd, Riviera Beach, FL 33404. The beach and playground are open sunrise to sunset, the fishing pier is open sunrise to 10:00 p.m., and the boat ramps are open 24 hours but require a $10 daily parking permit.
Peanut Island
Also not to be missed is Peanut Island, an 80-acre tropical park located in the Intracoastal Waterway near the Lake Worth Inlet with clear waters welcoming you to the snorkeling lagoon. Swimming and boating are also popular on the island, and there is a 17-site campground for tent campers available by reservation.
The Peanut Island Park is open for day use from sunrise to sunset, and the swimming area is generally guarded from 9:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on weekends ONLY when a condition flag is flying from the lifeguard tower.
Note that balloons are absolutely prohibited (to protect the wildlife), alcoholic beverages are only allowed at campsites, and there is no food or rental concession on the island, so come prepared.
Land Activities (Trails, Golf, and More!)
Lake Trail
If land activities are beckoning you and your family, grab your bikes, skates, or strollers, along with your safety gear, and head to the Lake Trail in Palm Beach. Here you’ll find 12 miles of traffic-free cycling, offering picturesque panoramas along the Intracoastal Waterway. Historical markers indicate the oldest house in Palm Beach along with the original church, which is now a home.
You can find metered parking spots on the street near the Flagler Museum (but not in the museum lot), on Sunset Avenue, and north of Royal Poinciana Way. Insider tip: the trail is shadier – and therefore cooler – in the morning.
Lighthouse Cove Adventure Golf
Do 12 miles of biking sound a bit much for you and your family? Then how about a fun round of mini-golf at the Lighthouse Cove Adventure Golf in Jupiter Beach as the waves serenade you? Lighthouse Cove features two different 18-hole golf courses along with a Burger Shack and 3 Scoops Ice Cream.
You can even download their app to order drinks or ice cream from anywhere on the course and have it delivered directly to you!
Located at 617 N A1A Jupiter, FL 33477, (by Jupiter Beach Rd, not Alternate A1A), Lighthouse Cove is open 7 days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Pricing per round ranges from $7.99 for children under 5 for 18 holes up to $19.99 per person for unlimited play.
Lucie Lanes
Not into golf? Then try your hand at bowling at Lucie Lanes, where state-of-the-art alleys await you and your family.
Located at 6759 S US 1, Port Saint Lucie, FL 34952, Lucie Lanes is open 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Prices are $2.50 for shoe rental, $3 per game during the day on weekdays, and $4 per game on weekends and after 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, but there are various specials throughout the week.
Ready to Call Palm Beach County Your Home?
Of course, this is only a small sampling of all that Palm Beach County has to offer families all year round. Those who call Palm Beach County home are already busy making memories with their families, but what about you? Are you ready to make Palm Beach County your home?
If so, your new home awaits you at Sky Cove South of Westlake. Sky Cove South offers beautifully designed single-family homes, loaded with upgrades in an intimate, gated community complete with a Euro-style park and fitness center in the heart of Palm Beach County. It’s time to call Palm Beach County home!
