The Atlantic beach on the east side of Palm Beach is public and free, which surprises some visitors who expect the whole island to be gated. The town operates several public beach access points with parking (paid), showers, and restrooms. The beach is wide, clean, and well maintained, and the water is warm for most of the year.
The most accessible public stretch runs along the middle of the island, near the intersection of South County Road and the beachfront parking area. The beach here is less crowded than the public beaches of West Palm Beach or Lake Worth, partly because the Palm Beach town character discourages the kind of raucous beach scene that develops elsewhere. The result is a pleasant, peaceful ocean beach where the real estate behind the dunes happens to be among the most expensive in America. The surf is mild and suitable for swimming; there are occasional rip currents, and the lifeguard schedule is seasonal.