Say goodbye to treadmills, elliptical machines and stair steppers. It’s time to take your workout outside. The winter months in the Palm Beaches are the ideal time to take your workout outside to enjoy physical fitness, wellness and the area’s natural beauty.
No matter what your fitness level or preferred workout, you’ll find something to do in the Palm Beaches that inspires you to keep on moving. From walking on the beach to riding the waves to attending a yoga or meditation class, to paddle boarding or kayaking, you’ll find a plethora of opportunities to start or maintain your fitness routine.
With 47 miles of coastline, the Palm Beaches provides locals and visitors alike great opportunities for beachfront workouts. The beach is a low-cost place to walk, run or swim throughout the year. Many public beaches have lifeguards to protect swimmers during the day. Access to the beach is free, but there is a charge for parking at some beaches.
Most Palm Beach County beaches do not allow your canine cuties. One exception is in Jupiter Beach, where there is a 2.5-mile stretch of the beach at A1A and Marcinski Road that allows well-trained dogs to roam without a leash.
When you’re looking to get in shape, the endless options for outdoor fitness in the Palm Beaches make it that much easier to stay motivated. Here are some favorites for the area.
Yoga & Fitness Classes
If you like to get yourself into a Zen-like mindset while holding a downward facing dog, you’re sure to enjoy the multitude of yoga classes that are offered throughout the county.
While the venues may change from season to season, there are a few that have withheld the test of time, including Sunset Beach Yoga at Atlantic Dunes on Sundays, Wednesday and Fridays; a free yoga class on Saturday mornings at Sanborn Square in Delray Beach hosted by YogaJourney; and weekly yoga classes on Tuesdays and Saturdays at the Mandel Public Library in West Palm Beach. Better get those yoga mats out of your storage in Palm Beach.
In addition to these, many of the outdoor shopping malls offer classes throughout the year. The Palm Beach Community Educator offers seasonal classes, though you must register for them at the beginning of each season.
Running or Walking
If running and/or walking is your activity of choice, there are many scenic routes from which to choose. A run on the beach is the perfect way to start or end the day, and the county parks are equipped with trails.
If you want to up your running or walking game and add in a playful full-body workout, head to John Prince Park’s Outdoor Fitness Zone, where you can choose from 17 pieces of resistance equipment.
If a group run is more your style, join the Palm Beach Road Runners on their daily runs. Do you want to push yourself even further? Plan to train for the Palm Beach Marathon, which takes place every December.
Biking
Biking is a great option for getting back in shape. While some people bike through the city, we wouldn’t recommend it because of all the traffic. Instead, we recommend heading to one of the local parks or trails. One of our favorites — the Lake Trail in Palm Beach — will take you through a historic section of Palm Beach as well as offering pristine views of the Intracoastal Waterway. Away from the Intracoastal, the county parks offer a variety of bike trails. Popular trails can be found at Dyer Park, Okeeheelee Park and West Delray Regional Park, with trails ranging from 2.4 to 5 miles.
If you don’t have a bike, but still want to ride, there are still options, as both Okeeheelee Park and Jupiter Outdoor Center have rental available, though an advance reservation is highly recommended. If you’re in the city of West Palm Beach, daily, monthly and annual bike rentals are available through SkyBike.
Kayaking and Paddleboarding
When the weather is hot and humid during the summer, nothing feels better than being on the water. With a paddle or oar in hand, you’re sure to get a full-body workout. Paddle boards and kayaks are readily available to take out on the water and can be rented by the hour or by the day. Popular destinations include the Intracoastal Waterway in Jupiter, Jonathan Dickinson State Park, the Loxahatchee River and the Riviera Beach Marina.
Indoor Fitness Options
Of course, you can also find plenty of indoor fitness options in Palm Beach County, including gyms and yoga studios.
The Mandel Public Library in West Palm Beach offers a section of free fitness classes ranging from yoga to Pilates to TaiChi to Zumba.
Other Fitness Activities in Palm Beach
If you’re still looking for fitness activities, both indoor and outdoor, a good resource is the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department. There you will find a guide to the area parks, a monthly list of fitness activities throughout the county and rules and regulations for participation.
Katherine Lynch, editor of Palm Beach on the Cheap, helped prepare this report.
