From chic waterfront living in the east to the equestrian elegance of the west, the doors are opening to some of Palm Beach County’s most exclusive properties in the name of high-end design, innovation, historic preservation and philanthropy.
Satisfy your curiosity by taking a spin around decorator showcases and other scenic properties in Wellington and West Palm Beach — with tours that offer a rare look inside lavish residences designed by top talent, multimillion-dollar barns where horses live the posh life and gardens brimming with Old Florida charm.
These tours are so good that even lifestyle mogul Martha Stewart stopped by one just this week.
Best of all, in addition to finding inspiration for your own homes, you’ll be supporting causes that benefit children, military families, breast cancer research and a neighborhood association.
Here are details on four tours to fulfill your interior (and green thumb) design fantasies.
Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach
Feb. 25-March 24
Fans of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach will be treated to a bonus immersive design experience during the ninth annual event in West Palm Beach’s Northwood Shores neighborhood.
Visitors to the ninth annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach will find a bonus immersive design experience in the Northwood Shores neighborhood of West Palm Beach.
“For the first time ever, the Palm Beach Show House has expanded to include two properties, an exciting opportunity for us to try something new and reimagine the visitor experience,” said Nazira Handal, director of special events and corporate partnerships at Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in The Bronx, which benefits from the fundraiser along with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. “Showcasing two homes allows us to present a broader creative vision and offer guests a more expansive and engaging design journey.”
A team of 23 designers and architects worked on The Intracoastal House, which includes 15 interior rooms, and across the street on The Palm Cottage with six interior rooms. Both also feature front landscape installations.
The “Tiki Tent” by River Brook Design and Construction is a multi-hued affair at the ninth annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House in West Palm Beach. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
While in town on Monday, home and hospitality expert Martha Stewart was seen taking a tour before it opened to the public on Wednesday.
“Intracoastal House offers sweeping waterfront views and expansive entertaining spaces, ideal for bold, large-scale design moments,” Handal said. “Palm Cottage has a more intimate footprint and classic residential charm, allowing designers to create layered, highly personal interiors.
“Presenting both homes side by side allows guests to experience two unique narratives and a wider range of design perspectives in one visit.”
How were the designers chosen to participate?
“We select a mix of established industry leaders and emerging talents from across the country,” she said. “Designers are invited based on the strength of their portfolio, originality of vision, craftsmanship, and their ability to create an exciting environment that complements the architecture of the assigned space.”
On the list are South Florida-based participants such as Firefinish Interiors, Bell Design Inc., Lisa Erdmann Interiors, Justin P. Moreland Interiors, BAMO Inc., LTA Interiors, Lopez Group Inc., Sherrill Canet Interiors and Yarn Design Associates, among others from across the country.
Visitors can expect to see “out-of-the-box creativity and deeply personal storytelling in every space,” Handal said. “Each room reflects the designer’s distinct voice while contributing to the overall experience of the home.”
Lori Morris Design’s “The Guilded Palm” room is shown at the ninth annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
More than $34 million have been raised to support the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club’s mission of providing essential educational and developmental programs for young people since the flagship event began in New York City five decades ago, she said.
From Feb. 25 to March 24, check in at 3410 N. Flagler Drive from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Tickets start at $50 in advance, or $60 at the entrance, if available. Visit kipsbaydecoratorshowhouse.org.
A rendering shows one of the two modern residences in Farrell Estates Wellington that will be featured in the first Holiday House Wellington. (Farrell Estates Wellington/Courtesy)
Holiday House Wellington
March 4-May 3
The Holiday House, a philanthropic designer showhouse, is making its South Florida debut this season.
Two modern residences in Farrell Estates Wellington, a new development in the Palm Beach Polo Golf & Country Club, will be transformed by more than 20 designers, blending equestrian heritage style with Palm Beach’s relaxed sophistication.
“Wellington came about because the builder for this new development, Joe Farrell, who built up much of the Hamptons, attended our White Gala last summer and was so impressed by what we did with the spec house that he asked if we could take on transforming two of his new Wellington spec houses,” said Holiday House founder and breast cancer survivor Iris Dankner.
“After three years of tabletop events in Palm Beach, this felt like a natural next step for us, and we are so excited for the Wellington/Palm Beach community to get to experience one of our designer showhouses.”
While there’s no single design theme, she plans to tell two stories with one house, showcasing a neutral palette and a more colorful approach for the other.
The designers have plenty of space to work their aesthetic magic — each house has six bedrooms, a second-floor terrace that spans the length of the residence, and pool decks on the main floor.
The mood board from DandyLion Designs gives a look at what inspires its layout for the Holiday House Wellington. (DandyLion Designs/Courtesy)
“The floor-to-ceiling windows give off beautiful light and views,” Danker said. “They are truly modern masterpieces.”
Holiday House has partnered with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation since 2008 to contribute more than $2 million through its showhouses in New York City, the Hamptons and London.
“At every Holiday House event, I meet many people who share sometimes tragic but often inspiring stories about how their lives or the lives of loved ones have been changed by the scourge of breast cancer,” said Dankner, who is a survivor herself. “These stories give much meaning to everything I do and make all the hard work and effort fulfilling and worthwhile.”
Preview the showhouses during the Opening Night Gala on March 3, with general admission and VIP options available for $300 to $500. Tour hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, from March 4 to April 3, then by appointment only from April 6 to May 3. Tickets are $40 and must be purchased at least one day in advance online. No tickets are sold at the door. Visit holidayhousenyc.com.
The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association welcomes visitors to its annual Garden Tour on March 8 in West Palm Beach. (Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association/Courtesy)
Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association Garden Tour
March 8
If you’ve ever wanted a peek into the blooming backyards in one of West Palm Beach’s historic neighborhoods, now’s your chance.
Ten homeowners are inviting you in for a one-day, self-guided walking tour of their meticulously maintained private gardens in Flamingo Park, a residential district just south of the city’s downtown. Plus, there’s food!
“We’re lucky to have so many green thumbs in our neighborhood, which means there’s no shortage of beautiful gardens to enjoy,” said Tanya Lewicki, Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association president and garden tour chairwoman. “A few on this year’s tour are familiar favorites from past tours, and we’re also excited to welcome some first-time participants who were nominated by their neighbors and friends.”
During the 17th annual event, visitors may peruse “peaceful, Zen-inspired spaces, Florida friendly/native gardens, lush tropical retreats with water features to contemporary designs,” she said. “There’s something for every garden guru.”
What makes the neighborhood historic — and special?
“Flamingo Park began as a pineapple farm and mango orchard before being platted for single-family homes in 1921, just as West Palm Beach was coming into its own,” Lewicki said. “The neighborhood quickly became the place to build. In fact, the developer of the city’s first downtown skyscraper chose to build his home here.”
Pink umbrellas hang above a backyard in the Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association Garden Tour last year. (Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association/Courtesy)
The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association was founded in 1987, and the Historic District designation was awarded in 1993.
“I think anyone who lives here, or who has lived here, will tell you there’s something really special about this place,” she said. “That sense of community that’s hard to find nowadays, with neighbors greeting one another by name, and a collaborative effort to preserve that Old Florida charm. There’s a warmth and authenticity that’s hard to describe but easy to feel.
“In the middle of a growing, fast-moving downtown, Flamingo Park is an extraordinary slice of historic heaven.”
While you appreciate the beauty of each home’s private paradise, try some light bites and drinks from nearby restaurants such as Grato, Pig Beach BBQ, Rhythm Café and Souvlaki Grill.
“We’re so fortunate to be surrounded by an incredible local dining scene,” Lewicki said. “It’s a true neighborhood circle, as our residents support them regularly, and they show up in meaningful ways for events like this.”
Proceeds from the Garden Tour (and the Holiday Historic Home Tour in December) benefit the neighborhood association’s efforts to promote residents’ quality of life and preservation of Flamingo Park.
Check in at 704 Ardmore Drive for the self-guided walking tour taking place from 1 to 5 p.m. March 8. Tickets are $70 until March 7 and $90 at the door. Golf carts will be available for guests in need of assistance. Visit flamingopark.org.
Mida Farms owner Victoria McCullough, center, shows Wellington Barn Tour attendees around the stalls last year. (Polo America/Courtesy)
Wellington Barn Tour
March 28
“It’s like the ‘Wizard of Oz’ where attendees can peek behind the curtain.”
That’s how Randy Russell described the upcoming Wellington Barn Tour produced by his California-based Polo America marketing firm.
Three new barns are part of this year’s lineup, for a total of four stops on the tour. The returning participant is Mida Farms, plus newcomers Starwyn Farms, ROasis Riding Oasis and King Terrace Farms.
“I try to keep the barn tour fresh by adding new barns each year. Several of our attendees return year after year,” said Russell, a former polo player who also publishes Polo America magazine. “Barns chosen must meet an over-the-top look and feel. Their attention to detail, premium stall fronts, flooring, airflow, lighting, work areas, tack rooms, lounges, etc., are taken into consideration when choosing a barn. All three of our new barns have those qualities and more.”
Board a luxury bus at Grand Champions Polo Club along with a tour guide who will discuss the barns and horse disciplines as you travel to the multimillion-dollar facilities around the village.
“All of our barns are private facilities that are behind locked gates. To be able to see these amazing barns is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Russell said. “Everything imaginable is included in these barns: luxury stalls, multiple tack rooms, feed rooms, veterinarian facilities, hot walkers, rubber tile flooring, fly spray systems, kitchens, offices, gyms, laundry rooms, owners’ lounge, asado barbecue pits, farriers shed, wash racks, grooms’ quarters, quarantine barns, exercise tracks, turnouts and more.”
King Terrace Farm is one of the new barns on the 2026 Wellington Barn Tour by Polo America. (Kirsten Kopp Real Estate/Courtesy)
What are people most surprised to learn about the barns on the tour?
“How nice they are,” he said. “I don’t think I have had one tour where someone hasn’t said to me: ‘When I die, I hope I come back as a horse to live here.’ Also, how much attention and care is devoted to the horses. All of our barns are working barns. Attendees get to see the horses being tacked up, shod, washed.”
The event supports the Semper Fi & America’s Fund, which cares for critically wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans and military families from all branches.
“I love to support the men and women who have given so much for our freedom,” Russell said. “The fund is amazing.”
The following day, it’s time to watch the horses in action. A polo match is set for 3 p.m. March 29, with free admission included with every barn tour ticket, thanks to Melissa Ganzi, co-owner of Grand Champions Polo Club.
“[She] opened her barn to us on the first tour and invited guests to attend a polo match. And we’ve kept that invitation going ever since,” he said. “It’s great for attendees who have never seen polo before.”
Tickets are $85 a person, with tours departing at 8, 8:30, 11 and 11:30 a.m. March 28 from Grand Champions Polo Club, 13444 Southfields Road, Wellington. Refreshments will be provided at one or two barns. Attendees should wear comfortable shoes. Visit poloamerica.com/events.
