The activities most Palm Beach visitors miss are on the water. Here's the can't-miss list — cruises, wakesurfing, sunsets, and sandbar days — and how to book.
You've booked the hotel and the flights — now the real question: what do you actually do once you're in Palm Beach? The answer most visitors miss is the water. Palm Beach County has miles of coastline, a calm freshwater chain of lakes, and the Intracoastal Waterway running straight through the middle, and the best way to experience all of it is by boat. Here are the on-water activities you can't miss, and how to fit them into your stay.
The Intracoastal is the spine of the county — waterfront mansions, mangrove pockets, manatees, and the occasional pod of dolphins, all on protected water that stays flat even when the ocean is rough. A captained cruise is the single best introduction to the area, and it doubles as the prettiest happy hour you'll have all trip. For planning the rest of your itinerary, The Palm Beaches tourism site is a solid, no-nonsense resource.
Here's the local secret: you don't have to fight the ocean to ride. The freshwater lakes around Lantana and Delray — Lake Osborne and Lake Ida — are calm, protected, and ideal for learning to wakesurf or wakeboard behind a modern inboard. Complete beginners are usually up and riding in a single session with a good coach and the right boat. It's the activity most visitors don't even know is here, and it's the one they talk about the whole way home.
If you do one thing on the water, make it sunset. The light over the Intracoastal and the lakes is genuinely special, and a two-hour evening cruise is the easiest, most crowd-pleasing outing for couples, families, or a group of friends. Bring your own drinks and playlist; we bring the boat and the captain. It's our most popular first-timer trip for a reason.
Palm Beach's sandbars are shallow, sociable, and made for an afternoon of anchoring, wading, and swimming. Add a grill-out and you've got the classic South Florida boat day. It's the kind of thing you can't recreate from a hotel pool, and it's a favorite for birthdays and small groups who want a home base on the water.
Any of these put you within quick reach of a charter. For an Intracoastal-front stay in South Palm Beach, the Palm Beach Resort & Beach Club sits right on the water. Flying in? The lakeside Hilton Palm Beach PBI is minutes from the airport and a short drive from both the lakes and the Intracoastal.
The good news for visitors: on a captained charter you don't need a boating license or any prior experience — your captain handles navigation, no-wake zones, and all the rules. If you're the curious type and want to understand Florida's boating and tow-sports regulations, the Florida FWC boating page lays them out clearly. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, and a towel, and you're set.
Most visitors mix and match: a wakesurf session in the calm morning water, lunch, then a sandbar afternoon or a sunset cruise to close it out. Browse our charter experiences and lessons to see the options, from a quick sunset trip to a full day on the boat. Everything is captained and beginner-friendly.
Thinking about spending more time here — or already a boat owner in the area? Beyond charters, we also help locals value, sell, consign, trade, and service wake boats of every brand.
Don't let the best part of Palm Beach stay in the background. Lock in a cruise, a lesson, or a full day, and we'll handle the rest. Call or text (561) 475-8615, or reserve your charter online.
No. Every trip is fully captained, so you don't need a license or any prior experience. Your captain handles navigation, no-wake zones, and the rules while you enjoy the ride.
A sunset cruise is the easiest crowd-pleaser and our most popular first-timer trip. If you want something more active, a wakesurf lesson on the calm freshwater lakes is hard to beat and beginner-friendly.
Absolutely. The protected freshwater lakes around Lantana and Delray are ideal for learning, and most complete beginners are up and riding in a single session with coaching from the boat.
Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a towel, and your own drinks and snacks. We supply the boat, boards, life jackets, and the captain — you just show up ready for the water.