Pack your chicest oversized sunglasses: in Palm Beach, whether you’re taking in the white-sand beaches or meticulously groomed Golf courses, most of what constitutes “seeing the sights” involves a hefty dose of the Florida sunshine. Relaxation and recreation, not checking things off a list of attractions, are the orders of the day. Yet this is also way more than simply a little beach town, so you’ll find plenty to scratch your cultural itch if you can be bothered to tear yourself away from your poolside lounger.

Some of the most lavish expressions of Palm Beach culture are a bit hard to, well…see–and not just because of the tint in your sunglasses. Private members-only Beach and Country Clubs are only accessible to visitors via personal invitation. If you do have an “in” at a club such as the ultra-exclusive Bath & Tennis Club or Donald Trump’s Mar-a-lago, then you’ll pass the day in pampered style with every beach service amenity imaginable and plenty of socialite sightings to boot.

But there’s no need to be an “insider” to get a glimpse of some of the island’s prettiest patches of sand. Many hotel beach clubs, such as the one at The Breakers resort, are open to hotel guests and boast facilities to rival the members-only clubs, from gorgeous spas to haute cuisine. If you wind up at a hotel without a beach club, don’t get your bikini in a twist: the Public Beaches here are clean, pristine, and–best of all–free. They may lack the amenities of the posh clubs, but the seclusion and relative lack of crowds can be a nice break from the scene.

Should all of that seaside lounging have you hankering for more activity, opportunities for athleticism abound. True, many of the tennis courts and golf courses on the island are tucked inside private clubs, but you’ll find well-maintained public facilities, too. To cover more ground, hit the Lake Trail for running, biking, and walking while taking in views of the Intracoastal Waterway on one side and elaborate mansions on the other.

If the island’s fit-for-royalty real estate is your thing, get up close and personal with one of the most celebrated examples of Gilded Age architecture at the Flagler Museum, ensconced in Palm Beach founder Henry Flagler’s turn-of-the-century Whitehall mansion. Touring the exhibits about Palm Beach’s storied past and golden era glory makes for a great rainy-day activity, while the in-season Gilded Age-style lunches at the onsite café (complete with lavish spreads on bone china) will transport you back to the excesses of the day. Or, take a drive along North & South Ocean Boulevards for an unofficial tour of palatial estates that have housed everyone from Esteé Lauder to Vera Wang to the Kennedys (but–you guessed it–the former Camelot abode is obscured from view by high hedges).

Fortunately, there’s nothing veiled about the masterpieces on view in the area’s museums and art galleries. The well-stocked Norton Museum of Art skips through continents and centuries with entries from Ming Dynasty curios to Pollock and Picasso originals, all under a Chihuly glass ceiling. Or, head to the eye-popping clutch of Art Galleries in the Worth Avenue area for museum-worthy offerings ranging from local Florida paintings to 20th century masters to ultra-cutting edge contemporary pieces.

With its lush, flower-covered vias and Med-inspired cafés, Worth Avenue is a sight in and of itself. Here on Palm Beach’s answer to Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive, where people-watching is a pastime, native boutiques add local color to outposts of elite international brands like Cartier and Ferragamo. And should you lose your sunglasses in the midst of all the sightseeing, don’t furrow your brow–just think of it as an excuse to buy a new set of killer frames at Freidrich’s Optik.

Photo of the Flagler Museum