Peanut Island

Located in the Intracoastal Waterway near the city of Riviera Beach, Peanut Island is an island which is spread over 80 acres. This island has multiple unnamed white-sand beaches. A county-managed park named Peanut Island Park is also present on this artificial island. As an interesting fact, this island is named Peanut Island as it was earlier designated as a prospective shipping station for peanut oil. One of the beaches in Peanut Island is named Natural Areas Beach - this beach has been landscaped in order to remove non-native vegetation and only native coastal vegetation is present on this beach. Breakwaters are present near some of the beaches in Peanut Island. 

Some of the beaches in Peanut Island have lifeguards - these beaches are generally present on the south-eastern side of the island. Lifeguards are present here on the beaches here between 9:15 am and 4:15 pm during weekends. The island has many other amenities including walking paths, an observation area, fire rings, picnic areas, pavilions, chiki huts, showers, boat docks, a pier, restrooms, and grills. Dogs on leash are allowed on Peanut Island. 

The beaches in Peanut Island offer many fun activities including hiking, wildlife watching, sunbathing, beach combing, surfing, picnicking, wildlife watching, fishing, swimming, snorkeling, boating, paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing, boating, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, and water-skiing. The water near Peanut Island offers good surfing waves on very rare occasions. The water near Peanut Island is popular with snorkelers, especially the water near the south-eastern side of the island. Depending on the time of the year, snorkelers can view many kinds of animals here including sea turtles and manatees, along with many marine invertebrates. You can also view a wide variety of fish here including small sharks, rays, sergeant majors, and angelfish. A snorkeling lagoon is also present on Peanut Island which is frequently visited by manatees during winter. However, if you are planning to enter the water near Peanut Island, it is important to note that some portions of the water here are reserved only for swimmers - water activities including swimming and jet-skiing are prohibited within these areas. If you like birdwatching, you can view many kinds of birds around Peanut Island. If you are planning to fish in the water near Peanut Island, please make sure that you ensure compliance with the local fishing regulations.                                                                                                                                                                                               

Peanut Island has a vibrant landscape and it is home to many habitats including maritime hammock forests and mangrove forests - you can explore this vibrant landscape via a walking trail present here. The island also has a tent campground. If you are planning to camp in Peanut Island, you can visit Peanut Island’s webpage on Palm Beach County’s website for more information regarding the camping charges and amenities. The park also has the historic John F. Kennedy Bunker, which was built for the former President of the United States during the Cold War. However, this bunker is currently closed to public access.

Getting to Peanut Island is difficult as it is only accessible by boat. If you don’t have your own private boat, there are many privately owned water-taxi services that ferry passengers to Peanut Island. Some of these water taxis include the ferry services offered by the Sailfish Marina Resort, the Riviera Beach Marina Village, and the Peanut Island Shuttle Boat. You can visit the websites of these taxi services for more information regarding the ferry timings and charges.

There are many attractions near Peanut Island. Manatee Lagoon is an educational center that seeks to increase public awareness about manatees and the Lake Worth Lagoon. The center has interesting exhibitions on the local marine biodiversity. The center has a souvenir shop and also hosts yoga classes, lectures, and fun educational and storytelling sessions for kids. Currie Park is a waterfront recreational park that offers many amenities including boat ramps, tennis courts, a pier, a playground, restrooms, and boat ramps. The park also has a maritime museum and a memorial dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr. If you are looking for another attraction near Peanut Island, Henry Morrison Flagler Museum has interesting historical exhibits which offer a unique insight into the Gilded Age era of the United States. The museum is set in renowned businessman Henry Morrison Flagler’s splendid estate Whitehall, which was constructed in 1902 and is currently a part of the United States National Register of Historic Places.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Peanut Island. Seafood Bar is an upscale restaurant which offers an amazing oceanfront dining experience. In addition, the restaurant has a maritime-themed decor and it serves amazing seafood for lunch and dinner.  Johnny Longboats has a relaxed ambiance and a coastal-inspired decor. The restaurant also serves amazing seafood, breakfast dishes, burgers, pastas, chicken wings, barbecued ribs, steaks, kabobs, jambalaya, and sushi. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Peanut Island, Rivales Taqueria & Craft Bar serves amazing Mexican dishes including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and tostadas.

If you are looking for a hotel near Peanut Island, there are many great nearby options. The 5-Star The Breakers Palm Beach is built in the Italian Renaissance-style and offers many amenities including four pools, on-site shopping facilities, two golf courses (available for an additional fee), ten tennis courts, a fitness center, a spa (available for a fee), multiple lounges, and nine restaurants. As another upscale hotel, the 4-Star Hilton West Palm Beach offers many amenities including a restaurant with a terrace, a bar, a convenience store, a gym, and a pool surrounded by palm trees and lounge chairs.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Hyatt Place West Palm Beach/Downtown which offers many amenities including a 24/7 gym, a bar, and a restaurant. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Peanut Island, the 2-Star Best Western Palm Beach Lakes offers many amenities including a pool, guest laundry facilities, gardens, a 24/7 gym, and complimentary continental breakfast.