The Acreage, FL: A Local Guide
Big lots, dirt roads and horse country, with some of the largest wild lands in South Florida next door.
See things to do »About The Acreage
The Acreage, FL is a rural community of about 41,000 people in the middle of Palm Beach County, roughly 18 miles northwest of West Palm Beach. It was carved out of former citrus and ranch land in the second half of the 20th century as the Royal Palm Beach Colony, sold in lots of an acre or more with few restrictions. That history explains everything you see today: homes set far back on wooded lots, chickens and horses in the yards, canals along the roads and mile after mile of unpaved streets. Most mail is addressed to Loxahatchee, and the area is unincorporated, so there is no town hall.
What The Acreage does have is the Indian Trail Improvement District, created by the Florida Legislature in 1957 to drain the land. Today the district maintains the roads and canals and runs nine parks, from Acreage Community Park, the largest and busiest, to a dedicated equestrian park with show rings. Next to the main shopping center on Orange Boulevard stands the Acreage Branch Library, a modern building with a hitching post for riders, which tells you a lot about the neighborhood.
The bigger draw for visitors is the land around the edges. North along Seminole Pratt Whitney Road lies the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area, more than 60,000 acres of pine flatwoods, cypress and wet prairie with a boardwalk, a section of the Florida Trail and plenty of wildlife. Hungryland Slough and the Hungryland Wildlife and Environmental Area extend the wild country farther north, and to the east along Northlake Boulevard the Grassy Waters and Loxahatchee Slough preserves lead toward the Loxahatchee River at Riverbend Park.
Life here runs on a different clock from the coast. Roosters crow at dawn, school buses bump along shell-rock roads, and on weekends trailers carry horses to shows and trail rides. Many families keep goats, chickens or a vegetable patch, and the feed stores and farriers matter as much as the supermarkets. Residents guard this way of life closely, and proposals for new roads, shopping centers and large industrial projects on the edges of the area draw packed public meetings. Visitors who slow down, wave to riders and keep to the speed limit on the narrow roads will find people friendly and proud of where they live.
So the things to do in The Acreage are mostly outdoors: riding, hiking, birding, paddling, ball games at the community park and long, quiet drives. There are no hotels, and dining is limited to a few family places around Orange Boulevard and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. Summer brings heavy rain and standing water, so the drier months from November to April are best for trails. Visitors who want animals and attractions can head south to our sister guide for Loxahatchee, home of Lion Country Safari, and the new city next door is covered at westlakefl.us.
If you are moving here or visiting family, Best of Palm Beach County lists local businesses from feed stores to farriers, and our free trip-quote form connects you with a travel specialist for flights and nearby hotels.
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Top-Rated Things to Do in The Acreage
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Where to Eat in The Acreage
Dining in The Acreage centers on the shopping plazas at Seminole Pratt Whitney Road and Orange Boulevard: a steakhouse, a family pizza shop and an ice cream and coffee counter, with picnic tables waiting at the parks and preserves.
Events In and Near The Acreage
Fall brings the Sleepy Hollow Halloween at Acreage Community Park; January brings the Battle of the Loxahatchee reenactment at Riverbend Park; and from late fall to spring the Gardens GreenMarket and the PGA Tour stop in Palm Beach Gardens are a short drive east.
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The Acreage — FAQ
Where is The Acreage, FL?
In central Palm Beach County, north of Royal Palm Beach, Wellington and Loxahatchee Groves and about 18 miles northwest of West Palm Beach. Main roads are Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, Orange Boulevard and Northlake Boulevard.
What county is The Acreage in?
Palm Beach County. The Acreage is unincorporated, so county government and the Indian Trail Improvement District handle local services.
What are the best things to do in The Acreage?
Ball games and playgrounds at Acreage Community Park, riding at the Nicole Hornstein Equestrian Park, programs at the Acreage Branch Library, and hiking or birding in the Corbett Wildlife Management Area and Hungryland Slough.
Is The Acreage a town?
No. It is a census-designated place with no municipal government. Residents have debated incorporation, but none has passed.
Are there hotels in The Acreage?
No. The nearest hotels are in Royal Palm Beach, Wellington and Palm Beach Gardens, about 20 to 30 minutes away.
When is the best time to visit the trails?
November through April. Summer rains often flood low trails in Corbett and Hungryland, and those months also bring heat, mosquitoes and lightning.