Oakton Lakes - West Palm Beach, FL

Oakton Lakes grew from the creation and spread of Royal Palm Beach. As the city expanded east after its incorporation in 1959, Oakton Lakes began as a neighborhood along Okeechobee Boulevard, a major thoroughfare connecting West Palm Beach to Royal Palm Beach. Development really took off in the 1980s, and much of the development and construction of homes and businesses was completed in Oakton Lakes during this time period.

Oakton Lakes contains mainly residential areas with no museums in the immediate vicinity. Residents seeking to satisfy a cultural craving can make the short trip east to West Palm Beach and the Norton Museum of Art. The Kravis Center brings musical theater to life year round and hosts a wide variety of musicals, plays and performances.

Oakton Lakes visitors have limited dining options within a short distance, but traveling a short distance opens up the options considerably. The most convenient restaurant for visitors along Okeechobee Boulevard, Bimini Twist cooks up seafood delights fresh from the Atlantic Ocean. Guests can make a meal of the appetizer menu which includes spicy calamari, wasabi drizzle blackened ahi tuna, and avocado BLT egg rolls get you started, and traditional seafood entrées help round out a robust meal.

Morgan's Country Kitchen transports visitors to a simpler time with simple food and immense flavors. A minute or two south of Morgan's, Grandma's Brooklyn Pizza serves up medium, extra-large, and Sicilian pizza as well as calzones, subs, pasta, Italian classics, and dessert classics like cannoli, tiramisu, and zeppollis.

Locals enjoy running in to West Palm Beach or Royal Palm Beach for a little night time entertainment. Near Royal Palm Beach sits Brass Ring Pub where locals can grab a beer in a laid-back, dive bar atmosphere. To the east along Okeechobee Boulevard, locals frequent Duffy's Sports Grill to get their fix of bar food and cheer on their favorite teams. Bru's Room Sports Grill combines restaurant and sports bar nicely, and the triple-threat wings keep guests coming back.

Most residents in Oakton Lakes use personal vehicles to navigate the area. You can access public transportation at Okeechobee Boulevard, the only point of public transportation within Oakton Lakes. One-way fares can take you as far as downtown West Palm Beach, where a number of options await travelers including taxis, Tri-Rail and other local bus routes.

Taxi service requires a call ahead, as drivers do not frequent the area. Uber operates similar to taxi service with few drivers in the rural location. Residents can access Florida's turnpike via Okeechobee Boulevard 2.5 miles east of Oakton Lakes, and Interstate-95 lies 6 miles to the east as well.

The area developed special sidewalks and lanes for biking, walking and jogging. Locals enjoy the rural atmosphere and serene beauty of the landscape as they partake in recreational activities. The streets maintain bike lanes for the major roadways, and neighborhoods have wide lanes which make biking convenient in all areas. Residents tend not to walk from area to area because the developments are laid out with wide lots, and large creeks and lakes run within the neighborhoods.

Oakton Lakes, located near three significant parks and several outdoor recreation areas, serves as a fantastic area for residents to enjoy the outdoors. Seminole Palms Park, Commons Park and Preservation Park provide residents the opportunity to participate in a number of outdoor activities.

Commons Park houses a 17,000-square-foot sporting center. The center includes a golf training center, canoe/kayak launch, banquet garden and a wedding pavilion. Visitors can also enjoy sand volleyball courts, picnic pavilions and BBQ grills, fishing docks and 3 miles of paved walking, jogging and bike trails around a 19-acre lake.

Seminole Palms Park houses a favorite local attraction, the Calypso Bay Waterpark. Visitors can also enjoy access to multipurpose fields, pavilions and concessions.

The South Florida Fairgrounds sits roughly 2 miles south of Oakton Lakes near Southern Boulevard. The South Florida fair take places each winter, drawing large crowds from across the state. The Cruzan Amphitheater located near the fairgrounds hosts all of South Florida's most popular concerts and draws fans from South Florida to the area regularly.

The cost of living in Oakton Lakes mirrors many neighborhoods on the outskirts of West Palm Beach. The cost of living sits about 4 percent higher than the Florida average. Residents can expect to pay $2 to reach downtown West Palm Beach via public transportation, and approximately $20 via taxi.

The average one-bedroom rental unit costs $980 per month. The typical cost for a pint of beer hovers near $4 with prices increasing as residents move east or west toward major metropolitan areas. Gas prices sit near 5 percent above the national average.

Oakton Lakes sits a short six miles from the Mall at Wellington Green. National luxury retailers line the mall from end to end, including Nordstrom, Macy's, and the Apple store. This mall also hosts many smaller boutique shops, like Marcella's and Palazzo Couture.

For a smaller boutique experience, locals frequent I Love Plus which serves the plus-size woman. The service and peace of mind that the fit will be right make this a highly rated boutique amongst visitors.

The health-savvy residents of Oakton Lakes head to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Markets for a wide array of fresh, organic produce, and they pick up grocery staples at Publix Supermarket located within the Shoppes at Andros Isle. Residents must travel west to Royal Palm Beach along Okeechobee Boulevard to visit the specialty grocery chains. The Wellington Green Market, a local farm-to-table market, opens every day of the week.