Sea Turtle Fans: Run, Don’t Walk, to This Resort Near West Palm Beach, FL

Florida’s Palm Beach Area conjures up images of high end shopping on West Palm Beach’s Worth Avenue and events like golf, croquet, and polo where those with deep pockets rub elbows, but I was here for one thing: sea turtles. With a beachfront that nesting turtles call home and a restaurant named after the loggerhead (Caretta Caretta), I knew I was in the right place at The Singer Oceanfront Resort. I had a weekend full of turtle-related activities planned, but the first order of business was getting my hands on one of those coconuts.

The Singer Oceanfront Resort is one of the smaller hotels on the four-mile stretch of beach it calls home, but even from the outside, it’s full of character. The entire resort underwent a renovation in 2024, and it shows, down to the smallest detail.

The rooms at The Singer Oceanfront Resort

The first thing I noticed about my newly redone King oceanfront room was the floor-to-ceiling windows that let the natural light pour in. The second thing I noticed was the wraparound balcony and, of course, the view.

Once I dragged myself away from the view and looked at the room itself, I realized that the breezy coastal decor in warm whites and blues was the perfect compliment to the ocean view. The understated elegance let the view be the hero while providing a comfortable indoor living space.

Speaking of space, as a solo traveler, it was far more space that I needed, but I found that the corner chaise was the perfect spot to cozy up and read my book during one of Florida’s predictable summer afternoon rainstorms.

The mini fridge and coffee maker came in handy for enjoying sunrise coffee on my balcony without having to parade down to the lobby in my pajamas to buy a cup from The Market. To help me stay hydrated, which is no easy feat in the Florida summer, there were two PATH refillable water bottles in my room and water bottle fillers on every floor next to the ice machines.

When it came to getting ready for the day, the bathroom was a dream with ample counter space and a huge well-lit mirror. One of my favorite touches was the under-sink motion sensor light that was perfect for late-night toilet trips without having to turn on the overhead light.

While I was solo on this trip, I’m already working on convincing friends that a girlfriend getaway in the family suite that sleeps 10 is a must.

The amenities at The Singer Oceanfront Resort

For a high-maintenance beachgoer like me, the fact that my room included use of two beach chairs, a beach umbrella, a table, and towels was immensely appealing. The hotel’s beach is wide, and not having to drag my beach gear all the way to the water gets high marks. Beach service meant I could indulge my inner princess and have food and drinks delivered straight to my beach chair without having to make the trek back across the beach.

While The Singer’s wide stretch of beach is its obvious appeal, there’s also a heated outdoor pool, complete with a hot tub and four cabanas that are currently available on a first come, first served basis. The hotel is in the process of updating these, with plans to add TVs and make them available on a rental basis. If you need more to do than lounge about and enjoy the sun, and the 24-hour fitness center isn’t your thing, rooms at The Singer include one hour of non-motorized water sports (boogie boards, kayaks, or SUPs) and one hour of bicycle rentals per day.

The dining at The Singer Oceanfront Resort and nearby

The perfect end to a beach day at The Singer is drinks at Top Shell, the hotel’s beach bar and restaurant. Try the hotel’s namesake cocktail with coconut, vodka, and rum served in a whole coconut (a portion of the proceeds are donated to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center) followed by dinner at Caretta Caretta.

Whether you prefer indoor or beachside dining, Caretta Caretta’s coastal-inspired dishes are a celebration of fresh seafood and local ingredients. Menu items range from a trendy shareable seafood board — an ocean-inspired take on a charcuterie board with smoked mahi dip, charred octopus, and shrimp cocktail — to a warm and comforting wild mushroom and truffle pappardelle. Cocktails named for some of Florida’s famous residents, the loggerhead and the hawksbill, make for the perfect pairing.

Full breakfast is also available at Caretta Caretta, or you can head to The Market, located in the lobby, for coffee, pastries, and grab-and-go snacks. You’ll find your snack classics like Snickers and Lays, but you’ll also find unique snack offerings like Fever Tree Ginger Beer, Uglies Kettle Chips, and LesserEvil Organic Popcorn. You can even purchase a whole coconut (they’ll open it for you) to hydrate with refreshing coconut water.

Located in nearby Jupiter, with views of the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, BEACON is a chic date-night restaurant with a seafood-heavy menu, including dishes like seared scallops and Atlantic salmon. The cocktails are as sophisticated as their names are playful — try the Summer Fling (vodka, watermelon, cucumber, lime, mint) or the In the Heat of Passion (tequila, serrano pepper, passion fruit, tajin).

Once a sandwich shop for surfers, Guanabanas has morphed into a laid-back open-air restaurant with a lush tropical setting. Dine under towering banyan trees or thatched tiki huts overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway while live music plays on the weekends. Julian Marley, The Fray, Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20, and Natasha Beddingfield are just some of the acts who have performed at Guanabanas.

Rum Punch is my drink of choice, and the Guanabanas’ Cat 5 (Flor de Cana dark rum, DonQ Passion Fruit rum, 151, and tropical fruit juices) packs a strong (and delicious) punch. Plates like the Florida Gulf steamers, blackened fresh catch, and my choice, the spicy Florida shrimp wrap all showcase Guanabanas’ commitment to using local produce and Florida-caught fish and seafood.

Things to do while staying at The Singer Oceanfront Resort

Loggerhead Marinelife Center

At just four miles in size, Singer is a small island, but there’s plenty to do in the vicinity. If exploring the area is your goal, you’ll want a rental car as most activities are a 15-30 minute drive from the hotel. I started my morning with a visit to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in nearby Juno Beach. The recently expanded center has spent more than 40 years focusing on four pillar areas in relation to sea turtles: education, conservation, rehabilitation, and research.

I consider myself a pretty big sea turtle fan, something the tattoo on my foot confirms, and I learned so much during my morning at the center. In 2023, the Loggerhead Marinelife Center monitored over 25,000 nests on the nine and a half miles of beach it oversees and removed over 5,000 pounds of marine debris, while the hospital team treated over 2,500 turtles (213 juveniles to adults and over 2,300 hatchlings).

All of the sea turtle patients at the donation-based facility are being actively treated with the goal of being released back into the ocean. I missed the public release of Willow, one of the center’s rehabilitated loggerheads, by a few days. Injured and anemic Willow was treated with antibiotics, iron, and fluids and has since been released back into the ocean from the nearby beach.

Loggerhead Marinelife Center: 14200 US Highway 1, Juno Beach, FL 33408

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse

First lit in 1860, the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places and is still a functional navigational aid. Climb the 105 steps to the top for sweeping panoramic views of the confluence of the Jupiter Inlet and the Indian River. Guides are available at the top to tell you the history of the lighthouse and its historic Fresnel lens (one of only 13 active First-Order Fresnel lenses in the US). This lens is the magic behind the lighthouse, intensifying the light and focusing it into the beam used by mariners for navigation.

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse: 500 Captain Armours Wy, Jupiter, FL 33469

Peanut Island

Peanut Island is a human-made island located off the coast of Singer Island in the Lake Worth Inlet. Once the site of a planned peanut oil-shipping operation, this small island, which can be circumnavigated on foot in about 20 minutes, is a popular boating spot, complete with a human-made reef for snorkeling. There’s also a not-so-secret secret bomb shelter from the Kennedy era that’s being restored and will soon be reopened for public tours.

The Peanut Island Shuttle Boat makes multiple trips daily, or you can book a guided kayak trip to the island with Visit Palm Beach, like I did. It was an easy 30-minute kayak to the island, and once there, we had about an hour to snorkel and explore the island before the return kayak.

Mounts Botanical Garden

Located in nearby West Palm Beach, Mounts Botanical Garden is a 20-acre garden with over 7,000 species of plants. Within the garden, there are various areas to explore, like the Butterfly Garden, the Edible Garden, the Rose and Fragrance Garden, the Asian-influenced Garden of Tranquility, the Florida Native Plant Garden, and the Tropical Forest Garden featuring replica Moai statues, modeled on the monolithic sculptures from Easter Island. The botanical garden is right near Palm Beach Airport, so if you’re flying into the area, it could be a good first or last stop on your trip.

Mounts Botanical Garden: 531 N Military Trl, West Palm Beach, FL 33415

How to get to The Singer Oceanfront Resort

The Singer Oceanfront Resort is located on the south end of Singer Island, Florida, on a four-mile stretch of beach. The resort is a 20-minute drive from Palm Beach International Airport (PBI). If you’re driving, The Singer is easily accessible and just five miles off I-95. If you prefer to travel by train, the Brightline station is located just six miles from The Singer.

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