8 Reasons to Skip Miami This Summer and Go to Palm Beach Instead

Palm Beach County is chock-full of arts and culture experiences. Aside from museums, there is a whole host of street art from notable artists in West Palm Beach. Everywhere you turn, there's another mural or sculpture, like this one by Eduardo Kobra. Other places to check out include the Boca Raton Museum of Art, the Morikami Museum, and various places in West Palm Beach's arts district.

All of the buildings in the area have that Southern Florida feel about them. Our hotel, The Boca Resort, was all pink! So not only did it make for some beautiful Instagrams but the history of the building — and others in the area — and the design make for educational and beautiful scenery.

The food in this area is also pretty spectacular — even simple things like pizza. There is so much fresh seafood to be found, as well as some superdecadent desserts. One of my favorites was a burger from 501 East that had amazing sweet potato fries with it!

The beaches in Boca Raton are covered in turtle nests during nesting season, which is during the Summer. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for turtles to get hurt, whether it be from a boat or from getting too far out of the water, but at Gumbo Limbo, the turtles are rescued and taken care of before being released back into the wild. You can stop by the facility for a visit, and there you can see the turtles in rehab, a whole aquarium setup, and even a butterfly garden.

Sure, you can boat pretty much anywhere on the Florida coast, but Palm Beach County's water, where people park their boats to relax for the day, feels like a little town in itself.

No matter where I go, I will find places to shop. In West Palm Beach, there's a lovely shopping area that's very reminiscent of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, CA. There you can find many designer stores and upscale restaurants. It even leads out to the beach if you want to take a break from shopping at some point.

Benzaiten in Lake Worth is this neat warehouse where you can take art classes or just watch artists at work. It offers everything from glass-blowing to ceramics, and there is even art for sale.

Hotel accommodations were provided by the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County for the purpose of this story.