This 79-acre Island Is One of Florida's Best-kept Secrets-and It's Less Than 2 Hours From Miami

"Peanut Island, or "the Nut" as locals call it, is one of South Florida's best-kept secrets. Once home to President Kennedy's Cold War bunker, the 79-acre island now feels more like a tropical escape than a historic site. It's just a short boat ride from Palm Beach, and about 75 miles north of Miami, but it may seem like you've landed in the Caribbean."

"Originally named Inlet Island, it was later renamed Peanut Island after a failed peanut oil shipping operation in 1946 and later became Kennedy's secret bunker during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It wasn't until 2005 that Peanut Island was renovated as the park we know today with human-made reefs, a pier, and rocky outcroppings perfect for fishing. These days, most visitors come less for the history and more for the water."

"'Peanut island feels like a breezy, tropical, almost Caribbean island, but it's right in the middle of the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Beach County,' says Skye Sherman, a travel writer and West Palm Beach local. 'It's right at the mouth of the Palm Beach Inlet, so the water surrounding it is super clear and blue.' Whether snorkeling through reefs, kayaking along the shoreline, circling the 1.3-mile walking path, or simply relaxing on the island's soft sand, there's something for everyone here."

Peanut Island is a 79-acre, car-free island just off Palm Beach, about 75 miles north of Miami, with clear blue water and soft sand. The island was originally Inlet Island, renamed after a failed 1946 peanut oil shipping operation, and served as President Kennedy's Cold War bunker during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Renovations completed in 2005 added human-made reefs, a pier, and rocky fishing outcroppings. Popular activities include snorkeling, kayaking, walking a 1.3-mile path, and camping on one of 17 sites. Shoulder seasons are most comfortable, and manatee sightings peak in winter.

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