West Palm Beach

The quiet neighborhood of Abbey Park is far enough removed from the excitement of the beach that residents have a hard time leaving once they settle in. In fact, homes in the neighborhood only occasionally go on the market. And when they do, they often sell quickly. “When you’re focused on work or on raising a family, you need a stable environment that’s centrally located,” says Maria Cordero, a local Realtor and broker with American First Class Realty. “Abbey Park is that place.” In close proximity to a variety of eateries, markets and thoroughfares, this community of villas and condos is nothing if not comfortably convenient. As an almost exclusively residential neighborhood, Abbey Park’s gated subdivisions are often paired with homeowners associations. The stucco Spanish Revival villas, townhomes and condominiums are commonly priced between $150,000 and $350,000, sometimes including outdoor pools and grills. Developments like Villa Pointe feature small waterways, complementing the neighborhood’s tropical flora. Meanwhile, renter communities like Pinnacle boast expansive parking lots for tenants’ convenience. “In Abbey Park, residents don’t have to worry about late-night revels or strangers stopping their kids,” Cordero explains. The area’s quiet ambiance is attractive for homebuyers and renters looking to call the West Palm Beach suburbs home. Situated along Forest Hill Boulevard, Abbey Park gives its residents easy access to various unique and chain retail outlets and eateries. Sunshine Flea Market is the largest of its kind in West Palm Beach, featuring more than 300 vendors selling merchandise from across the globe. Next door, Supermercados El Bodegon is a popular Latin market with an attached restaurant serving large portions of traditional Colombian fare. Curly’s Caribbean Flava is easy to miss, but it’s a go-to Jamaican spot for many locals and out-of-towners. Jerk chicken and oxtail are among the most popular menu items, and folks are encouraged to call ahead for a reduced wait time. Meanwhile, chain grocery stores like Walmart and Publix are only a mile or so east. While students are zoned for Palm Beach County Schools, local families have options when it comes to public versus private education. Most begin at Forest Hill Elementary, earning a B on Niche for high-quality teachers and a low student-to-teacher ratio. The school offers a Spanish dual language program, as well, encouraging bilingual studies. L.C. Swain Middle earns a C-plus on Niche, while John I. Leonard High School has a B-minus. Atlantic Christian Academy is a popular private option for many families, enrolling prekindergarten through 12th grade. The academy earns an A-minus on Niche, boasting a strong athletics program designed to encourage spiritual growth for the mind, body and heart. Those looking to bask in South Florida’s year-round heat can travel less than 5 miles west to Okeeheelee Park, a 1,700-acre green space with a wide array of outdoor recreational activities. Shark Wake Park, for example, is situated on Okeeheelee’s massive lake. The water park hosts an annual summer camp for kids, as well as daily kneeboarding, wakeboarding and more. Folks are also welcome to fish or launch canoes and kayaks from the Okeeheelee Pier. Okeeheelee Golf Course is a public facility with three nine-hole courses, a driving range and a practice putting green. Those looking to take it easy, however, can enjoy the park’s 8 miles of walking and biking paths. Brandon Equestrian Center is on site, featuring two permanent barns and 9 miles of equestrian trails. Folks can also head east to Lake Lytal Park, which offers multiuse fields, courts and an Olympic-sized swimming pool for competitive aquatics. Getting around the West Palm Beach suburbs is relatively simple for Abbey Park’s residents, thanks to Forest Hill Boulevard and South Military Trail. The boulevard heads less than 10 miles east to Palm Beach and reaches west to Florida’s Turnpike, granting access to the region’s northern and southern hubs. South Military Trail stretches less than 8 miles north to Palm Beach International Airport, and south to Lake Worth Beach for a variety of events and historic landmarks. Folks can also easily reach Interstate 95, taking locals 6 miles northeast to the heart of West Palm Beach. HCA Florida Palms West Hospital is accessible via State Route 98, located 10 miles from Abbey Park. Additionally, the county’s Palm Tran offers stops along Forest Hill Boulevard and South Military Trail.

Century Village-West Palm Beach is a 55-plus community in South Florida that is turning up the volume. The complex has the typical amenities of gated living, including swimming pools and a fitness center, but also features a 1,200-seat theatre that hosts touring acts year-round. “They have a show every Saturday night followed by a dance,” says Mike Ryan, resident and sales associate for Highlight Realty, “These people really just rock.” The community has an on-site medical facility and pharmacy, but residents leaving the gates will find they are close to the vibrant shopping and dining areas of West Palm Beach. Homeowners looking to return to their lakefront condos don’t have to worry about getting locked out as the gates are serviced 24 hours a day, providing assistance and security. “This is a very safe place for seniors,” Ryan says. The usual suspects of a gated community are all accounted for in Century Village-West Palm Beach. Swimming pools, tennis courts and pickleball are available to all residents looking to enjoy the year-round Florida sunshine. The community offers sailboat lessons on the lake for those looking to test their sea legs. Indoor recreation is anchored by the recently renovated clubhouse, offering fitness centers and a state-of-the-art theatre. Local performers frequently make stops, providing residents with entertainment all night long. Newly released movies are another popular event at the theatre. Bookworms can head to the Okeechobee Boulevard Public Library, while the nearby Bear Lakes Country Club is a prime spot to tee off on a Jack-Nicklaus-designed golf course. A day on the beach is always close as the sandy shores of Palm Beach Island are just 7 miles away. The community provides transportation to nearby commercial centers like the Tanger Outlets of Palm Beach. While no dining options exist within the neighborhood, Okeechobee Boulevard runs parallel and offers multiple dining destinations, including Bud’s Chicken & Seafood, a popular local chain serving southern cuisine and fried seafood. Nearby, glasses of wine and conversation flow at Zuccarelli’s Italian Restaurant and Bar. Publix and Sprouts provide weekly groceries to the neighborhood. Multiple houses of worship serve the area, including the Congregation Anshei Shalom Synagogue. The community’s housing is a collection of low-rise condominium buildings spread out across glistening canals and towering palm trees. The buildings were initially built in the 1960s and 70s, but serious renovations have modernized many units. All condos contain one to two bedrooms and range between 500 and 1,500 square feet. Smaller units begin pricing for $80,000, while larger, lakefront residences can top $250,000. Each condominium building has its own HOA, and the majority of residents own their own homes. Downtown West Palm Beach is under 6 miles away, and the community services multiple bus routes to some of the city's more popular areas, so residents don’t have to worry about transportation. Palm Beach International Airport is conveniently located 4.5 miles from the neighborhood. Florida’s Turnpike runs parallel along the western border, but traffic can sometimes get noisy. Century Village has an active social scene with multiple clubs available for residents to join. Specific organizations, like the Irish American Cultural Club, maintain Facebook pages to keep their members updated. Yet certain celebrations throughout the year bring the entire community together. “There are tons of community events ranging from Fourth of July Celebrations to picnics,” Ryan says. Palm Beach County Schools serves the community’s younger residents. Grassy Waters Elementary School received a B-minus grade on Niche. Bear Lakes Middle School echoes with the sound of music as the school features multiple award-winning ensembles, including a symphonic, jazz, and concert band. Bear Lakes received a C rating on Niche. The C-plus-rated Palm Beach Lakes Community High School offers numerous educational programs ranging from biotechnology to fire science.

A Walmart around the corner, a Publix across the street and enough restaurants to satisfy any craving. They’re the manifestation of what local Realtor John Mike describes as Emerald Dunes’ biggest asset: its location. This patch of West Palm Beach places multiple gated condo communities in proximity to a cornucopia of commercial amenities and the popular Emerald Dunes golf club. It’s a combination that helps make this a well-liked place to live. “It’s nested like a hideaway,” says Michael Bartley, a local realtor with EthanMour Realty, who has a dozen years of real estate experience. “Working professionals and families live there because they enjoy the gated security. And the golf course is in your backyard.” Emerald Dunes encompasses multiple separate developments, including The Villas at Emerald Dunes, The Links at Emerald Dunes and Ventura Greens. The communities share similar Mediterranean-inspired design language, but each offers something a little different. The Villas’ condos come with floor plans ranging from one bedroom and one bathroom to three bedrooms with two bathrooms. The Links has bigger units, stretching to three bedrooms and three bathrooms and ditto for Ventura Greens, where there are some three-bedroom and three-and-a-half-bath options. Pricing follows a similar trend, with options at the entry level available in the $200,000s in The Villas and The Links, and the bigger homes in Ventura Greens pushing into the low $400,000s. “They sell. It’s a lively market,” Mike says. All three communities date back to the early 2000s and come with shared amenities like pools. The Grassy Waters Preserve, just about a 10-mile drive up Florida’s Turnpike from Emerald Dunes, is a spot people in the area enjoy. The preserve stretches 23 square miles, a wetlands expanse that comes with multiple trails to peruse. The Apoxee Trail is one of the popular paths in Grassy Waters, stretching almost 3 miles. Golf lovers, meanwhile, can explore membership to the neighborhood’s namesake golf club, a private 18-hole course known in part for its good condition. The Grassy Waters Preserve, just about a 10-mile drive up Florida’s Turnpike from Emerald Dunes, is a spot people in the area enjoy. The preserve stretches 23 square miles, a wetlands expanse that comes with multiple trails to peruse. The Apoxee Trail is one of the popular paths in Grassy Waters, stretching almost 3 miles. Golf lovers, meanwhile, can explore membership to the neighborhood’s namesake golf club, a private 18-hole course known in part for its good condition. Emerald Dunes’ location just off bustling Okeechobee Boulevard places it close to locals’ pick of commercial offerings. The close-by Lake Point Centre shopping plaza features a Walmart Neighborhood Market, an Anytime Fitness and a Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and stands adjacent to a Walgreens Pharmacy. People can hop across Okeechobee to stop by the neighboring Publix or Home Depot. Or, if cooking doesn't fit in the schedule, Pete’s Place — around the corner from the Publix and Home Depot — is a hit. “Pete’s Place is very popular for breakfast and lunch,” says Mike, who has lived in the region for more than 20 years. Nearby Duffy’s Sports Grill is “extremely popular,” too, Mike says. It’s a spot to stop by in the evening for a game and a basket of wings. The School District of Palm Beach County covers the Emerald Dunes area, a system with a B-plus overall grade on Niche. Kids here start at the B-minus-rated Grassy Waters Elementary, which has its own biomedical and veterinary technology program. Then, students can explore the pre-culinary and pre-law programs at Jeaga Middle, a C-rated school. Palm Beach Lakes Community High, a C-plus-rated campus, has specialty programs in everything from biotechnology to fire science. The Emerald Dunes area is also home to offices for Dwight Global Online, an A-plus-rated virtual high school with grades 6 to 12 and one of several Florida campuses of Keiser University. The Keiser location offers myriad associate, bachelor’s and graduate degree programs. People in Emerald Dunes can take advantage of their proximity to Florida’s Turnpike to head north and south around the rest of South Florida. Jupiter is just over 20 miles away on the turnpike, for example. Also, Okeechobee Boulevard connects to Interstate 95, which can also take people up and down the coast. Okeechobee has multiple stops in the area’s Palm Tran bus system, too, and that road can be used for trips toward the Palm Beach International Airport, about half a dozen miles away.

Residents of Golden Lakes are never short of activities like line dancing classes every Monday night. “We try to keep active,” says Karen Massinello, the owner and broker at Massinello Realty and who teaches the line dancing classes. “People come from different communities to our community because we have a lot more activities.” Located about 8 miles west of downtown West Palm Beach, Golden Lakes is known for its 55-plus community built around Golden Lakes Boulevard and Golden River Drive. The Golden Lakes Village is split into a Phase A to the north and Phase B to the south, which together total nearly 1,900 homes in a neighborhood made up almost entirely of condominiums. There are also no restrictions that prevent owners from renting out the units for extended periods. Almost reflective of its name, many of the homes here are build around a network of connected ponds. In addition to the array of amenities, the community has been touted for its security and relatively quick access to shopping, dining and other nearby localities in South Florida. “It’s safe. There’s a gated community, which was one of the reasons I was attracted to it,” says Massinello, who lives in Golden Lakes. “It’s also the perfect location, with access to I-95,the Florida Turnpike. You can be in Boca or Jupiter in 20 to 30 minutes. It’s close to the airport and the shopping outlets. You’re almost in downtown West Palm Beach without having to pay those high taxes. It’s just a great community.” The condo units can be found in single- and multi-story buildings with Mediterranean stylistic touches, and surrounding palm trees add a calming tropical layer to the properties. Price points for the condos can go from under $150,000 for one-bedroom units to around $230,000 for larger spaces with two or three bedrooms. There are, however, a few single-family homes here with price points that are more than three times higher than the condominiums. Also, roughly a third of the available properties here are being advertised as rentals. Okeechobee Boulevard, which forms Golden Lakes’ northern border, leads to a diverse lineup of restaurants, even if residents have to step just outside of the community. They’ll find steakhouses, as well as places serving Jewish, Hispanic and Asian cuisines. Just a few of the options here include steaks and seafood at Bimini Twist, brunch at Portside Breakfast & Lunch, Sardinian cuisine at the Zona Blue West Palm Beach Italian Restaurant, a weekday lunch buffet at Taste of India and tzatziki dips and lamb or beef gyros at the Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. Other options just outside Golden Lakes, but still on Okeechobee, include a fusion of Incan, Asian and European cuisine at the La Brasa Grill and kosher dining at Kosher Chobee. For grocery shopping, there are two close Publix Super Markets, with one located just within the neighborhood borders on North Jog Road. The clubhouse facilities at both Phase A and Phase B of the Golden Lakes Village offers a myriad of activities and amenities ranging from card and knitting clubs and bingo games to an Olympic-size pool, billiards room and tennis courts. On Monday nights – and mostly at the Phase A clubhouse – Massinello keeps residents both entertained and active with line dancing classes. “It’s a very fun activity, especially for the people who are widowed,” she says. “It gets them back on the dance floor.” The classes even continued during the pandemic, when they instead took the activities to the parking lot. “That was the only thing they had to look forward to,” Massinello says. The Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds located almost directly south of the neighborhood and just off Southern Boulevard hosts events like a seafood festival. The Expo Center is also near other venues like the iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre just west of Sansbury Way, where concerts occur throughout the year. Upcoming performers include the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Alanis Morissette. Golden Lakes Village offers a bus service that can take residents to their shopping destinations. Otherwise, Okeechobee Boulevard provides a direct connection east to downtown West Palm Beach, as well as Palm Beach on the barrier island across the water. Just south of Florida State Road 704 – what Okeechobee turns into – is the Palm Beach International Airport, located about 7 miles east of Golden Lakes. For medical care, there’s the Palms West Hospital about 8 miles west of the neighborhood. Schools in and around Golden Lakes include Benoist Farms Elementary School, Jeaga Middle School and Royal Palm Beach High School, all of which received grades of C or higher from ratings site Niche. Golden Lakes is also home to the King’s Academy, a private Christian college preparatory school serving students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. King’s, which received an A-plus from Niche, has an award winning and nationally recognized Theatre Company that’s been named among the top five high schools in the country by the American Musical Theatre Guild of Arts and Sciences. King’s has also had some notable athletic accomplishments, including boasting over 50 combined individual, state team and national championships.

Golfview Heights gets its name from sitting above the town of Golfview, which was then located next to a municipal golf course. When the course was redeveloped into what is now Palm Beach International Airport, noise and congestion impacted surrounding communities. The town of Golfview was dissolved in 1987, and its land and properties were purchased to make way for more airport expansion. But its namesake, Golfview Heights, survived. Since then, the community has continued to emphasize revitalization efforts through home renovations and the help of its new neighbor. “I first started selling homes in the Golfview Heights in 2012, and it was a bit run-down,” says Eli Williams, a real estate broker with Royal International Realty with ten years of experience in the area. “Because it’s right next to Palm Beach International Airport, homes are much less expensive. Now buyers are investing in fixer-uppers and renovating. These homes come in the form of ranch-style houses built in the 1950s and 60s, showcased through front picture windows and carports. Lengthwise positioning gives them curb appeal that can be appreciated from the community’s sidewalks, which have stately palm trees sprinkled throughout. Depending on size and condition, those looking to purchase a home within Golfview Heights can expect a price range from $250,000 to $450,000. Along Cherry Road are several bus stops provided by the Palm Tran system, which carries passengers to surrounding areas like West Palm Beach and Palm Beach International Airport, which borders the community directly to the south. Trips to HCA Florida JFK Hospital along South Congress Avenue, while Southwestern College–West Palm Beach classes sit less than a mile north. Though Golfview Heights is small, it doesn’t lack conveniences. A Walmart Supercenter sits at the intersection of North Military Trail and Belvedere Road for all grocery needs. Further north along North Military Road sits a dozen fast-food joints, retailers and lounges to explore. Meanwhile, live music and Dominican cuisine can be enjoyed just east at the local favorite Mar D’Plata Dominican Restaurant & Bar in Palm Beach Commons. Another main attraction in the neighborhood is the Palm Beach Kennel Club at the Belvedere Road and North Congress Avenue crossroads. The club draws patrons from around the region with live greyhound racing, poker tournaments, and off-track betting. Its onsite restaurant and event venue also host numerous concerts throughout the year. Within the neighborhood, residents can enjoy Golfview Heights Park, a small green space with a picnic shelter and a playground to explore. Young students will head to West Gate Elementary School, which sits just north of the neighborhood and has a C grade from Niche. Older students will attend Jeaga Middle School, which has also been given a C from Niche, before heading to Palm Beach Lakes Community High School which has a C-plus. The home of the Rams hosts the annual Derek Harper Holiday Tournament, which welcomes teams from surrounding counties and thousands of supporters. The Westgate Parks and Recreation Center hosts the Annual Westgate Turkey Shoot each year. Here, neighbors of all ages come together to compete in a series of games like a turkey hunt, turkey sack race and a three-point shooting contest, with winners taking home a free turkey to cook on Thanksgiving.