Sick of South Beach? Done with Delray?

For a new place to play, head to downtown Lake Worth and check out the view.

Once a bit worn at the heels, downtown is sprucing up. And now there's lots to do.

Restaurants! Shops! Music!

Much of the action takes place on or near the city's two main streets, Lake and Lucerne avenues. How convenient. Just park your car and carom from spot to spot.

That's one reason for lovin' Lake Worth. And here are 10 more.

1. Cool views

Take a leisurely stroll along the main streets and enjoy the visuals. Lake Worth looks different; it has a distinctive downtown. Rather than Addison Mizner's ubiquitous barrel tile and arches, Lake Worth's two main streets boast a few buildings with the streamlined look of Art Moderne and Art Deco.

At every turn, past and present collide. An old-time barbershop, with a swirling barber pole, shares the street with contemporary art galleries.

2. Easy eating (and drinking)

Italian. Sushi. Seafood. Pub food. Name it and you'll probably find it somewhere downtown. And would you like entertainment with those fries? It's not enough to just sit there and eat. Restaurant offerings include live music, karaoke, movies and comedy. A sampling:

South Shores Tavern and Patio Bar (502 Lucerne Ave., 561-547-7656, www.southshorestavern.com): Live music nightly except Mondays. For the brave, try karaoke night on Friday. For the really brave, make 'em laugh at open mike comedy night on Wednesdays.

The Cottage (522 Lucerne Ave., 561-586-0080, www.thecottagelakeworth.com): Sink down into the overstuffed couches or chill on the outdoor patio beneath the oak trees. Movies play nightly on a restaurant wall. Catch Charlie Chaplin in action or watch Finding Nemo.

3. Cure for the blues

Groove to the bluesy sounds that permeate the Bamboo Room Tuesday through Saturday, 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Adding to the atmosphere, the music happens in the historic Paradise building, dating to 1923.

Friday, March 24: Americana blues from Delta Moon, $20; Saturday: Elliot Holden, $15. Showtime: 9:30 p.m. (25 S. J St., 561-585-2583, www.bambooroomblues.com.

4. Play it again

You get more than theater at Lake Worth Playhouse. You get a trip back in time. The playhouse occupies the former Oakley Theatre, an Art Deco building that opened its doors in 1924 and was rebuilt after the '28 hurricane.

Look up at the pecky cypress beams supporting the ceiling and see the "O" and "T" for Oakley Theatre stenciled there. More drama: Some folks insist the place is haunted by the two Ohio brothers who built the place.

Next performance: the comedy Harvey, April 7-23. (Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave., 561-586-6410, lakeworthplayhouse.org)
 

5. Old gold

If you've a hankering for old stuff, stroll through a few antique shops. A sampling:

Carousel Antique Center fills two floors of collectibles, including crystal, porcelain and sterling. (815 Lake Ave., 561-533-0678)

At Antique Palace, owner Helene Merhi makes custom lampshades. The white lacy one? In its previous life, it was a wedding gown. (808 Lake Ave., 561-582-8803)

6. Uptown fare

For the table linen crowd, there's something for you, too. A few spots:

L'Anjou, a French restaurant, has graced the avenue since 1977. A menu staple: chateaubriand for two. (717 Lake Ave. 561-582-7666)

Pretty as a picture, Paradiso's décor includes a terrazzo floor and painted murals. A signature dish: whole striped bass in a dome of salt. (625 Lucerne Ave., 561-547-2500, www.paradisolakeworth.com)

For six years, Rustico Italiano's eclectic menu has attracted fans. Among the offerings: Buffalo osso buco, yellowtail snapper, venison chops with wild mushrooms. (701 Lucerne Ave., 561-547-2782)

7. Art attack

For your viewing pleasure, check out a few galleries. Among them:

A husband and wife team are behind nearly a whole block of art works, which emphasizes Florida artists. Look for the Bruce Webber Gallery (705 Lucerne Ave., 561-582-1045) and the Maryanne Webber Gallery (709 Lucerne Ave., 561-585-0003, www.webbergallery.com)

Art Link International Gallery (Two locations: 810 Lake Ave. and 809 Lucerne Ave., 561-493-1161, www.artlinkinternational.com) has a big selection of Florida Highwaymen paintings.

8. Retail therapy

Nothing "mall-ish" going on here. Independent shops offer everything from old furs to funky T-shirts. A sampling:

Miami Beach Vintage for shoes, belts, hats and dresses from the '40s and later. On any given day, you might find a blast from the past, courtesy of Pucci, Valentino or Lilly Pulitzer. (704 Lake Ave., 561-493-5200, www.miamibeachvintage.com)

For fun and funky finds, try Studio 205 for T-shirts, Florida-themed gifts, cards. (600 Lake Ave., 561-533-5272)

Candles on the Avenue (628 Lake Ave., 561-585-2215, candlesontheavenue.com), a mom-daughter business that offers about 2,000 candles to light your fire.

9. Puppet play

Every Friday and Saturday night, a puppeteer who goes only by Gayo offers a musical-puppet revue on the sidewalk outside Studio 205. To pre-recorded sounds of Carmen and Madam Butterfly, among other music, his handmade puppets perform on a 7-foot-long circus wagon from 7 to 10:30 p.m.

Not that you need a watch. As Gayo rolls his circus wagon into town, you'll hear ear-shattering calliope music announcing his arrival.

10. Old is new again

The Gulfstream Grille at the old Gulfstream Hotel offers lunch or dinner, but the real feast is the history-steeped hotel. The '20s-era inn sits by the Intracoastal near downtown, a reminder of days gone by.

In the past, the six-story, pale yellow hotel hosted chichi society functions and major community events.

Today a new owner is giving it a face-lift. But you can still sit on the loggia's wicker furniture, enjoy the view and remind yourself that life doesn't get any better than this. (1 Lake Ave., 561-227-7230)