Pan's garden is a lovely spot to meander a little and sit. Just driving around the island is very interesting, especially since the spiral whitefly invasion is thinning out so many of the giant ficus hedges that PB used to hide behind. The Church Mouse, the thrift store for the Episcopal church which definitely has the most upscale tchotke you'll ever see, and a great place to buy last year's runway fashions at a big discount. The Breakers is worth a quick stop to wander through the lobby area. Flagler Museum (Henry Flagler's palatial home), Society of the Four Arts and its garden, the Lake Trail for walking/running.

On the island for food there's Buccan, Renato's, Cafe Boulud, Testa's, Cafe L'Europe, Bice. Ta-Boo', where the old PB crowd used to hang--food not what it was, but interesting for the history, maybe, but then you'll have the Leopard Lounge right in the Chesterfield, which is also very old PB.

Across the bridge City Place has lots of bistro type eats.

If you like diving/snorkeling, there's a superb reef behind the Breakers. You can do a beach dive from the public beach if you can find parking.

This post was edited by writersblock on Tue, Feb 12, 13 at 0:26

DH and our sons' favorite restaurant in Palm Beach is Flagler Steak house at The Breakers. I also recommend it because they have a pretty extensive menu and the setting is lovely. They have wonderful lunch selections!

Have a great time with your daughters! Most of the fun of Worth Ave. is people watching, so window shopping there puts you right in the thick of it all :-)

Thank you writersblock and kswl, so glad to know there *are* a few places to see and visit since it's not a shopping expedition. Pan's garden sounds interesting, will get on the site and do a little reading and map it. Also glad to know there are several restaurants other than the hotel restaurants. We're 'seafood people' so are expecting to be eating some great fish. Even though I live in TX, I don't eat red meat and haven't for years~2 dd's are also psuedo vegans.

Kswl, I would expect the people watching to be extraordinary, sort of like Beverly Hills~the clothes alone are sometimes enough! It's gonna be a hoot!

PB's fave fish restaurant would be Charley's Crab.

Oh, and Pan's Garden is right down the block. Go out of the Chesterfield front door, turn left, then turn right on Chilean and it's on the corner of Chilean and Hibiscus.

Just want to say that I am jealous. Take a ride along Ocean Ave and check out the big houses, esp Donald Trump's Mar a Lago.

The Colony hotel is also a good people watching place, it's a great place to have a drink on their outdoor terrace, or lunch by the pool, it's at the top of Worth Avenue on another street. The Colony also has a cabaret venue, the royal room, where you can have dinner and a show or just the show.

Across the bridge , in West Palm Beach, there is a french bistro I adore, called Pistache, near Clematis street. it's under 10 minute drive from the Chesterfield. I second kswl's suggestion for the Flagler Steak house, one of my favourite spots, it's pretty quiet though.

We are in Boca now but we lived in West Palm Beach for a few years, we still drive to WPB for our favourite dining spots and of course, the Worth Avenue scene. They have Motown night at the colony on friday nights, it's a hoot.

Hamburger Heaven, which used to be a landmark on the island, has moved on the other side of the bridge near Clematis street, it's a fun place for lunch, not open for dinner.

As for the Breakers, one way to gain access to the premises is to book a spa service or else you have to be a guest to be on site. It's a fabulous landmark in the area.

Here is a link that might be useful: the Colony hotel

>Hamburger Heaven, which used to be a landmark on the island, has moved on the other side of the bridge near Clematis street, it's a fun place for lunch, not open for dinner.

Yeah, but now it's just expensive grub. The fun was watching the crowd that used to patronize it. (They'd rather be shot than go anywhere in WPB other than the Governors Club.)

In my experience the valet guys at the Breakers will usually let you park if you tell them you just want to look around and don't stay too long, at times when there isn't a big event checking in or out. Or you could go for tea or lunch as well as the spa, or for a drink in the Venetian bar.

This post was edited by writersblock on Tue, Feb 12, 13 at 19:47

Thanks so much everyone! Writerblock, i'm glad we're so close to Pan's Garden~have already told the girls about it. We all enjoy walking and getting exercise. Haven't researched Charley's Crab yet, but will check if they have a website w/menu.

Dedtired, I remember driving down Ocean years ago. Such mansions! Will try to catch a glimpse of Mara Largo. You don't suppose 'the Donald' will be out gardening, do you? LOL

Mitchdesi, I don't remember seeing The Colony Hotel when I was rearching hotels. Sounds like another great place dd's might be interested in, especially Motown Friday night~I'm starting to think we may have to rent a car. We may have to check out The Breakers too and Hamburger Heaven just might have veggie or turkey burgers for the non-red meat eaters.

We're all really looking forward to our time together! My girls keep me young. LOL

You absolutely will need a car. There's no question about that. Palm Beach county has extremely minimal public transit of any sort, and what little there is isn't allowed on the island.

EDIT You can easily walk to Worth Ave and to the Colony and many of the restaurants from the Chesterfield, but pedestrian rambling isn't much encouraged in the residential areas of PB, and not at all along the parts of S Ocean Blvd where there are only houses and not public beach access.

This post was edited by writersblock on Wed, Feb 13, 13 at 1:02

Patty, you can walk from the Chesterfield to the Colony, but you would definitely benefit from a car , even to go to Flagler steakhouse.

Thanks for the heads up! Does the airport have car rental services on site~most do, but am assuming the local airport isn't as big as say, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson.

We were hoping most things would be in walking distance other than the beach/Worth Av., but we'll do what we have to do. At least it won't be like driving in NYC. ;o)

Yes, all major rental car companies are at the airport. It's small, but not that small. :)