Wikipedia
If you have ever traveled to the state of Florida, you may have heard of its iconic Palm Beach. Here, you can expect to find glamorous architecture all along scenic beaches. What you may not have known; however, is that a separate city, named West Palm Beach, also situated in Florida, has caused some confusion due to its nearly identical name. Rest assured, the differences between the two are quite distinct.
Fred Latsko, the owner and CEO of Latsko Interests, Chicago’s premier full-service real estate development and management company, has the details surrounding the distinctions between Palm Beach and West Palm Beach.
Geographical Differences
To begin, Palm Beach is, in fact, a coastline Florida town, closely resembling an island in its own right. The only thing preventing it from meeting this definition are four bridges: the Flagler Memorial Bridge, Royal Park Bridge, Bingham Island Bridge, and Lake Avenue Bridge. These bridges connect Palm Beach to West Palm Beach directly. Furthermore, it is only possible to get to Palm Beach by travelling from West Palm Beach and across one of these bridges.
Meanwhile, says Fred Latsko, the first and most important difference that West Palm Beach has over Palm Beach is the simple fact that it is not actually situated along a beach. Rather, where the latter is situated along the coastline, the only body of water located adjacent to the former is Lake Worth Lagoon. Much like West Palm Beach, this lagoon has been known to cause confusion. It closely resembles the coastline of a beach, but with Palm Beach between it and the Atlantic Ocean, it doesn’t quite fit the definition either.
Architectural Differences
Within Palm Beach, you can expect to find glamorous estates, art galleries, restaurants, and more. Everything here is enriched with a strong sense of style, from the smallest of hotels to the largest of museums. The aesthetic feel of the area hearkens back to a gothic feel, with tiled roofs, shaded courtyards, and lavish windows. Overall, even if you are just taking a walk in the town, you will be met with some truly spectacular scenery.
For West Palm Beach, although its eastern neighbor represents a much more glitzy locale, it is nonetheless iconic in its own right. Recently named one of the most iconic downtown areas in the whole country, West Palm Beach is quite a lively area, with plentiful amounts of shops, restaurants, and theatres, in addition to some truly spectacular festivals. When all is said and done, says Fred Latsko, it is just as much of a worthwhile area to visit.
Cultural Differences
One of the most important things to consider about the culture in Palm Beach is that although it is very high-end and glamorous, it is also very traditionally-minded. The architecture and aesthetics here have changed very little over the years, making it almost anachronistic in nature, a time capsule that is the embodiment of decades long gone.
By contrast, West Palm Beach, although retaining elements of the architectural aesthetics as Palm Beach, is much more relaxed when it comes to changes in style over the years. You’ll catch glimpses of some very future-forward cityscapes amidst the highly energetic nightlife, with everything being a convenient walking distance away.
The Bottom Line, According to Fred Latsko
At the end of the day, the confusion between the surface-level similarities of Palm Beach and West Palm Beach, while understandable, does not represent the realities of either place. They are, in fact, two very distinct locations, with differences in geographical, architectural, and cultural elements. Whether you prefer the more glamorous, high-end style of Palm Beach, or the down-to-earth, lively and affordable style of West Palm Beach, you are sure to have a great time visiting either. If you are considering visiting or moving to one or the other, just keep in mind that they are, in fact, two halves of a whole, and you would be hard-pressed to experience one without the other, given that there is only a bridge’s distance between these two memorable Florida locales.
Fred Latsko has over 20 years of experience in developing and managing properties in Illinois, Ohio, Kansas, Colorado, California, and Florida, with the majority of these properties situated in Chicago’s prominent Gold Coast. His proficient staff continues to grow a strong, carefully selected portfolio of properties in premium, metropolitan locations, leading to profitable growth opportunities.
