Things to Do in Wellington, FL: Polo, Horse Shows and More

Wellington is the Palm Beach County village known for polo, show jumping and a big winter horse season. The National Polo Center hosts polo, Wellington International hosts the Winter Equestrian Festival, the village runs concerts and movies at its amphitheater, and the Mall at Wellington Green has the big shopping. Most of the big events are seasonal and the dates change every year, so always check the official site before you plan a trip.

Whitmore Estates is in Lake Worth. Lennar describes it as near Wellington and names the National Polo Center in its own home descriptions. This guide is for buyers who want to know what the Wellington area has to offer.

First, a word about distance

We do not give drive times. They are never the same for every reader, and a number goes stale fast. Lennar says Whitmore Estates is near Wellington. How near depends on your starting point, the day and the hour. Before you plan your life around it, make the trip once, at the time you would really make it. That tells you more than any map.

How to plan a season

If this appeals to you, plan one event at a time. Here is a simple approach.

1. Pick one event. Polo, a horse show or an amphitheater night.

2. Check the official site for dates. Do it a few weeks ahead, since schedules change.

3. Read the ticket and parking notes. Rules differ by event.

4. Go once before you decide what you think. One visit tells you if it is for you.

5. Make it a habit only if you like it. Many residents enjoy one or two events a season and skip the rest.

Polo

Polo is the best-known thing in Wellington. The National Polo Center is a large polo venue with several fields and a stadium. Its own website says it was built so the United States Polo Association can host big tournaments, and that it also has restaurants and a clubhouse. See the National Polo Center website.

Polo has a season. The county's tourism site, Discover The Palm Beaches, says it runs through the winter and into spring, and that dates change every year. See their polo season page for this year's dates. Do not plan a trip from a date in an old article, including this one.

A few easy tips for a first visit:

• Check the schedule first. Matches are not held every day of the season.

• Check ticket and parking rules on the official site. They differ by event.

• Go early. Big days draw crowds.

• Bring sun protection. The fields are open.

Horse shows

Wellington is also known as a winter home for horse shows. The Winter Equestrian Festival is held at Wellington International. Its festival page has the schedule and ticket details. Like polo, it is seasonal, and the dates and ticket rules change.

You do not have to be a rider to enjoy it. Many visitors go to watch, to walk around the grounds and to eat. Check the official page to see which events are open to the public.

Concerts, movies and parks

The Village of Wellington runs a public amphitheater at 12100 Forest Hill Boulevard. It hosts concerts and movies. Next to it is Scott's Place, a playground the village describes as barrier-free. See the village's amphitheater page for what is on.

The village also has parks and recreation facilities. Its parks and facilities page lists them. We have not visited every park, so we will not describe each one. Use the village's own list.

Shopping

The Mall at Wellington Green is on Forest Hill Boulevard. It is a two-level enclosed mall with department stores and many other shops. Its official site lists the stores. Stores come and go, so check before you make a trip for one.

What a busy season can mean

Big events bring crowds. That is part of the fun, and it is also worth knowing before you plan your week around a trip. Roads near a popular event can be busier on event days, and parking can take extra time. We do not have a number for it, and we do not want to invent one. Ask people who live nearby how the season feels to them, and try a trip on a busy day before you decide how you feel about it.

A note for families

Wellington's amphitheater sits next to a playground the village calls barrier-free, which means it is built so children of all abilities can play. That makes an evening there easy for a family with kids of different ages. Check the village page for hours and events before you go, since programs change from season to season.

Worth Avenue

Lennar also names Worth Avenue in Palm Beach as a nearby draw. It is a famous shopping street, with the shops and restaurants spread along it. The Worth Avenue website has details. It is in a different town from Wellington, so it is a separate trip.

Restaurants change owners and hours. We do not name any here, because a name can be out of date in a year. Check hours before you go.

What this means if you live at Whitmore Estates

The pitch is easy to understand. You live in a gated community in Lake Worth. On a weekend in the winter season, you can try a polo match, a horse show or an evening at the amphitheater. Which of these you actually do depends on your taste, and on how far you want to drive.

The honest test is a trial run. Visit on a weekend in season and see how you feel about the trip. If it works for you, great. If not, you want to know before you buy.

Whatever you plan, the home comes first. For what the house itself includes, read what Lennar's Everything's Included means at Whitmore Estates. If you are weighing a new home against an older one, read new construction vs existing home in Palm Beach County. For the gated community itself, read gated communities in Lake Worth, FL, and Whitmore Estates. If you are weighing what the house costs, see jumbo mortgage in Florida. For help with schools, read Palm Beach County school zone map: check an address.

Common Questions

Want to see Whitmore Estates and plan your own trial run to Wellington? Call 561-704-0091 or See Whitmore Estates — Schedule a Visit. We will show you the plans and tell you what homes have recently started at.