I travel to Palm Beach 2x per year to shop, in the Autumn and Spring. I am at the point where I have pretty much eschewed the "shopping mall" experience, due to consistently horrible customer service and poor workmanship in the items available.
Enter Worth Avenue...yes, everything is incredibly expensive, but if one times the shopping trip for the end-of season sales, many items become at least somewhat affordable (i.e., think a $1000 purse on sale for $400.00). Don't expect to find much merchandise, sale or not, for under $100.00. This is not the place to come if you're bargain- bin hunting.
It is, however, the place to come if you are looking for beautiully crafted goods and truly exceptional customer service. While service is spotty in a couple of stores (For some reason no associate in the Ralph Lauren store has yet to acknowledge my existence and one shoe saleslady at Neiman Marcus rudely snapped at me when I asked if they carried Chanel shoes), Most of the sales staff in other stores have been extremely friendly, gracious, and accomodating (Giorgio's, Gucci, Saks, Chanel, Maus & Hoffman, Ungaro, Pucci, to name a few). Giorgio's in particular is a real standout: the staff are superb and the incredible leather (primarily ostrich and alligator) bags, shoes, and accessories are classic and well worth the investment. Their cashmere is to die for!
The dining experience is also outstanding...the food is consistently great tasting and fresh in any of the restaraunts, and it can be expensive. Typical lunches for two can be between $50-$100.00, dinners for two are generally $100.00 up. The restaraunts (and the entire avenue, for that matter) are most fun and lively during the season (late fall through the winter), and I've seen several celebrities shopping or having lunch. Of course in Palm Beach, celebrities can move about with relative freedom, and it is an absolute no-no to ask for an autorgraph, stare, approach them, or behave as if they were any different than the rest of the patrons.
There is short-term parking available on the avenue, and valet service available as well. There is also metered parking available on some of the side streets. Worth Avenue is definitely worth a visit if one is in Palm Beach...prepare to at least enjoy having a lunch at ta-Boo or Bice if you are watching the $$$, then stroll the avenue and take in the amazing sights. If you plan to shop, plan on spending more than you anticipated...the sky's the limit here!
