Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Getting around Palm Beach Gardens revolves around PGA Boulevard, the lively corridor linking Interstate 95, Florida's Turnpike, and the city's most popular shopping plazas. Because the area grew as a series of master-planned neighborhoods, having a car is essential for daily errands, school drop-offs, and dining out. Even along busier stretches near the highway, the drive stays remarkably scenic. About half of the city is set aside as protected green space, so quiet lakes, wooded preserves, and golf fairways naturally break up the retail centers and office parks.

ATTRWilliam “Patrick” Ma… / CC BY-SA 3.0

That lush look is entirely by design. In the late 1950s, developer John D. MacArthur planned the area as a dedicated garden city on thousands of acres of former cattle land. He famously instructed road crews to curve streets around mature pines and relocate massive banyan trees instead of bulldozing them. That tree-first mindset continues today. The city enforces strict landscaping standards and keeps a forester on staff, giving local neighborhoods a mature, leafy canopy that sets them apart from typical suburban sprawl.

ATTRWilliam “Patrick” Ma… / CC BY-SA 3.0

Golf cemented the city's national reputation when MacArthur invited the PGA to base its operations here in the 1960s. While their main offices later moved, championship golf remains a huge draw, with PGA National hosting the PGA Tour's Cognizant Classic every spring. The local economy is equally robust beyond the resort fairways. Major employers in medical technology, aerospace, and energy maintain corporate facilities across town, giving residents strong career options alongside upscale shopping at The Gardens Mall and waterfront dining spots.

ATTRWilliam “Patrick” Ma… / CC BY-SA 3.0

The favorite weekend routine for locals centers on the city hall campus along North Military Trail. Every Sunday morning, neighbors gather for the year-round Gardens GreenMarket to pick up fresh produce, grab iced coffee, browse artisan baked goods, and listen to live music under the palms. Right next door, the Veterans Plaza Amphitheater keeps the social calendar full with outdoor movie nights, tribute concerts, and holiday festivals. Farther west, expanding master-planned communities like Avenir are adding miles of dedicated nature trails and parkland, making it easy to enjoy the outdoors close to home.