Activities – Date Nights Palm Beach

We are always looking for fun things to do for our dates that might include something more than just a great meal. We love the dining and entertainment aspects of cruising and love finding things that give us the same kind of whimsical joy that you experience when on vacation, even if its just for one night.

Sometimes we have things all planned out and sometimes its just living in the moment. So, when my friend and CEO told me that he and the family were going to the Wick theatre for the grand reopening I quickly said “that’s cool”, we have never been but have been wanting to go. He made a phone call to see if there were still tickets available and luckily there were.

We ate dinner at home (my wife is actually a great cook) and headed to the theatre only because we were unaware that they offer dinner and a show. The Wick theatre is also home to a costume museum and tavern where you can book tours including luncheon and cabaret. They have the original wardrobes from over 35 Broadway productions and revivals. They also have a gourmet tavern with lavish decor inspired by the famed Tavern on the Green, and featuring one of its original chandelier’s.

When we arrived the unassuming building (that I have driven by so many times on Federal Highway) seemed to open up and was much larger than I had previously thought. They had a very nice valet service area and a pretty grand looking entrance. I was pleasantly surprised by how well it was done. This is not your average local theatre as I had expected.

When we went into the ticket area I was struck by the beautiful theatre costumes in the lobby and paused to admire them and couldn’t help but think how I had underestimated this wonderful local gem of a theatre. It turns out that the founder of the Wick Theatre Marilynn A. Wick, is also the Founder & CEO of Costume World, and has devoted her life to amassing the nation’s largest collection of original Broadway wardrobes.

We were escorted to our seats in the theatre area which also surprised me as it is full blown theatre seating nicer than some of the venues on Broadway that I have been to. We sat down and noticed they had done a very nice job of social distancing in the seating area as well as taken into account all the recommended safety measures needed during COVID and felt very comfortable. We spent the next couple hours enjoying the John Denver tribute by Tom Becker and band. The show was wonderful and the band seemed to genuinely enjoy playing and asked if they could sing one more to which they received rousing applause from the audience and ended up playing two more. I especially enjoyed that they gave insight into John Denver’s past as well as their own lives and my wife really enjoyed Tom’s wife who she says “stole the show”.

After the show we all gathered (with social distancing) in the tavern area where there was another amazingly talented singer doing a rendition of “Rocket Man” for desserts and champagne. Overall it was an excellent experience and we enjoyed the décor, the talented singers, and the wonderful people. This is what living and enjoying life is all about and we will be returning to the Wick for many more shows and dinner. We also have plans to visit the museum on a weekend afternoon to experience that as well.

Great job to the staff at the Wick!

Highly Recommended.

Sometimes our “dates” are things we do together locally. My wife and I appreciate gardens and the work it takes to keep them beautiful (she has quite the green thumb and a good amount of experience with Florida gardens). We had an acre on the water in Deland with 23 or so fruit trees, butterfly garden, rose garden, cutting garden (for vase flowers), and a vegetable garden. She had everything mapped out with well over 200 flowers, plants, trees, etc. and it was beautiful and peaceful. So, we always love going to zoos and gardens. It makes for a great afternoon date together enjoying the magic of nature.

The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is a center for Japanese arts and culture located west of Delray Beach in Palm Beach County. The 16-acre authentic Japanese gardens were opened in 1977 when one of the original colony settlers donated his land to Palm Beach County with the wish for it to become a park to preserve the memory of the Yamato Colony. In the early 1900s, a group of young Japanese farmers arrived in Boca Raton and formed an agricultural colony they called “Yamato”, an ancient name for Japan. Unfortunately, the farming proved to be unsustainable and almost all of the original settlers returned to Japan. Today, visitors enjoy the Roji-en gardens, museum art and galleries, an authentic tea house, and year-round cultural events and festivals.

We waited out front to purchase tickets while they observed social distancing and greeted each visitor while providing great information to give you the best possible experience. Each adult was $15, or you could purchase a membership. Since it was $30 for one day and $95 for a dual membership (which includes free admission for a year, Members-only priority access to the Lantern Festival, Exclusive invitations to members-only receptions and events, and discounts at the museum gift shop and café. We opted for the membership and were guided to the cashier where we also purchased a couple bags of fish and turtle food (for only $1 each).

Upon entering the gardens you are suddenly aware of how large it really is. There is a large pond/lake area in front of you and the trails that circle it. On the right is a small café with excellent views and a good Japanese based menu. We decided to walk around the Roji-en: Garden of the Drops of Dew. There is a free self-tour app you can download and get insider information about the tea house and galleries, images, and audio content about the 25 different points to observe and enjoy on the map. There is a beautiful bridge that marks the entrance to the gardens, and we made our way around the paths in a slow and enjoyable way. I especially liked the bamboo grove and the sounds of the stalks as they knock against each other in the breeze. My wife appreciated the serenity of the lake and water features (including a couple of nice, and relatively large waterfalls).

We quickly discovered that wearing the ever-popular flip flops (basic Florida weekend gear) was a poor choice for a long walk on a pebble path and we would recommend wearing comfortable closed toe shoes. We also really enjoyed the brightly colored Koi and turtles in the lake. There are plenty of great spots to feed them and see them come relatively close but fair warning about the fish food as it smells really bad and will make your hands smell bad also (still worth it).

We circled back to the café for lunch. I ordered the crab cakes and crispy shrimp appetizer (basically fried food) and the chicken gyoza (pan fried dumplings). My wife ordered the classic bento box (which was quite large) and truthfully, we could have probably shared just that. We found a nice spot in the café seating with a nice breeze and relaxed while we enjoyed our day together. The walk around the paths are incredible and there are many things to see and learn about. Unfortunately, due to Covid there are restricted activities going on right now, so we are looking forward to several trips over the next year to do and see everything.

If you are looking for a peaceful afternoon date this should be on your list. As the Japanese believe, “Kachou Fuugestu” meaning “find yourself in nature”.