Every once and a great while we treat ourselves to a special long weekend at The Breakers in Palm Beach, and Matt’s birthday seemed like a perfect reason for a visit this year.
One South County Road
Palm Beach, FL 33480
The Breakers was originally constructed in the late 1890s by industrialist Henry Flagler, and was reconstructed in the 1920s after a fire. When the hotel was rebuilt, it was modeled after the Villa Medici in Rome, and 75 artisans were brought in from Italy to completed the paintings across the ceiling of the elegant lobby. I’m an Italiaphile and love my home state, so this hotel is one of my very favorite places to stay.
Over the years hotel hosted guests like the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, and US presidents. Today you will find happy couples vacationing, ladies with cocktails on girls weekends, but mostly lots of happy families swimming in the four pools at the resort and playing in the blue green waters along the beach.
We spent the whole weekend either in or next to the water with Max, an occasional trip out for ice cream, and finally a special dinner at the Flagler Steakhouse on Saturday night. In the mornings I would leave the hotel for my run, wandering up and down the nearby streets window shopping for my dream house (or at least drool over the architecture).
A few tips:
- If you are planning a getaway to The Breakers, a trip during the hot summer months will cost you a fraction of price of a room in the winter. If you go in the summer, just be sure to hit the pools and beach early in the morning because a Florida summer thunderstorm will eventually roll in after lunch. (Just head back for a nap or over to the spa when the rain hits.)
- There is a playground hidden adjacent to the Italian restaurant on the hotel property.
- We like to go to drive to the nearby Sprinkles Palm Beach for ice cream! (Just a 2 minute drive from the hotel.)
- For your special dinner of the trip, visit the Flagler Steakhouse located in the resort’s golf course clubhouse. It is fancy, but generally kid friendly. It’s a bit to far to walk from the hotel, but there is a shuttle that will run you directly between the two.
Always love a good shot of beach umbrellas lined up in a row…
Found this perfect Palm Beach style on my morning run.
Maxwell loved exploring the hotel.
Maxwell loved exploring the beach even more than the hotel though.
Drooling over more houses on my morning runs.
The vibrant green lawns add a brilliant pop of color next to the brilliant blue ocean.
More dream houses from my runs.
My handsome little dinner date.
The main lobby of The Breakers always makes me feel like I’m in Europe.
Playing in the water, all day, every day.
This beach view never gets old.
Even the puddles are pretty in Palm Beach.
Breakfasts were included as part of our stay, so we ate in this grand room on the last day of our trip. (I felt like Belle and the Beast may have danced here.)
House ogling on my run…
More house ogling on my morning run (by the way, that’s the ocean in front of the house).
Paddleboards available at The Breakers.
Lots of pretty white seashells on the beach.
Beach time with daddy.
Favorite ice cream shop (found out that Michael Jackson once ate here).
Maxwell happily eating ice cream at Sprinkles.
Lots of pretty palm trees.
Early morning pool time.
Pretty mosaics by the beach cabanas.
Logged lots of pool time that weekend.
Love lunching with this little man.
We always have one special dinner at the Flagler Steakhouse every time we visit.
Maxwell ate a little bit too much on his fancy night out, including this huge cup of chocolate milk.
Dinner for daddy’s birthday at the Flagler Steakhouse.
I felt like I went, too!