Welcome to this edition of The Palm Beach Weekender. In today’s newsletter I’ll be featuring a weekend events preview (full list will be sent Thursday), Weekly Scoop, a Local Spotlight, and a new section called Beyond The Palm Beaches.

In today’s TPBW edition:

• 🍝 Eataly grand opening

• 🔦 Local Spotlight: our own slice of the Everglades

• 🌴 Beyond The Palm Beaches: a spring fed pool an hour away

Upcoming Events

🎭 The Nutcracker
🗝️ WPB Antiques Festival
🎄 Worth Avenue Tree Lighting (tonight)
🚢 Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade
🥞 Sandi's Pancake Breakfast with Santa
🎪 Garden Bros Nuclear Circus WPB
🍷 WPB Beer Wine and Spirits Fest 
(40% off with code PALMBEACHWEEKENDER)

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Weekly Scoop

🌊 New pedestrian bridge in Jupiter
The new U.S. 1 bridge in Jupiter is almost finished, and it now has a pedestrian bridge underneath that you can walk out on. You’ll find the entrance on the south side of the bridge near 1000 NORTH and U-Tiki.

🍷 WPB Beer Wine and Spirits Fest
The West Palm Beach Beer Wine & Spirits Fest is back this Saturday, December 6 at the Meyer Amphitheatre. Expect live music, delicious food, interactive games, and more than 100 styles of beer, wine, and spirits from around the world. Make sure to use the promo code PALMBEACHWEEKENDER to get 40% off your tickets.

🍝 Eataly opens this Friday
Eataly Italian Market, the global Italian brand, will be opening its doors at CityPlace in the former Harriet Himmel Theater on Friday, December 5. It will feature two restaurants, a cooking school, and an Italian retail market.

🎄Sandi Tree lighting
The Clematis by Night Holiday Tree Lighting is happening this Thursday, featuring live music, the Sandi Tree lighting, a ferris wheel, photos with Santa and more.

🦐 New Mediterranean restaurant coming to NORA
Del Mar, the Mediterranean restaurant chain, is opening its fourth location at NORA in West Palm Beach. The restaurant will feature a rotating, seasonal menu inspired by Mediterranean coastal cuisine. They’re expected to open in early 2026.

🍸Parisian cafe and lounge coming to Delray
Down the Rabbit Hole, a new elevated vegan café and bar, is opening in Delray in early 2026. It will be a sister concept to The Rabbit Hole in Pompano, but this new location will lean more into a Parisian café vibe where you can socialize over small plates, drinks, and live music. They will be located at 98 NW Fifth Ave, Delray Beach

Local Spotlight

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

📍Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
10216 Lee Rd, Boynton Beach
🎟️ $10 per car

We sometimes forget long before the highways, neighborhoods, and endless shopping plazas, our county looked completely different. Step back in time, right into the wild and untouched Florida that existed long before any of us showed up.

About

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is a 140,000+ acre Everglades ecosystem that’s been protecting a huge part of the northern Everglades since 1951, long before anything around it looked like the Palm Beach County we know today.

Back then, so much of the Everglades had already been drained or altered that this area became one of the last untouched stretches, making it a final safe haven for hundreds of native animals and plants.

What To Expect

Most of the refuge can only be explored by boat, but there are over 50 miles of trails you can hike or bike, plus a small visitor center to explore and learn more about the area.

Out on the trails, expect to see everything from huge alligators sunbathing along the canals to endangered wood storks wading through the marsh. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can paddle the 5.5 mile canoe trail, a loop that takes you straight out into the river of grass.

Final Thoughts

This is one of the best places to experience the Everglades without ever leaving the county. It’s also one of my favorite spots to watch the sunset and go bird watching. The refuge offers tram tours, beginner birding programs, and guided morning and night hikes. You can see all the program dates here. 

If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend stopping by, even if it's just to catch the sunset. Totally worth it!

Beyond The Palm Beaches

Venetian Pool

📍Venetian Pool, 2701 De Soto Blvd, Coral Gables
🎟️ $18 - $23

Hidden in the heart of Coral Gables, there’s a 101 year old spring filled pool that feels like a dreamy escape to old Europe.

About the Venetian Pool

The Venetian Pool opened back in 1924, when city developer George Merrick and a small team of artists and architects transformed an old quarry into the beautiful place we know today. Their goal was to bring a little piece of Venice to South Florida.

Over the decades, it became a glamorous local hangout, attracting celebrities, swimmers, and even big band performances on nights when the pool was completely drained for concerts. 

What To Expect

Today, it’s still one of South Florida’s most popular spots, drawing thousands of visitors every year. You’ll find waterfalls pouring down coral rock cliffs, small caves you can swim through, and a sandy beach area that’s perfect for sunbathing between dips.

It’s also the largest freshwater pool in the country, holding 820,000 gallons that are drained and refilled daily from an underground aquifer. This means the water is always naturally clear and stays around a refreshing 76 degrees. 

Final Thoughts

This is one of those places that almost makes you forget you’re in Florida, and it reminds us how art, architecture, and nature can blend into something truly timeless.

The pool has been closed for a little over a year for renovations, and it will finally reopen next Tuesday, December 9. They’re also hosting a centennial celebration on December 7, a gala style evening where guests are asked to wear 1920s themed attire, complete with a performance by the Miami Symphony Orchestra. You can find out more about this event here.

Thanks!
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