This was a nude beach when I was a kid. That ended in 1982 when it became a beloved state park…read more They have done a lot to preserve native plants. You can rent kayaks here or swim. It's usually not too crowded. This is where we would go to see sea turtles laying eggs. And that continues to this day. It's a great location and a beautiful park.

John D. MacArthur Beach State Park seemed like such a hidden gem from everything I had read and…read moreseen online. I loved that it offers so many activities in one place--kayaking, paddleboarding, the beach, picnic areas, a gift shop, and educational exhibits--all at very reasonable prices. Parking was only $5, and the kayak and paddleboard rentals were affordable too. Unfortunately, I happened to visit on a day with an extremely low tide. Paddleboard rentals were suspended, but kayak rentals were still available. The staff did warn us about the low tide and advised us to stay near the edges to avoid getting stuck. However, as someone new to kayaking, I didn't realize just how much the tide would impact the experience. For a large portion of our trip, the water was so shallow that our kayaks constantly got stuck. We had to repeatedly get out and drag them through the water. At times, the water wasn't even ankle deep. I completely understand that the staff can't control the tides, but I honestly wish kayak rentals had also been paused that day because the conditions made it difficult to really enjoy the experience. By the time we finished kayaking, we were exhausted and felt pretty gross from walking through the murky water, so we ended up skipping the beach altogether. Outside of that, the park itself looked lovely. There was a nice picnic area, a cute gift shop, and they even had a rescued sea turtle with a volunteer sharing information about sea turtle conservation, which was a really nice touch. There also appeared to be several educational exhibits throughout the park, although they happened to be closed during our visit. One downside was a pretty unpleasant smell near the gift shop, but I'm guessing that may have also been related to the unusually low tide. Despite my experience, I haven't written the park off. The photos I've seen online make it look absolutely beautiful, and I think we were just unlucky with the timing. I'd definitely consider coming back on a day with higher water levels to give it another chance. It sounds like a great park overall--I just recommend checking the tide conditions before planning to kayak or paddleboard so you can enjoy it at its best.

Ocean Reef Park is an absolute gem on Singer Island and honestly one of the best kept secrets in…read morePalm Beach County. Free parking, clean bathrooms, showers, and grills on site. Everything you need, nothing you have to pay extra for. That alone earns five stars. But the real magic is what surrounds you once you get out there. The reefs right off the beach are incredible for snorkeling. We are talking vibrant fish, clear visibility, and that feeling of stumbling into another world just steps from shore. Today we launched our inflatable paddle boards right from Ocean Reef and paddled all the way down to the Pumphouse and back, a solid 2.7 miles of crystal clear blue water, warm summer sun, and zero crowds. The water was that perfect shade of turquoise that makes you forget you are in Florida and feel like you are somewhere in the Caribbean. Whether you are coming to snorkel the reefs, SUP the Intracoastal, throw something on the grill, or just plant yourself on one of the most beautiful stretches of beach in South Florida, Ocean Reef Park delivers every single time. Highly recommend. Five stars does not even cover it.

What a pleasant surprise! I ended going to this beach because we were turned away due to no more…read moreavailable parking at Phil Foster Park. This lovely beach has a really nice coast line and is really a family friendly beach! There is a play ground for the little kids to play, a picnic area and clean bathrooms!

Great public park to visit. We rented a boat from Bluewater Boat Rental, there is also a water…read moretaxi. Bring snorkel gear, the tropical fish around the rocks on the beach side of the island are amazing.

Arrived at Riviera Beach public marina to launch our boat into the water. Extremely busy but…read moremanaged to be 2nd in line to one of the ramps. Scorching sun but only a ten minute boat ride to the island where hundereds of boats were anchored. We anchored the boat 10 feet from the edge of the island and floated on rafts in the hip deep clear water. The edge is rocky so dive boots highly recommended. The current was strong and other nearby boats merged into one another so you must stay alert or get squashed. No aquatic life observed. Walked around the island and noticed the garbage cans were overflowing, so not really sure who manages the island. A few picnic tables and public bathrooms deeper into the island. Small wildlife can be seen in the heavy brush. Fun time but bring sunscreen, water and snacks.

Jim Barry Light Harbor park was built in 2009. it was named in honor of Jim Barry who worked for 41…read moreyears at the Palm Beach County's Health Department and Department of Environmental Resources Management, He was the environmental director for 22 years. He grew up fishing in Palm Beach and obtained his degree in marine biology from the University of Miami. In the early 1980's he was one of the people who convinced John D. MacArthur to donate the environmentally sensitive land that became MacArthur Beach State Park. He spearheaded getting the first mangrove protection ordinance passed and worked on the Lake Worth Lagoon's most significant restoration projects, Munyon Island, Peanut Island, and Snook Islands Through his work he sparked environmental protective innovations that are still in place today.. Jim Barry is also an accomplished artist. Anyone who has enjoyed boating, fishing, diving, snorkeling. and wildlife viewing in Palm Beach County owes a debt of gratitude to Jim Barry. The park was designed for boating and salt water fishing. It has three boat ramps, picnic shelters, and a restroom. The fee is $10 to park a boat trailer for the day and you need to pay at the kiosk. There is also a floating dock and a fishing pier. The park is located right across from Peanut Island so it is very convenient to make the launch from the park. Peanut Island has a excellent snorkeling and you can be there in just a few minutes. Even if you aren't boating it's still nice to walk out on the fishing dock and take in the views. Thanks to Jim Barry's tireless work on behalf of the environment, visitors to this park can continue to enjoy the best natural aquatic recreation Palm Beach has to offer.

I loved I really relax in the place is very secure and I recommend it. You must go earlyread more

I was planning on eating dinner at Frigate's up the street but when I saw the pictures of this park…read moreonline I had to make a detour first. Lake Side Park is located in the Village of North Palm Beach. It is behind a neighborhood with homes that have back yards that seem to blend in to the park providing them with a stunning view at the back of their properties. Park amenities include a basket ball court although the netting for basket is missing, a sand volleyball court, a playground with swings, and a large Tiki hut picnic shelter that can be rented if you ten or more people and you are a city resident. There are also large trees and paved paths that wind through the park. Some people have homes that have back yards that seem to blend in to the park providing them with a stunning view at the back of their properties. The real jewel of the park is the beach access to the Intracoastal Waterway. The park has a hard packed beach you can stroll down. It can be accessed from one end of the park by just stepping on the sand and at the other steeper end of the park there are two stair ways that lead down to the beach. Across the water you can see the condos lining Singer Island. This is a great place to enjoy the breeze and watch the boats sail by. If you are in the area I highly recommend stopping by to take in the beautiful scenery.

This is a pretty little park. There was ample parking on a Wednesday morning at 8.30am when I…read morearrived. I love that the parking is free. I can only imagine what this park is like on the weekends. There are boat launches and paid boat parking on one side and free car parking and a little cute beach that is good for snorkeling and scuba on the other side (under the bridge). I also loved that there was also a lifeguard on duty starting at 9am. There are outdoor showers and a public restroom but I didn't use them.

This beach/park is really unique! The over pass provides you shade if you forgot to bring a beach…read moreumbrella! Amazing beach for snorkeling .... Calm waves and pretty shallow water. During the weekends there is a lot of boat traffic so if you like looking at boats and yachts... this is a great place to do it! Saw lots of people also go scuba diving! Make sure to get to this place early as the parking gets pretty full pretty fast!

I was in the area looking for a place where I could get some walking exercise, and I found this…read moregreat park. There is plenty of parking, making it very convenient for a quick excursion. The highlight of Oaks Park is the clay walking trail that winds throughout the park. Tall trees provide welcome shade, and the small canal alongside the back portion of the path is lovely. The park also features a butterfly garden, a large picnic pavilion with tables, two tennis courts, and plenty of grassy open space perfect for picnics or play. Along the walking path are poignant tributes. Every few feet, there are memorial trees lining the trail. I took a moment to read some of the memorial plaques. They reminded me that even after we leave this earth, our love for those left behind lives on.

Oaks Park is a great fitness park in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. It has a red clay walking path…read morethat snakes through the park and wide grassy areas to play ball, read a book, or just fly a kite. Well-maintained tennis courts offer space to play for two games at a time. The courts are available at night with lights that go on for 60 minutes and then shut off automatically. The park is very pretty and has many containers for recycling and trash. There is no water source for people but there is a nice pavilion for shade. Pets are not allowed but parking at Oaks Park and then walking along the pretty street lined sidewalks is an option that I have done a few times.

I've never been to this aquatic center so the 2 stars is based off of the hours of operation. I'm…read moreextremely disappointed that they have a really cool splash pad for the kids but only open a few times a week with horrible hours. You'd think a big splash pad in the middle of PBG would be open Monday - Sunday with decent hours. It really doesn't make sense. Please change your hours so me and I'm sure a lot of other families can come and enjoy the aquatic center!!!!

I normally don't leave reviews, but this experience was frustrating enough that I feel others…read moreshould know. I signed up for adult private swim lessons, paying $225 for what was supposed to be personalized instruction to improve my stroke and breathing. What I got was one unstructured session in the kiddie pool--just swimming back and forth with no technique correction, no feedback, nothing. It felt like the instructor had no idea what to do. When I brought this up, I was told the training manager would attend a future lesson to train the instructor during my session. That's not acceptable. I didn't sign up to pay for someone else's training session--I signed up for my lesson. Even worse, I found out the training manager had already been watching the original lesson and allowed it to happen that way. So how is anything going to improve? I asked to cancel and get a refund, and was told flat-out "no" due to policy--no apology, no ownership, no attempt to make things right. Also worth noting: the reception staff was rude and unwelcoming when I arrived, which set a bad tone from the start. I can't recommend this place for adult swim lessons. Between the lack of professionalism, poor instruction, and dismissive customer service, I left completely disappointed.