This Florida Destination Is Called the 'City Within a Park' — and It Has Secluded Snorkeling Spots, Scenic Hiking Trails, and Pleasant Weather Year-round

Boca Raton, Florida — situated on Florida’s Atlantic Coast with temperate weather year-round — has more than 40 public parks, plenty of hiking and biking trails, and miles of lifeguard-manned beaches, all while still offering the amenities of a city. No wonder, then, it's called the "City Within a Park."

Add to that mix Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival architecture conceived by Addison Mizner, public spaces filled with art, and a growing dining scene, and you have the ingredients of a great beach vacation. There are also secluded spots to fish, turtle conservation camps to visit, and butterfly gardens for afternoon picnics.

Beril Gutierrez, director of social media for Discover the Palm Beaches, and her sports-fueled family love living in Boca Raton. "I am on the tennis courts three to five times a week, while my husband and daughter play golf. Our family pickleball matches take place at Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park, a 900-acre haven for outdoor enthusiasts. From snorkeling at Red Reef to the exceptional playground at Sugar Sand Park, there’s always something exciting to do. The city’s perfect blend of nature, sports, arts, and overall quality of life makes me feel honored to call it home,” she said.

Lia Picard, a food and travel writer, also grew up in Boca Raton. When asked what she loves about the destination, she said, “The Spanish architecture is so beautiful, from the art museum to the old city hall. You are only 10 to 15 minutes from the beach or a body of water, and there are great places to go for a walk, like my grandmother's neighborhood where there are lots of jacaranda trees and lush South Florida flowers.”

Boca Roton

• Gumbo Limbo Nature Center has a turtle rehabilitation center and butterfly gardens on a 20-acre barrier island.

• Mizner Park is home to 30 acres of Mediterranean Revival architecture, including high-end shops, restaurants, ice cream parlors, and a 4,200-seat amphitheater.

• Stay at The Boca Raton resort, which offers access to its luxe Harborside Pool Club and Spa Palmera, designed after Spain’s Alhambra palace.

• Grab a table outside at Cote France and enjoy some French pastries and sandwiches.

Best Hotels & Resorts

The Boca Raton

Both Picard and Gutierrez count The Boca Raton as their favorite hotel in the city. The luxury property has five hotel concepts in one, from the 294-room Mizner-designed Cloister to the 224 butler-serviced suites at the Tower. Some have kitchenettes, others provide private beach access, but all get access to the $65 million Harborside Pool Club, complete with a lazy river, kids center, and pair of three-story waterslides. There are 14 dining venues to choose from, and the 50,000-square-foot Spa Palmera features a design inspired by Spain’s Alhambra palace.

Related: This Florida County Is Ideal for a Mother-daughter Trip — With Chic Hotels, Beautiful Beaches, and Relaxing Spas, according to Travel + Leisure.

Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel

The Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel is Gutierrez’s pick for accommodations in the heart of the shopping and dining district. It has a selection of queen, king, and suite-style rooms, lush tropical gardens, a pool with cabanas, and a poolside bar. But it’s the on-site restaurant, Meat Market, that Gutierrez loves. "It’s a glamorous steakhouse. For brunch, I always get the sweet potato Belgian waffle and dinner is the wagyu filet mignon,” she said.

Best Things to Do

Red Reef Park

Boca Raton has miles of pedestrian- and bike-friendly paths throughout its public parks like Red Reef Park. There's beach access, but Red Reef also has six artificial reefs for snorkeling that attract parrotfish, spottail pinfish, and molly millers. Gutierrez loves this park for its secluded beach area ideal for bird-watching, snorkeling, surf fishing, and golfing. She said, “What I love the most about this area is the Alan C. Alford Red Reef Family Golf Course, where I often come to play with my kids.”

Boca Raton Museum of Art

Picard loves visiting the Boca Raton Museum of Art, which encompasses the Museum in Mizner Park and The Art School. The 70-year-old creative campus also features a robust permanent collection, rotating exhibits, and a sculpture garden. Gutierrez loves the public programs, including family activities and art classes. She added, “The Boca Raton Museum Store is a boutique shop where you can find uncommon objects, contemporary home designs, toys, handcrafted artisan gifts, and jewelry.”

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center

Founded in 1984, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center spans 20 acres on a protected barrier island. Visitors can walk the boardwalk, observe the thousands of tropical fish in the aquariums, hang out in the butterfly garden, or visit the sea turtle rehabilitation facility.

The Beaches

With miles of lifeguard-protected sand, spending a day at the beach here is a no-brainer. South Beach Park offers plenty of open sand for relaxing with a beach read. Spanish River Park has 95 acres of inland deciduous woods plus the beach. There's a boat dock, gazebos for picnics, a playground, and nature trails perfect for bird-watching, hiking, and more. Bark Beach is located within Spanish River Park, so you can bring your dog for a day on the sand. Most have an admission charge, but Picard says it's worth it. She gravitates toward South Inlet Park because, “you can watch the boats come in and out of the water, walk out on the rocks, and it's very peaceful.”

Related: 15 Best Beach Towns in Florida

Best Shopping

Mizner Park

Dedicated to Addison Mizner, the architect whose Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival style impacted South Florida's look, Mizner Park is a mixed-use development with restaurants, shops, ice cream parlors, and a 4,200-seat amphitheater. Gutierrez says she always finds the perfect gift for her most chic friends here, and heads over on the weekends for the lively nightlife and live music.

Ben Hicks Fine Art

Emmy Award-winning, South Florida-based photographer and cinematographer Ben Hicks uses his photography to convey the importance of sea turtle conservation, environmental activism, and sustainable coexistence. When Gutierrez is looking for a unique local gift, she visits his gallery, Ben Hicks Fine Art, for one of his gorgeous sea turtle photographs.

Best Nightlife

Crazy Uncle Mike’s

Crazy Uncle Mike’s brings the entertainment seven days a week. The 4,000-square-foot venue seats almost 200 people, brews its beer, and, according to Gutierrez, serves up a perfect night out with friends. On Monday nights, karaoke and board games fill the lineup. Tuesdays heat up with Latin night, and Wednesday through Sunday sees bands take the stage. From Sunday through Thursday, you can grab a bite, a beer, and listen to some beats until midnight. And on Friday and Saturday, the party continues until 2 a.m.

The Funky Biscuit

Musician-owned and operated, The Funky Biscuit has hosted performances from the likes of Leon Russell and Gregg Allman, as well as a wide array of local, regional, and national acts playing everything from rock to New Orleans funk to fusion jazz. The Southern-leaning food menu, robust martini selection, and tunes keep going until 2 a.m.

Best Restaurants

Kapow Noodle Bar

Combining contemporary Southeast Asian cuisine with a South Florida vibe, Kapow Noodle Bar is one of Gutierrez’s favorite spots to take out-of-town guests. “I love its vibrant location in Mizner Park, steps away from boutiques and nightlife. The bao buns and pork belly pad Thai are not to be missed,” she said. There are also three karaoke rooms, lounge areas, and traditional indoor and outdoor seating. For a special experience, opt to sit at the omakase counter for a chef’s choice menu.

Cote France

This French bakery and brasserie opened in 1995 and has served Picard’s favorite sandwiches and pastries ever since. “I like to sit outside and listen to the senior citizens around me talk about their lives while enjoying one of Cote France's classic mozzarella and tomato sandwiches. They also make great Napoleons and delicious crepes,” she said.

Narbona

Narbona at the Shops at Boca Center brings items straight from the owner’s farm in South America. The Uruguayan concept serves seated breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and has a gourmet market stocked with premium wines, beer, cheese, organic vegetables, grab-and-go items, and its specialty, dulce de leche. Picard loves their brick-oven pizzas and extensive salad menu.

Serena Pastificio

This Italian restaurant located in Mizner Park is high on Gutierrez’s list of favorite eateries. She loves Serena Pastificio's handmade pastas that are prepared daily. “My favorite dish is the pappardelle al ragu di coniglio, which is prepared with rabbit ragù, pancetta, and parmesan cheese,” she added. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant also has two outdoor patios and a modern interior dining room with a large-scale, handmade resin leaf installation, which hangs from the ceiling and mirrors the lush foliage at Mizner Park.

Best Time to Visit

With year-round sunny weather, it's hard to pick a best time to visit Boca Raton, though the fall offers some affordable options when looking at accommodations.

Gutierrez also let us in on some can't-miss events throughout the year. Visit in March for the Festival of the Arts Boca, which features classical and contemporary performers, award-winning authors and speakers, story slams, and film screenings. In April, the Boca Bacchanal comes to town. The annual weekend event benefits the Boca Raton Historical Society while celebrating food and wine that's paired and presented by chefs throughout Boca Raton. The dinners and grand tasting are held at private residences and historic venues throughout the city.

How to Get There

If you're booking flights, you have two choices: Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). PBI offers service on 12 airlines, with 200 daily nonstop arrivals and departures throughout the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. It sits roughly 26 miles away from Boca Raton. Gutierrez prefers PBI because “it’s a much easier airport to navigate and less crowded on any given day.”

FLL, meanwhile, is a much larger airport, offering service from 23 airline carriers with 300 daily departures to more than 75 destinations. It's also about 26 miles from Boca Raton.

For those who prefer to travel by train, the Brightline has a stop in Boca Raton, right next to Mizner Park. To make things even easier, Brightline partnered with Uber, allowing passengers to book a ride while purcashing their train ticket. Tri-Rail also offers service between both airports and Boca Raton for under $10 one way.

How to Get Around

Though both of our experts feel a rental car is a necessity to get around Boca Raton, you can get by with ride-shares if you want to avoid driving. Uber and Lyft are common in the city, and if your destination is a spot like Mizner Park, it’s walkable once you get there. Brightline and Tri-Rail stations have easy access to taxis and ride-share options. If you fly into Palm Beach International Airport or Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, all major car rental agencies are available.

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