Under $100: Palm Beach, Fla.

If you’re anywhere the winter weather has been wearing down, The Palm Beaches in Florida sound mighty fine right about now. While the region is best known for lavish shopping and leisurely pursuits, your budget is best spent on exploring the unique, hole-in-the-wall cuisine and great outdoors.

For breakfast, stop by Subculture Coffee in West Palm Beach. They roast their beans daily at a local roastery, and only offer seasonally fresh coffee beans from regions like Brazil, Ethiopia and Guatemala. (Read up on the delicious details). For eats, they offer freshly baked goods, pastries and snacks packed with the necessities you’ll need to fuel your morning.

A Loggerhead at the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Facility, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center © Lisa Jacobs | Flickr

Start your day at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton, and get a feel for your surrounding ecosystem. The center protects 20 acres of barrier island, and is a refuge for a variety of marine wildlife. Their Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Facility rescues and houses sick or injured sea turtles in Palm Beach County, and has treated and released more than 177 endangered green sea turtles. Admission is a suggested donation of $5.

At lunchtime, you’ll want to eat at The Chickpea, a modern Mediterranean joint with some of the greatest pita wraps you’ll ever eat. You build your own meal, and can choose from gluten free, lactose free, vegetarian, vegan and organic options. Don’t leave without dipping into a bowl of their kalamata olive hummus, or for those who like an extra kick, try the cilantro jalapeno.

Ocean Ridge Hammock Park © Forest & Kim Starr | Flickr

It goes without saying the beaches and waterways are Palm Beach’s prime attractions, so an afternoon wiled away on one of them is an afternoon well spent. Among the 47 miles of pristine coastline, Ocean Ridge Hammock Park is a quiet and secluded alternative to the tourist hot spots. Though if you’re looking for some more fun and excitement, Delray Beach is where you want to go.

Head to The Blind Monk Wine & Tapas Bar for dinner, where you’ll choose from a Mediterranean- and American-influenced menu, complete with charcuterie and cheese plates. The strawberry bruschetta is made from pickled Florida berries and a goat cheese mousse, topped with freshly cracked black pepper.

Before the sun sets, head to the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, a national historic landmark dating back to 1860. Check the calendar for a Lighthouse Sunset Tour, where you’ll be taken on a guided tour through the working lighthouse watch room, or a twilight yoga class. For some exercise, the nearby hiking trail (located north of Beach Road) will guide you through natural Florida Scrub habitat, and lead to an observation tower overlooking a manatee refuge. Admission is $9 for adults, and $5 for children aged 6–18.