Beautiful blue skies, cool breezes, great food, good friends, an intriguing athletic event and a chilled glass of Champagne, its Sunday during winter season of the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Sunday Brunch, at The Pavilion on the eastern side of the polo field, gives you a close up view of the action on the field and a wide assortment buffet items to enjoy. It is a delightful way to spend a Sunday afternoon whether you are a polo enthusiast or not.
Polo is a fast paced game played with two teams of four horseback riders. Sticks that look like large croquet mallets are used by the players to moved a hard ball down the field and through the goals posts. The field is 300 yards by 160 yards of manicured grass, equivalent to nine football field. It is the largest field of play in any professional sport. There are six chukkers, or periods of play, with a 10 minute half time between the third and fourth chukker. Each chukker is 7.5 minutes of aggressive, heart stopping play. The players change horses at the end of each chukker at a minimum, to keep the horses fresh. There are at least 52 horses playing in each match, including the two horses for the referees. The speed (up to 35 mph) and the agility of the horses and riders is an impressive athletic feat.
Essential Online Links For Booking Your Trip to Southeast Florida
Logistics:
There are 3 airports that service Southeast Florida, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach: Uber and Taxis are available. Tri Rail and Brightline trains service Fort Lauderdale and Miami Airports. Private and Multiple Passenger Transfers are available from all three airports: ☆Transportation Service Miami Hotel - Miami International Airport
Advanced Tickets for the Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi.
Save on entry fees: If you plan on visiting multiple museums or attractions, it is more economical to purchase a Miami Sightseeing Pass to save money, you can buy this pass for 1, 2, 3, or 5 days.
Top-rated Southeast Florida Tours and Experiences:
☆Seven Isles of Fort Lauderdale Kayak Tour (one of my favorite Southeast Florida experience)
☆Downtown West Palm Beach Food Tour (great for foodies)
☆Wynwood Graffiti Golf Cart Small-Group Tour (perfect for art lovers)
☆Skip the Line: Flamingo Gardens Admission Ticket in Fort Lauderdale (essential to avoid lines)
☆1 Hotel South Beach (Luxury, Miami)
☆Yotel (Budget Friendly, Miami)
☆Hollywood Beachside Boutique (Budget Friendly, Fort Lauderdale)
☆The Pillars Hotel (Luxury, Fort Lauderdale)
☆The White Elephant (Luxury, Palm Beach)
☆The Canopy (Budget Friendly, West Palm Beach)
☆Crane's Beach House Boutique Hotel & Luxury Villas (Amazing Tropical Vibe, Delray Beach)
My favorite Guidebook for Florida: DK Eyewitness Florida
My favorite Novel about Southeast Florida: The Last Train to Key West
Don’t forget to pack: Crossbody Bag for Sightseeing **Sun Screen** Comfortable Walking Shoes **My Favorite Packable Hat.
There are Grand Stands and general admission seats, as well as tailgating bays available for all the Sunday matches. If you are interested in people watching as well as polo watching, try the splurge worthy Brunch at The Pavillon. Start at the outdoor bar just outside the pavilion for a glass of the bubbly and some excellent people watching. From this vantage point you have a great view of festooned hats and festive blazers entering the Brunch, as well as the set up for tailgates on the sidelines. All while you enjoy the beauty of a South Florida Sunday afternoon, in winter.
All seating for the brunch is on a covered patio, only two feet from the field. You have an excellent view of everything happening on the field. The atmosphere is festive and energetic as people visit with their friends in sundresses, colorful hats and tropical hued shirts. The Brunch opens at 2 pm and the match starts at 3 pm. You have plenty of time to explore the grounds before the match begins. During the first half of the match, most people are socializing and enjoying the buffet.
The buffet is truly lavish. There are large iced dishes of shrimp, lobster and oysters. Along one wall is an array of prepared salads and a complete salad bar. The center of the room is filled with traditional brunch items, including Eggs Benedict and an assortment of lunch items, including lamb chops. Along the back wall are "made to order" stations that offer customized eggs, omelets and pastas. Don’t miss the dessert table. There are mini versions of every sugar lovers dream. I love the mini versions, so you can taste more that one thing without feeling guilty.
Don’t dally too long at the dessert table, because you do not want to miss the tradition of stomping the divots at half time. The announcer invites everyone out to the field to replace the divots created during the first half. As a reward for all your hard work, there is a glass of champagne waiting for you at the center of the field.
Sunday Brunch at The Pavilion is a fun, splurge worthy way to enjoy a unique equestrian event. You can get more information on dates and ticket prices at www.internationalpoloclub.com
Looking for more information on visiting Southeast Florida, check out these Blog Posts:
For notifications upcoming posts and access to my dining guides and packing lists sign up for my resource page with the link below.
Looking for Travel Gear or Travel Friendly Apparel
Check out my Amazon Store and my LiketoKnowi
Sharing is caring. Click on the icons below to share to your social media platform.
or click the Pinterest Icon to save for later.