Hey on thetowners.

I'm Frank Lucari and you're# jealous.

From dunes that make you climb to libraries that make you think and a museum that# comes alive after dark.

We're exploring the Palm Beaches 101.

The fun things to see and do that# all the locals love and so will you.

So get your sunglasses and sense of adventure as we go on the# town in the Palm Beaches with me, Frank Lucari.

This program is brought to you by Discover# the Palm Beaches.

Visit the palm beaches.tv for more information.

When you think of the Palm# Beaches, you think about enjoying the outdoors, and that means parks.

This area has over 100# of them, and they check off all the boxes.

We're talking hiking trails, playgrounds,# open fields, and so much more.

We're at Canyon District Park in Western Boon Beach.# And if you're new here, this is exactly the spot you need to know about.

Let's learn more# from the county's park and recreation director.

I remember parks growing up were like a tilt on# a cement and then you walk into these things and we're looking at this unbelievably cushy mattress# type.

The technology is evolved a little bit since we were growing up for sure.

So, this surface# is incredible.

It's nice soft uh fall surface for anybody using the playground, but also# what's really amazing about this playground in particular is it's intergenerational,# right?

You can come out with your family, your entire family and play on this.

And the# accessibility features are incredible.

So folks in wheelchairs can access this space really to# make everyone feel welcome.

Yeah, it's really incredible.

And this this is only one part of# it.

You've got baseball fields, soccer fields, basketball, lacrosse, flag football.

We have an# amazing accessible playground.

We have baseball, softball fields, sand volleyball courts.

Outdoor# spaces that are curated like this are so rare.

You're the director of the park system in the Palm# Beaches.

Yes, I am.

Tell the people how many parks we have in the Palm Beaches.

Just our county park# system has 110 parks and facilities.

And that does not mention about the 20 municipalities that also# have parks and our state parks and our national wildlife refuge.

We're really, really blessed# here in Palm Beach County.

It's crazy.

1.5 million people live in the Palm Beaches.

Okay.

How many# visits do you get to parks?

And this is a real number.

21 million people visited our park system# just this last year alone.

20 million people are coming to the park.

Yes.

We're up 5% from last# year and they're all free.

Yes.

So, we're free and affordable philosophically in Palm Beach County.# 12 of our 14 beach parks in the county we don't even charge to come to.

We're adding beach access# mats for wheelchair access.

So, we have a brand new park foundation.

We have many adult leagues as# well.

We have adult soccer leagues and softball.

Senior softball is one of our fastest growing# sports.

Folks are coming to our nature centers to get uh programs from our dosins.

Our school# system and our park system work really really closely together.

Our entire park system.# It's really anything you can dream of doing.

Not far from the park is the Canyon Branch# Library, which opened in January of 2025 and is one place where maxing out your card is not only# accepted, it's encouraged.

Let's step inside this nextgen library, which is among the busiest# in the county's vast library system.

Library design has changed over the last 20 years with an# emphasis on the space itself for people to be in, to enjoy being in.

People still need, use, and# love libraries.

The other thing too about this library is our first one with a drive up service# window.

What?

Well, you can uh get your books on hold.

You can also return your material through# there, too.

There are three outside areas where people can return items to and they flow in here.# They get checked out and they get sorted.

I'll even train you to do it.

Look at that.

Oh, now# I'm excited.

Okay, just press that little button.

Okay.

And then one by one, yeah, just put them on# the pan.

Doesn't matter how.

Get out of town.

So, it reads the tag, goes into our computer system,# and identifies where the book is going to drop to.

Come on.

Oh, look at this.

Hi there.

Thanks for# dropping it off.

Appreciate it.

See, I I I I'm born for customer service.

D, the space that we# provide serves so many needs for the community.

The library staff love to put on activities and# we have some very signature programs that we do.

A lot of crafting activities and maker type# of things that go along with maker space, but also let people get their hands on.

People love to# come to the library to hear their favorite author.

We like to do activities that represent the broad# diversity of our community.

As a former children's librarian, I consider children's services the# heart and soul of public libraries.

This is really a first space where children can come and# feel free to explore.

So, we have our play space over here.

Yeah.

And you can hear the excited# children.

I love it.

It's just meant to be a space where families can come and feel comfortable.

I# love that you have a library within a library.

And this can be the noisy library.

You don't have# to be quiet in here.

We also have our teen space on the other side.

Oh, it's their own space.

So,# it also helps contain them.

Yes.

In this part of the library, but it's a space they can call their# own.

This is creation station is a digital media lab.

We have four of them in the library system.# And this is where you can go to do video editing, photo editing, music, podcasting, whatever you can# think of.

We have scanners.

We have cameras and audio equipment that they can borrow.

We've had# people shoot commercials for their small business.

Had people record songs.

Everybody should have# a library card.

Do you have your library card?

I sure do.

Oh, good.

Oh, I sure do.

Oh, you# tried to catch me.

Wow.

I have it.

Over the past several years, the Palm Beaches has turned into a# mecca for eclectic cuisine.

Boasting some of the greatest culinary experiences in the country.# West Palm Beach Food Tours is rated one of the top in the nation with a taste test at every# stop.

And yes, I'm trying it all.

So, right now, we're going to go to Sloans, which is kind of this# nice little iconic neighborhood institution.

So, I've always been obsessed with the, you know, food# and flavors and the businesses really behind them, the craftsman.

the food and everything has# sort of really picked up in that last chef driven restaurants and then you have these# kind of mom and pops that have been in the neighborhood for generations and the combination's# just perfect.

I think a lot of great go-to spots here in the community without a doubt.

We're going# to recommend you try their coconut storm.

It's the real deal.

It's chunky.

It's nutty.

It's subtle.# And it's made exclusively with Florida coconuts.

It's such a great South Florida flavor as well,# right?

We put coconuts in everything.

All the streets in downtown West Palm Beach, they're named# after local growing plants, botanicals.

They're also in alphabetical order.

The A is no longer# there, but it used to be Althia, Banyan, Clatus, Dura, Aernia, Fern, Gardinia, Hibiscus, Iris, and# Lake View.

All right, we're going to bring you inside.

Follow me.

The owners of this place, their# names are Haimey and Joanna.

They are delightful human beings.

What we're having here is a unique# form of coffee called tinto or tinto capacino.

And it's considered to be a traditional form of coffee# invented in Colombia.

We're going to have our tinto with this type of bread called pant deono.# It is made with yuka or cassava blended together with a young Colombian cheese called casito.# You're meant to rip it and dip it into your tinto.

That is the tradition.

If I'm going to pick a# top one, two, three, right now, hold on.

Before I know that, I know that screams South Florida, the# Palm Beaches.

Now, it's a loaded question.

I know that's a hard one.

Yeah.

So, one of the places# that really sold me on the community was Bukan.

It is truly special.

Tropical Smokehouse.

That's# a place I think is very unique.

Chef Rick Mace creates what he calls, I think, Florida.

Yes.

But# he highlights a little known part of our history which is that this community has its own uh style# of barbecue.

Yes.

Come on in everybody.

This restaurant is called Shanghai.

Our last course# will be beef site.

These are tender pieces of petite filt that have been marinated overnight in# tropical fruit juices and Southeast Asian spices.

I really genuinely love taking these# strangers around neighborhoods they've never been and watching them connect# with the city through food.

I mean, it's really is exciting.

I love it with me.

Mhm.# You got into this also.

Yeah.

Because you get a little Come on.

You get free food.

You get Come# on.

Right.

You get treated well.

It's It's We do a lot of research.

That's what we call it.# So, there's research on every tour.

It's the hardest part.

Sure.

The Palm Beaches may be# known for golf, but there's another popular sport that doesn't need a tea time.

I'm here at# John Prince Park with the South Florida Paton Club and they've agreed to teach me how to play.# And what they don't know is that I'm a ringer.

Oh, wow.

I'm I'm going to follow you.

Yes.

That was quite the shot, by the way.

Very# good.

What's the goal here?

The goal is it's like a horseshoes, you know, y you try to get as# close as possible to a target.

The target here is a wooden ball called kosh.

It started in 1907.# Pankas means foot on the ground.

On the ground.

Yeah.

Pankas became pet.

Interesting.

Yes.

At# what point do I break it to you that this is bo?

No way.

What do you mean?

It cannot be bo.

How can# How come?

Because botchi is not as good.

It isn't.

Wow.

That's good.

That's It's impressive.

Why you a natural?

He's a natural.

I noticed that a lot of people# here speak French and we have a lot of Italians here as well.

Do you# have a How do they find you?

They see, oh, looks like this is a good bunch of# people.

Yeah.

Yeah.

They have fun.

So, and then they come back.

That's very cool.

And# how often do you play?

Three times a week.

Wow.

Oh, look at look at her.

Look at# her.

Oh, that's very good.

Yeah.

Wow.

God.

Oh, look at this.

Okay, it's over there.# Wow.

Yeah, it's it's it was about a millimeter.

Unbelievable.

Like a 16 a 16 of an inch.

Happens# all the time.

Wow.

So much drama.

I didn't realize there would be so much drama here.

It's quite easy# to start.

Anybody can start right away the first day, right?

But it takes a lifetime to master the# game.

I mean to really be good, you can always progress.

So it's very interesting.

It's not too# physical.

No, but still when you play like an hour game like that, you walk back and forth, you# pick up the boo and it's so fun.

Yeah.

It's great.

That's good, too.

Very good.

All right.# Thank you, guys.

Wow.

Look at that.

Who wants me?

Anybody want to recruit?

Anyone?

Good# work.

We're exploring Antique Row, now a design and art district with year-round events and# all kinds of surprises around each corner.

Did somebody say treasure hunt?

I'm in.

Customers# walk in and they're just like, "Oh, yeah.

This is a very unique section and it's so eclectic.

Every# store, none of us have the same thing, right?

So, you're always going to find a treasure.

"# You've been doing this how long now?

46 years.

Incredible.

We've been here 32 years.

Wow.

We're# having a lot more young people.

They generally are mixing their house.

It's not all traditional.# They're mixing it.

If I picked a word, it would be elegance.

Thank you.

Is that what we're going# for in this in this week?

Yes, why not?

Elegant, eclectic.

Every item is chosen by me and it's only# things that I love.

So, this is very personal.

Very personal.

I love collecting.

Yeah, there's a# little bit of collections everywhere in my shop.

People have all different kinds of eclectic tastes# furniture- wise, and modern art goes great with all different kinds of things.

I'm more vintage,# modern.

Mhm.

So from the ' 40s to the '8s.

So I have what I grew up with and what I love and what# I know.

So old Florida and mixed with modern kind of eclectic vintage modern.

You know, being# antique row, we get designers from all over the world that shop us.

So we just get a huge draw# from everywhere.

We compliment each other a lot.

This the whole row is just filled full of unusual# interesting things from all over the world because we all get things from collectors and people# who've lived all over the world because of Palm Beach and generally Palm Beach County.

The# variety of things on the road are just absolutely that is what it really what makes it so unique# is like it's all in one place.

That's the idea, right?

No, that's why it's so great that it's# in the Palm Beaches.

We all are different.

We all have our personality.

We all buy things.

What# I try is not to buy the same thing as next door.

That's all right.

Be complimentary to when they're# walking down.

That's what we are.

We know we're a team here.

I love that.

Often times people have# a reaction to certain artists.

Sure.

And certain colors and things like that.

I always tell our# customers, if you like it, buy it.

Is there a signature piece right now that would scream this# is Amy's Place?

There's a lot of favorite pieces right now and it changes daily.

There's a lot of# Molica, which I love and I've always collected those.

I love like quirky things.

When you get one# of those pieces and people come, I've never seen that before.

Boom.

I want it.

You have to jump# quick because chances are what's here today will not be here tomorrow.

This is kind of my thing,# my love.

I'm like every other antique dealer.

Oh, isn't that beautiful?

I like that.

It's addictive,# isn't it?

It's addictive.

Palm Beach may be known for its mansions and exclusive lifestyle, but you# don't need to be a member of a private club to see this island.

I'm meeting up with Leslie Diver,# founder of Island Living Tours, who's going to show us how to explore Palm Beach like a local.# So, this is not a bad day job for you, right?

No.

I'm a longtime resident of the town.

I was# a town commissioner for eight years on the architectural commission as a lay person.# Okay.

I was actually a stock broker when I came here.

Okay.

If you're a resident here# and you kind of get jaded at all this beauty, you know, because you see it every day, but# I see it through other people's eyes.

Yeah.

There's so much to see and it's all out in the# open because we're an outdoor type community, right?

And so you can come here without# spending a dime, right?

And still see all this.

That's part of the choice.

Yeah,# absolutely.

You don't have to have a nightclub to socialize.

So in Palm Beach, a lot# of lot going on here and it's a very fun town.

What's the biggest thing they ask about?

What# do they want to see the most?

Do you know have any celebrities here?

Sure.

And I hate to# disappoint them.

These were really titans of industry.

Yes.

So, but we have a few.

Most# of them like on the retired side.

What are you showing me?

Where are we going?

People like# to see the worldass architecture that we're known for.

Our architecture blows people away.

We# encouraged different styles.

Yeah.

But, you know, Addison brought the look we're known for, which# is the eclectic Mediterranean, and we have some fabulous ones.

The great thing about Palm Beach# is not only you've got the architecture, the ark, the people watching, but you got the water.

We# have the water on both sides.

Both sides.

Yes.

And this is actually the town marina we're# standing in front of.

I will often point out interesting things about a house and or something# that happened there in the past like a Yokoono at one time bought a house here in Palm Beach.

She# kept it for about a year and a half and it sold but people still love to see what Yokoono like# lived.

I always say you never leave Palm Beach underwhelmed.

Sure.

So, no, it's absolutely# true.

We're here at Longerhead Marine Life Center's 21st annual Turtlefest right here in# Juno Beach, attended by almost 20,000 people, and they put turtles in the spotlight.

Not only is# Turtle Fest free, after you're done strolling the booths and enjoying the live music, head inside# where you can meet the patients, and that's free, too.

It's really our celebration to kick off sea# turtle nesting season and where we do this for free to thank them for helping us to protect our# sea turtles around.

I love that.

We have a 100 plus vendors this year.

Uh, and we have a lot of# hands-on educational opportunities.

Guests of all ages can see what our team is doing and try it# for themselves.

They can sit and see all of our research equipment, see how we use our ATVs, our# sea turtle measuring tripod.

So, it's a really in-depth look at what we do here at Loggerhead.# Obviously, Loggerhead is the central focus here.

Loggerhead Marine Life Center.

Uh we are a# nonprofit sea turtle research, rehabilitation, education, and conservation center.

How can we# help these turtles and how do we teach people about it and make it acceptable for everyone?# Our latest expansion was in 2022 where we doubled the size of the facility here.

We have 26# patient pools for sea turtles.

We also have daily educational talks in our facilities where you can# learn about sea turtles, sharks, and all of the beautiful marine life that's just offshore here# in the Palm Beaches.

It's very cool.

There's times of the year where the nesting happens.

Yeah.

How# does that work?

So, sea turtle nesting season runs annually from March 1st to October 31st.

So, at# that point, we ask all of our visitors here to the Palm Beaches and our residents to help us keep our# beaches clean, flat, and dark for our sea turtles.

Recently, actually, it was a a morning beach# walker that let us know we had a very early leatherback sea turtle nest this year in 2026.# So, that nesting season starts March 1st, but our very first leatherback laid their nest# on February 11th.

Early bird.

Early bird.

And the first one in the entire state of Florida for 2026.# Is that right?

Yeah.

I got a question for you.

Is Is there a reason why it's so much here?

That is# a great question and one that our research Yeah, I love it.

Our research team is really still# looking into that.

We believe the theory is that it's because of where our part of the peninsula# juts out into the Gulf Stream.

There's all these nutrients.

There's this nice current here, so# it's a great stopping ground for those turtles.

What is What a satisfying job.

Absolutely.# Our hospital team is amazing.

They treat uh more than 200 juvenile and adult sea turtle# patients a year and up to 2,000 hatchlings, too.

Next, we're hitting the trails with one of# Turtlefest's conservation partners to explore the nearby Juno Natural Dunes area where the# ecosystem is as interesting as the views.

This is one of our many natural areas.

We have 31,000# acres throughout the Palm Beaches.

How many?

31,000 acres of natural landscape.

Open sunrise# to sunset.

You can kind of think of it as a little national park that we have here in segmented# pieces throughout Palm Beach County.

Amazing.

But Juno Dunes is one of my favorites because it# includes these critically endangered habitats like our coastal scrub habitat.

But it also takes you# across the beach to the Atlantic Ocean where we have hundreds of sea turtles that nest every# year.

Where we're walking right now is through this coastal hammock habitat and these old gumbo# limbo trees.

They call them the tourist tree.

It almost looks like they forgot their sunscreen for# the day and are getting a little peely.

But the other iconic of creating this shaded canopy along# with our sea grapes and things of that nature that we'll see.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Look at that.

That's# flaky.

It is.

It needs a little need a little aloe vera moisturizer going on.

Warm it up.

Yeah.# So, I consider coastal scrub like our deserts of our Florida ecosystems.

We're also starting to# transition into a third community, which is our beach dune ecosystem.

We're starting to see all# these different plants interact and that's what also allows us to see all these different wildlife# interactions as well while you're out here.

Something that so many of us come to the Palm# Beaches to appreciate the little mix with that little bit of nature walk out to here.

Look at# this.

This is essentially a secret beach that most people don't get to know.

This is crazy.

I# don't think I've ever been here.

Well, welcome to Juno Dunes Natural Area front.

We have our sea# oats back here.

These are actually a protected species of plant in the state of Florida.# Just like our mangroves are in the estuary, our sea oats are along the beach line.

The# shelling is amazing.

Sure.

You can literally go into any of these little piles, right?# And you start to see different shells.

Our most common shells that we get here are# these guys in all different shapes and colors.

What are these?

These are called Atlantic# bittersweets.

Atlantic bittersweets.

Yeah.

Yeah, they're a type of clam.

Who named that?

This is# fossilized coral.

So, it's it's dead coral that's washed ashore.

We would never take live coral# off of a reef, but it's like a little doggy, doesn't it?

So, it's super super special to be# able to find this stuff.

You can find all of these things if you slow down for a moment, take a# breather, and look.

This is the prize gem of Juno and Jupiter when you're out here shelling.

are# these sharks teeth.

So, wa it's easy to find tons of shark teeth here because of how many they're# losing and how many sharks we have offshore.

Wow, that's that's a bull shark tooth.

Is it really?# Wow, that's that's some good luck today.

Enjoy your sea treasures.

Thank you very much.

I'm at# the iconic Norton Museum of Art where the classics meet the contemporary and the art goes far beyond# the gallery.

Art After Dark happens on Fridays with museum tours, film screenings, and live# performances.

Let's meet the visionary shaping the future of the Norton.

Day and night.

I'm always# amazed at the the variation of things that that are in here.

This is always new to me.

It is.

And# that's definitely the the vision from the founder, Mr.

Norton, is to always have something happening.# So, you have the collection, which is great.

The program collection changed a lot.

temporary# exhibition but then programming around exhibition you have something like three 300 programs# activity for kids senior citizen and today you Friday which is out of the dark art after the# dark has been now extremely popular from 5:00 p.m.

to 10:00 p.m.

with activities, music and jazz.

And# tonight, guess what?

It's Luna New Year.

We have a fabulous collection of Asian art.

And every year,# this is the highest attended community event.

It's free and we're having a lecture and a firework# and so on.

And tomorrow, a lot of activities.

We are technically the oldest museum and# the most established in Florida.

In fact, during the summer, we free for the whole# country on Saturday.

But the committee is coming from around diversity, age,# social, economical background.

I mean, we're welcoming everybody.

So,# and uh it's pretty exciting.

Let's say I could only spend five minutes# here.

What would you say?

Where is the spot that's going to make this is what the Norton is?# Okay.

The entrance and that fabulous sculpture in front is but if you come in the first gallery# called Bomb Gallery because in one gallery you see the scope of Mr.

Norton collection.

You see# Chinese art and and photography but you see all the masterpiece go manet Picasso enui all the name# everybody knows and they are here in Florida and that is his legacy and I love the diversity too# of the fact that you have indoor and outdoor the sculpture garden is beautiful and where everybody# could interact and really enjoy it museum for me it's a hub of creativity for anything from visual# to performing art dance music and so on it's a place for a dialogue, a safe place for difficult# conversation, which is necessary.

It's a place for dialogue between generation and it's a place where# you learn about art from around the world.

You've got all this diversity, all this multiculturalism.# It really is the central focus of this area.

Everywhere you go, everyone's like, "You've# been to the north?

You've been to the north?"

From parks and trails to get you moving to# new restaurants and shops worth discovering, we've checked off just some of the must-sea# spots in the Palm Beaches.

We hope you'll get out and enjoy everything the Palm Beaches# has to offer.

Join me the next time as we go on the town and the Palm Beaches with me,# Frank Lucari.

At the worst, we might run into a spider.

How do you feel about spiders?

I'm okay# with spider.

I mean, listen, we don't hang out, but I'm okay.

Little tidbit.

My first date I# had with my wife was at Turtle Fest.

Oh my gosh, that's great.

Well, thanks for coming back.# It's all because of you guys.

I love that.

This program was brought to you by Discover the Palm Beaches.

Visit the palm# beaches.tv for more information.