West Palm Beach, city, seat (1909) of Palm Beach county, southeastern Florida, U.S. It is situated along the western shore of Lake Worth (part of the Intracoastal Waterway), a lagoon separated from the Atlantic Ocean to the east by a barrier island, about 65 miles (105 km) north of Miami.

West Palm Beach is located on the Atlantic Ocean coast in Southeast Florida. Technically, the city itself sits on the western shore of the Lake Worth Lagoon, a 20-mile-long coastal estuary that separates the mainland from the barrier island of Palm Beach. To reach the actual Atlantic surf, one must cross one of the three main bridges (Royal Park, Flagler Memorial, or Southern Boulevard) into the town of Palm Beach. In 2026, this coastal positioning makes West Palm Beach a premier destination for maritime activities, offering direct access to the Gulf Stream, which flows just a few miles offshore. The Atlantic's influence provides the city with a tropical marine climate, characterized by warm winters and refreshing sea breezes, making it a hub for yachting, deep-sea fishing, and beach-going tourists who flock to the iconic "smooth-sand" beaches along the Florida Gold Coast.