West Palm Beach, USA

The blue skies and pristine white beaches of West Palm Beach West Palm Beach, Florida, has sunny palm-lined streets, breathtaking waterfront views, quaint shopping districts, historic and scenic neighbourhoods, and exciting year-round outdoor festivals. We were spending a week in the beach fronted city and it was another off my bucket list places to visit. My doctor son and daughter-in-law always plan these holidays, so I can go along with them and enjoy them too. Kind and generous to a fault, they are so warm and welcoming especially when I had just been a very stressful time back in India. It was cold in Tennessee and so Florida’s sunny skies, nearly perfect year-round weather and a range of outdoor and cultural attractions, West Palm Beach was the ideal setting for a week long escape for us. Separated from southern Florida by the beautiful Intracoastal Waterway, Palm Beach is West Palm Beach's sister city, and is known for being irresistibly serene and really a pensioners paradise.

The ferry that took us across to Peanut Island We decided to spend an entire day on Peanut Island on our first day -- a popular tourist attraction that houses a bunker built for President John F. Kennedy during the Cold War. It was fun parking and walking across to take the ferry. Quite different from our smelly and crowded Goa ferries, we all got place to sit before it took off. Peanut island had plenty of picnic areas, plus biking and walking paths. The ferry ride to the island cruises past the opulent mansions of the city's wealthy residents, but knowing about sea-level rise, I was not really envious. I would never want a beach- front mansion. After that I loved going to the beach almost everyday, with the family, even though it was cold.We sat out in the sun, while the kids played building sand castles and paddling in the shallows. The beaches had heaps of sea shells, something our Indian beaches are devoid of. It was amazing to see how many vacationers were out on the beach, sunning themselves. The water was definitely too cold to swim in though we saw lots of surfers cresting the tall waves.

The board walk which took us along the sheltering mangroves. For those who prefer indoor endeavours, the Norton Museum boasts an exceptional collection of American, Chinese and European art. Famous performers appear at "The Harriet" and at the Kravis Center. Of course there's always shopping, the city's other favorite pastime. From designer boutiques to big name department stores, West Palm Beach has it all. Known for its upscale boutiques and irresistible beaches, Palm Beach has long been a favorite Florida getaway for vacationers from all over the world. We drove down the A1a which is Florida's State Road. A1A is one of the most scenic road trip routes in the nation. It runs along the most eastern border of the state. I love oggling the beautiful mansions of the rich and famous and can’t imagine how difficult it is to maintain it along with their pristinely sculpted gardens.

Beautiful blue skies and broad palm lined roads The only hiccup was when we came towards the Trump Mar-a-Lago Club, there was high security which kept outsiders at bay. The 126-room, 62,500-square-foot mansion contains the Mar-a-Lago Club, a members-only club with guest rooms, a spa, and other hotel-style amenities. It is located in Palm Beach County on the Palm Beach barrier island, with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Florida's Intracoastal Waterway to the west. The different cuisines had us eating out at different places everyday. Ofcourse the family had to try an Indian place one evening, but I got my Hardees mushroom and cheese burger well before they sat down to their meal. Who wants to eat Indian, while in the US? Just them!