There are so many beautiful things to explore in Palm Beach County that are absolutely free! The gardens, parks, library, vias and their window shoppiing. Our focus was on those as well as coffee shops and museums.
For our first garden visit we choose the serenity of strolling through the pristine, traditional Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. Sukeji Morikami donated his land to Palm Beach County to create a park to preserve the legacy of the Yamato Colony - first settled in 1903. Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens opened in 1977. The Morikami remains the only museum in the U.S. dedicated to Japanese living culture, with gardens that are recognized internationally as some of the most beautiful outside Japan. We allowed two and half hours for our visit, and the on-site Japanese restaurant is excellent.
Our first cafe, the Hive Cafe and Bakery, recently opened in the Grandview Heights district of West Palm Beach. Applying our 5 star rubric rating for cafes - coffee/pastries, ambiance, service, location and cost - we gave Hive 5 out of 5. Their house- made pastries and artisan breads were reminiscent of old Santa Barbara.
Our second cafe stop took us to Subculture Coffee in West Palm Beach. Subculture roasts and brews their coffee beans to perfection. Its always a special treat to have a wall of bookshelves with art books for everyone’s enjoyment. Five for their coffee, 3’s and 4’s for ambience - sections were under renovation - service and cost typical in small cafes.
The next highlight was a visit to compact and pristine Pan’s Garden, where they protect and celebrate Florida's indigenous plants and the wildlife they support. Hundreds of native species, some of which are endangered. Labels made the identification of each specimen. Winding brick laid paths connect wetland, a pond, and upland areas of different habitats. A special find was the Live Oak Orchids were just blooming. Florida’s native trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and a few wildflowers created a place for relaxation, horticultural study and reflection.
For coffee we headed to Johans’ Joe Swedish Coffee House and Cafe where the vibe was calm and the interior interesting- white curtains, tall ceilings, purple chairs and grandiose Stockholm made sparkling chandeliers. They feature Swedish, Scandinavian and European cuisines. The coffee beans come from the historic Swedish Loferbs roasting company. The coffee on our rubric managed a 4, while the other four criteria ratings were 4’s.