The Breakers sits on the ocean side of the island off South County Road, on land Henry Flagler developed in the 1890s. The hotel burned twice; the building standing today dates from 1926 and its Italian Renaissance front is the image most people carry of Palm Beach. Arriving well matters here, and arriving well mostly means arriving once, with your bags going from the car to the bell stand without an intermediate shuttle.
The drive from MIA covers about 70 miles and takes 70 to 100 minutes depending on the hour. Drivers generally run I-95 north and come onto the island via the Royal Park Bridge, then north on South County Road; if traffic has stacked at Okeechobee, the Southern Boulevard Bridge is the alternative approach from the south end. Either way the final mile is slow and residential, which is normal rather than a delay.
Fares start at $129 per vehicle and are agreed before you travel. Because the price is per car rather than per head, a family arriving with golf bags and a week of luggage is usually better served by one Business SUV than by two smaller cars, and the number quoted is the number charged regardless of how long I-95 takes that day.
If you are arriving for a conference or a wedding block rather than a leisure stay, say so when you book. The resort has more than one entrance, and events are frequently staged away from the main porte-cochere; a driver told in advance can go to the correct door instead of unloading you at the front and leaving you to walk the property.
What to expect
- Direct drop at the porte-cochere or the correct event entrance
- Route: I-95 North to Royal Park Bridge, then South County Road
- Southern Boulevard Bridge used when Okeechobee is stacked
- Golf bags and oversized luggage accommodated on request