Worth Avenue

Worth Avenue Review

Called the Avenue by Palm Beachers, this half-mile-long street is synonymous with exclusive shopping. Nostalgia lovers recall an era when faces or names served as charge cards, purchases were delivered home before customers returned from lunch, and bills were sent directly to private accountants. Times have changed, but a stroll amid the Spanish-accented buildings, many designed by Addison Mizner, offers a tantalizing taste of the island's ongoing commitment to elegant consumerism. It underwent a $15 million makeover in 2010: 200 mature coconut palm trees were planted, and a magnificent $600,000 clock tower was built on the beach to mark the entrance from Route A1A. Definitely explore the labyrinth of nine pedestrian "vias" off of each side that wind past boutiques, tiny plazas, bubbling fountains, and bougainvillea-festooned balconies; this is where the smaller, unique shops are. The Worth Avenue Association (www.worth-avenue.com) holds historic walking tours each month.