Peanut Island Park
Just across the surrounding waterways from Palm Beach Shores, Peanut Island Park is one of the area's most distinctive outdoor destinations. The tropical island sits in the Lake Worth Lagoon near the Palm Beach Inlet and offers beaches, clear-water swimming areas, snorkeling, boating, fishing, picnicking, walking and even overnight camping.
What makes Peanut Island especially appealing to Palm Beach Shores residents is how close an island getaway can feel. Rather than driving to another part of South Florida for a day outdoors, residents can reach Peanut Island by boat or water taxi and spend the day surrounded by water.
The island has evolved from land originally created through dredging of the Lake Worth Inlet into a popular recreational park. Today its landscaped public areas, shoreline and marine environment provide an entirely different experience only a short distance from Palm Beach Shores.
A Day on the Water Can Become an Island Adventure
Peanut Island combines several of South Florida's favorite outdoor activities in one location. Visitors can swim, snorkel, fish, explore the shoreline, walk around the island, enjoy a picnic or simply find a place near the water and relax.
Swimming & Snorkeling
Peanut Island includes designated swimming areas and a snorkeling lagoon where visitors can explore the shallow marine environment. Clear-water conditions can make the island especially popular with snorkelers.
Arrive by Boat
Peanut Island is accessible only by water. Visitors can arrive aboard their own boat or use independently operated water-taxi and shuttle services from the surrounding Palm Beaches.
Picnics & Island Time
Shaded picnic areas, tables, grills, pavilions and island-style chiki huts give visitors places to take a break from the sun and turn a few hours on the island into a full-day outing.
Snorkeling in the Lake Worth Lagoon
One of Peanut Island's best-known attractions is its snorkeling area. The protected lagoon provides opportunities to see fish and other marine life without needing to travel offshore on a dive boat.
A sandy shoreline provides access to shallow water, while platforms and ladders provide additional access in the lagoon. An observation walkway also gives visitors an opportunity to look into the marine environment without entering the water.
Marine life naturally varies with water conditions and the season. Manatees are among the animals that may sometimes be observed around the island, particularly during cooler periods. Visitors should always observe wildlife without feeding, chasing or disturbing it.
Walk Around Peanut Island
Visitors who want to see more than the beach can follow the paved walking path around the island. The approximately 1.25-mile route connects the major recreation areas while passing tidal ponds, mangroves and maritime hammock vegetation.
The island also includes an observation deck overlooking the Lake Worth Lagoon, nearby port facilities and surrounding communities. Together, these areas give visitors several different perspectives on the waterways surrounding Palm Beach Shores.
- Approximately 1.25-mile paved walking path
- Swimming beaches
- Snorkeling lagoon
- Fishing pier
- East and west boat docks
- Picnic areas and grills
- Observation deck
- Chiki huts and shaded areas
Spend the Night on an Island
Peanut Island also offers something unusual for such a developed part of Palm Beach County: reserved tent camping. A limited number of campsites allow visitors to experience the island after the majority of daytime guests have left.
Camping requires advance reservations, and visitors should arrive prepared. Palm Beach County notes that there are no food or rental concessions on the island, so guests need to bring the supplies they expect to use during their visit.
An Island Playground Just Across the Water
Peanut Island is particularly relevant to the Palm Beach Shores lifestyle because residents are positioned so close to it. Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores offers shuttle service to Peanut Island, making the park accessible even to people who do not own a boat.
That proximity creates recreational possibilities that are unusual in many residential communities. A day could begin at home in Palm Beach Shores, continue with a short boat ride to an island for swimming and snorkeling, and end back in town with dinner beside the marina.
For boating enthusiasts, Peanut Island becomes even more accessible. The island includes public docking areas on both its eastern and western sides, allowing boaters to come ashore for a day of recreation.
Amenities such as Peanut Island help explain why Palm Beach Shores appeals to people who want more than simply a home near the water. The surrounding waterways become part of the recreation, and nearby destinations can sometimes be reached more naturally by boat than by car.
Planning a Visit to Peanut Island?
Park conditions, swimming supervision, camping availability, water-taxi schedules and boating conditions can change. Check current information before your trip, and remember that Peanut Island has no food or equipment-rental concession, so visitors should arrive prepared for their day on the island.