Buying a Home in Palm Beach Gardens: Which Neighborhoods and Communities Fit Which Lifestyle?

Palm Beach Gardens communities sort into a few clear groups: large golf and resort communities (PGA National, BallenIsles, Mirasol), smaller private golf clubs (Old Palm, Frenchman's Reserve, Frenchman's Creek, Eastpointe), and newer master-planned neighborhoods (Avenir, Alton, Evergrene). The right fit depends on how you want to live day to day: whether golf, a beach club, boating, a short drive to PGA Boulevard, or brand-new construction matters most, and whether club membership is optional, required or not offered at all.

How is Palm Beach Gardens laid out?

PGA Boulevard is the city's main corridor. It runs east to the Intracoastal Waterway and west past the Florida Turnpike, with The Gardens Mall and Downtown at the Gardens in the middle. Many established golf communities sit within a short drive of that corridor. Further west, off Northlake Boulevard, the newer master-planned communities are adding neighborhoods, amenities and town center space. Buyers often ask me which side of the Turnpike to look on. The honest answer is that it depends on whether you value an established setting close to shopping and the beach, or new construction with modern floor plans and newer amenities.

One note on addresses: a "Palm Beach Gardens" mailing address does not always mean the home is inside city limits, and that can affect taxes and services. I check each property's jurisdiction on the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser site. Ibis Golf and Country Club, for example, is often grouped with Palm Beach Gardens, but it is in West Palm Beach.

What are the large golf and resort communities like?

PGA National covers about 2,340 acres with more than 5,000 homes across dozens of neighborhoods, from condos, villas and townhomes to single-family homes and custom estates. The resort has five championship courses, including The Champion, home of the PGA TOUR's Cognizant Classic, plus a spa and a racquet club. Club membership is optional. You do not need to live in PGA National to join, and you do not need to join to live there.

BallenIsles Country Club is a gated community of about 1,300 acres with more than 1,500 homes and condos, from golf condos to Mediterranean-style estates. It has three golf courses, a large tennis complex, and a sports complex with a spa and fitness center.

Mirasol is a gated community of about 2,300 acres north of PGA Boulevard and west of the Turnpike, with 25 villages of villas, cottages and estate homes. The club has two championship courses (Sunrise and Sunset), a large clubhouse, a 16-court clay tennis center and a sports complex. It is a member-owned club, and buyers purchase an equity membership with the home.

What about the smaller private golf clubs?

Old Palm Golf Club is a gated community of about 650 acres built around a private Raymond Floyd-designed course. Homes are custom estates on larger lots, and the setting is quieter, with fewer homes than the big resort communities.

Frenchman's Reserve is a golf and resort-style country club community with an 18-hole Arnold Palmer-designed course, a spa, fitness center, tennis and dining. Homes are Mediterranean-style single-family residences.

Frenchman's Creek Beach and Country Club is a different club with a different layout, even though the names sound alike. It has 36 holes of golf, a 26-court racquet program, a large clubhouse, and an oceanfront beach club in Juno Beach. Some homes have deep-water docks with Intracoastal access. Homes range from villas and patio homes to custom estates. If golf, beach and boating together are on your list, that combination is what sets Frenchman's Creek apart from Frenchman's Reserve.

Eastpointe Country Club is a gated community just west of the PGA Boulevard shopping area with two Tom Fazio-designed courses, a clubhouse, fitness center, pools, and tennis and pickleball. Membership is not required to own a home there. Homes range from single-family homes to larger estates.

What do the newer master-planned communities offer?

Avenir is a master-planned community of about 4,750 acres off Northlake Boulevard, with new construction from several builders and nearly 4,000 homes planned, including age-restricted 55+ neighborhoods such as Regency and Esprit. The community clubhouse has a resort-style pool, lap pool, fitness center, and tennis and pickleball courts, and a town center is planned. Avenir is also where I live. Steve and I built in L'Ambiance, a Kolter neighborhood, and we bike the community paths a lot. For details, see which Avenir builder is right for you and HOA and CDD fees at Avenir.

Alton is a newer community off Donald Ross Road, with single-family homes and townhomes built mostly since 2016. Residents have a clubhouse, pool, fitness center, tennis and pickleball, and Alton Town Center for shopping and dining is next door.

Evergrene, built by WCI, is a gated community near the center of the city with single-family homes, estate homes and townhomes around lakes and preserves. Amenities include a clubhouse with an exercise room, a lakeside pool, a sandy lakefront area and playgrounds.

How do the costs differ between these communities?

The purchase price is only part of the picture. Compare these line by line:

• Club costs: optional membership (PGA National, Eastpointe), equity membership required with the home (Mirasol), or no golf club at all (Alton, Evergrene). Initiation and annual dues vary widely, so get the current schedule from each club.
• HOA dues for the community and, in some cases, a sub-association for your neighborhood.
• CDD assessments in some newer communities, which appear on the property tax bill.
• Insurance, which depends on roof age, construction and flood zone. Newer homes often quote differently from older ones.

If you are weighing new against established, read Avenir new construction vs Palm Beach Gardens resale.

Is Palm Beach Gardens the right town, or should you compare Jupiter?

Many buyers look at both. Jupiter adds more direct ocean and inlet access, while Palm Beach Gardens offers more golf communities and a short drive to PGA Boulevard shopping and dining. For a side-by-side look, see Jupiter vs Palm Beach Gardens, and for the full buying process, start with our buyer guide for Palm Beach County.

How do you narrow it down?

What I tell buyers: list your top three daily routines, then tour the communities that fit those routines on a weekday and again on a weekend. The club, the drive and the floor plan will feel different once you see them in real life. If you would like help building that short list, book a buyer consultation or call me at 561-352-3056.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to join the club to live in PGA National?

No. Club membership at PGA National is optional. You do not need to live there to join, and you do not need to join to live there.

What is the difference between Frenchman's Reserve and Frenchman's Creek?

Frenchman's Reserve is a golf and resort-style country club built around an Arnold Palmer course. Frenchman's Creek has 36 holes of golf, an oceanfront beach club in Juno Beach, and some homes with deep-water docks.

Is Ibis in Palm Beach Gardens?

No. Ibis Golf and Country Club is in West Palm Beach, though it is often searched alongside Palm Beach Gardens communities.

Which Palm Beach Gardens communities have new construction?

Avenir, off Northlake Boulevard, is the main master-planned community with new construction from several builders. Alton, off Donald Ross Road, is a newer community built mostly since 2016.

Is club membership required at Mirasol?

Yes. Mirasol is a member-owned club, and buyers purchase an equity membership with the home.

Published: July 8, 2026 | Updated: October 16, 2026