Just a short walk from the beach house is the Delray Beach Open. Now, while I’m hardly what you’d call a tennis aficionado — sure, I’ve been to Wimbledon, though only to the underground station at the southern end of the Northern Line, which, let’s face it, doesn’t exactly count. That said, I can appreciate a good match and enjoy strawberries and cream as much as the next person. So, when the chance to attend the quarter-finals of the championship presented itself, I jumped at the opportunity.
However, forget strawberries and cream — this was VIP hospitality. The buffet alone was worthy of a champion: mountains of seafood, fresh pasta, roasted meats, vibrant salads and Bloody Marys strong enough to take the edge off the blistering 29-degree heat.
Taylor Fritz in action at the Delray Beach Open
As for the tennis, British number 2 Cameron Norrie put up a solid fight but was eventually beaten by Alex Michelsen in straight sets. It wasn’t the fairytale ending that some of us had hoped for, but then again, that’s tennis for you.
If tennis isn’t your game, Palm Beach offers a sport with more bite — and considerably more hoof. Just outside the city in Wellington, the National Polo Center reigns as the heart of American polo. Here, on immaculately kept fields under the Florida sun, the sport’s most prestigious tournaments unfold, attracting rising talent and seasoned professionals alike.
Often hailed as the Holy Grail of American polo, the NPC is more than just a place to watch the game — it’s a full-on spectacle, and not just for the spectators. The facilities? Well, they’re exactly what you’d expect: nothing short of extravagant. Picture sprawling green fields, framed by a grandstand, a members-only clubhouse, gourmet dining options, a social club, a swimming pool, tennis courts and a gym—though you’d be forgiven for forgetting you came for the horses.
And if polo isn’t your sport, the Palm Beaches offer another world of indulgence for the recreationally inclined. Golf, as any honest amateur will tell you, is a cruel and capricious sport. It lulls you into a false sense of mediocrity, lets you dream — just for a moment — that you might be vaguely competent, and then smacks you round the head with a sand wedge. I hadn’t picked up a club in years, largely because I possess a shred of self-respect. Yet there I was, at the Seagate Golf Club in Delray Beach, gripping a driver and staring down a bucket of balls with a wary expression.
I’d signed up for a group lesson, under the guidance of a relentlessly upbeat instructor who genuinely believed that, with the right encouragement and a little fine-tuning, even I could hit something other than air. It was a noble fantasy. Still, there are worse places to make a fool of yourself. The club had just undergone a $14 million redesign, and it shows—especially as I cruise along the path in my golf cart, taking in the pristine tree-lined fairways that stretch out before me.
But I was there for the practice facilities, which are no less immaculate. Every so often, the ball connects — clean, confident, soaring into the air with grace, arcing for a fleeting moment in the general direction of the clubhouse. There’s no need to shout ‘fore’ — it’s still a few hundred yards short — but for a brief, glorious second, you feel like Tiger Woods.
Valentine’s Day is now behind us, but someone who shared my love for the region — and took it a step further — was E. F. Hutton. The American businessman and occasional singer did what any man with more money than sense might do: he bought an island. Not just any island, but the one now known as Singer Island, intended as a lavish gift for his lover. A private paradise, he imagined it as their tropical hideaway—sipping cocktails and gazing dreamily at the horizon.
Except, she wasn’t having it. Maybe it was the oppressive heat. Maybe it was the isolation. Or maybe she just wasn’t the type to swoon over a private island. Whatever the reason, she turned her back on the whole thing, and just like that, the romance fizzled. Hutton, left with little more than an expensive consolation prize, moved on. The island, however, stayed put — changing hands over time before eventually becoming linked to the Singer Sewing Machine Company, which played its part in shaping the retreat we see today.
Had she paddled over to nearby Peanut Island and dipped a toe in its waters, who knows? She might have had a change of heart.
For those keen to see what Hutton saw, a private snorkelling trip with Get Wet Watersports is a good place to start. Captain Dan Knott (yes, that really is his name) leads guests through an underwater wonderland of coral reefs and impossibly clear waters. It’s a world away from everyday life — except, of course, it’s just a short hop from the mainland. Hutton’s lost love may have missed the magic, but lucky for the rest of us, it’s still there, waiting. All you have to do is dive in.
The Palm Beaches are, at heart, a sun-soaked shrine to unapologetic wealth — a place where billionaires come to play, stay and flaunt. Palm Beach, with its population of just 9,000, is home to many billionaires, making it one of the wealthiest spots in the United States. Even the current president calls it home, from his mansion at Mar-a-Lago.
But for all its gleaming surface and glitzy excess, The Palm Beaches have a way of drawing you in, even if you don’t make the Forbes list. With world-class sport, sprawling beaches, luxury shopping and just the right amount of culture to stop it from feeling like a never-ending champagne-soaked soirée.
Like all great love affairs, mine has reached its inevitable end. But The Palm Beaches? They’re still there, shimmering in the sun, waiting for the next willing fool to fall under its spell.
Umesh flew directly from London Heathrow to Miami with Virgin Atlantic, with return fares starting from £500 per person. For more details on flight schedules and prices, visit the Virgin Atlantic website.
Ocean View King Rooms at the Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront/Palm Beaches Resort start at $445/£351 per night. Further details can be found at www.thesingerresort.com.
For more on The Seagate Beach Club, visit beachclub. For details about The Seagate Golf Club, visit Championship Golf Club.
For information about the Delray Tennis Open and the tournament in February 2026, please visit www.delraybeachopen.com.
Photos courtesy of Discover Palm Beaches
