A community guide by LPE Realty LLC · (561) 652-6917
Boca Raton, Florida · Palm Beach County
Downtown Boca Raton, Florida runs from Mizner Park south past Historic Town Hall and Sanborn Square to Royal Palm Place, and east along Palmetto Park Road to the beach. Mizner Park's four garages are free, Brightline stops at 101 NW 4th St, and since October 1, 2026 City beach parks charge $40 a car on weekdays.
The Boca Raton Inlet and Lake Boca Raton from the air, looking north over the beach. A film cut from 8 real photographs of downtown Boca Raton, Lake Boca Raton and its beaches. Credits
Next downtown
Dates from the City of Boca Raton, Downtown Boca and each organiser, checked October 2026. Every card adds to your calendar in one tap.
A Sunday market with 65+ local vendors (produce, breads, crafts, live music); free admission, pet friendly. It calls itself the City's original downtown green market, but its current address is the 5th Ave Shops, not Royal Palm Place. Check a map before calling it 'downtown'.
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A monthly evening market in Sanborn Square with local makers, artists, snacks and treats. The City lists 2026 dates of October 1, November 5 and December 10, and offers free BocaConnect rides to it. 2027 dates are not posted yet.
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A juried outdoor fine art show. Downtown Boca's calendar lists 'Hot Works Fine Art Show in Sanborn Square' starting November 7; Hot Works lists the show as November 7 and 8, 2026. Hot Works also lists Boca Raton shows on December 12-13, 2026 and January 30-31, 2027 (venue for those not confirmed).
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Free museum admission plus family activities on the first Saturday of every month, supported by JM Family Enterprises. Listed upcoming dates are November 7 and December 5; 2027 dates are not listed yet.
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Decision tool · day planner
Pick how long you have and what you like. The planner chooses sourced stops downtown and out to the beach, puts them in order from Palmetto Park Road and Federal Highway, and suggests where to park if you are driving.
Or start from one of three ready-made plans:
The art museum, a walk under the palms of Mizner Park, then dinner on the plaza.
Historic Town Hall's museum, Sanborn Square across the street and lunch in Royal Palm Place.
The beach at the end of Palmetto Park Road, Red Reef's boardwalk and the Gumbo Limbo nature center.
Every stop comes from our sourced list of places in and near downtown Boca Raton (checked October 2026). Distances are straight-line estimates from OpenStreetMap coordinates, not measured routes. Time per stop is your chosen time split evenly, not an official duration. Check each place's hours before you go.
Spending more weekends in downtown Boca than not? See what living in Boca Raton is like.
Boca de Ratones to Mizner Park
From a railroad and a canal in the 1890s to Mizner's 1920s plan, Town Hall and Mizner Park, each step told by the historians who keep the record.
1890s
The Historical Society says the Florida East Coast Canal (today's Intracoastal) and the Florida East Coast Railway, both built in the 1890s, opened the area to pioneers.
Source: Boca Raton Historical Society: A Brief History, checked 2026-10-20
1925
The Historical Society says the Town of Boca Raton was incorporated in May 1925, at the height of the Florida land boom. Its timeline adds that the town was first incorporated as Boca Ratone in 1924.
Source: Boca Raton Historical Society: A Brief History and Boca's Timeline, checked 2026-10-20
1926
Mizner's Cloister Inn opened on February 6, 1926. The Historical Society says it remains a city landmark, today known as The Boca Raton.
Source: Boca Raton Historical Society: Boca's Timeline (with A Brief History), checked 2026-10-20
1927
Boca Raton's Town Hall at 71 North Federal Highway was completed in 1927 by Delray architect William Alsmeyer from Addison Mizner's design, using ironwork, tile and woodwork from Mizner Industries.
Source: Boca Raton Historical Society: A Brief History, checked 2026-10-20
1980
In 1980 the Boca Raton City Council designated 344 acres in downtown as a community redevelopment area under the Florida Statutes, which also created the Boca Raton Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).
Source: City of Boca Raton: CRA/Downtown Boca, checked 2026-10-20
A walk through downtown
Downtown runs from Mizner Park south past Town Hall and Sanborn Square to Royal Palm Place, then east along Palmetto Park Road over the Intracoastal to the beach. The day planner above puts the stops in order for you.
Plaza Real
The open-air center north of Palmetto Park Road, with free parking in its four garages, the Museum of Art and the City's amphitheater at its north end.
71 N Federal Hwy
Completed in 1927 from Addison Mizner's design, it now holds the Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum, open Wednesday to Saturday.
South of Palmetto Park Road
Fourteen acres of restaurants, boutiques and galleries on Via De Palmas and Via Naranjas, a short walk from Sanborn Square.
Palmetto Park Road at A1A
East Palmetto Park Road ends at South Beach Park. The City's three guarded beach parks charge a daily entry fee; South Inlet Park is run by the County.
Decision tool · beach matcher
Tell us what you need from a beach day. We match you to the public beach parks east of downtown, from the Boca Raton Inlet north to Spanish River Park, using what each operator publishes, and flag anything they do not say.
| Beach | Lifeguards | Restrooms | Showers | Free parking | Fishing | Dogs | Wheelchair | Picnic | Playground | Snorkel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Beach ParkCity of Boca Raton (Recreation Services; Ocean Rescue) · 1 mi | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Not published | No | Yes | Not published | Yes | Not published |
| Red Reef ParkCity of Boca Raton (Recreation Services; Ocean Rescue) · 1.4 mi | Yes | Yes | Not published | No | Not published | No | Not published | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| South Inlet ParkPalm Beach County Parks & Recreation · 1.4 mi | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Not published | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not published |
| Spanish River ParkCity of Boca Raton (Recreation Services; Ocean Rescue) · 2.5 mi | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Not published | Not published | Not published | Yes | Yes | Not published |
Check = the operator says yes. Dash = the operator says no. Question mark = the operator does not say; ask before you go. Miles are straight-line from Palmetto Park Road at Federal Highway.
Features, fees and hours come from each operator's own page (the City of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation), checked 2026-10-20. The City's daily beach entry fee is the same at South Beach, Red Reef and Spanish River parks and is valid only at the park where you pay. Distances are straight lines, not driving routes.
Want the beach ten minutes from home? See what living in Boca Raton is like.
Where Palmetto Park Road meets the ocean
The City runs three guarded beach parks: South Beach, Red Reef and Spanish River. Since October 1, 2026 a car costs $40 on weekdays and $55 on weekends and holidays, and the gatehouses take no cash.
Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 3.0
Eat and drink
From each restaurant's own website, checked October 2026. Hours change; check before you go.
New American restaurant
404 Plaza Real, Mizner Park, Boca Raton, FL 33432
Describes itself as a longtime Mizner Park gathering place for New American plates and cocktails with patio dining; its site title says 'Since 1991' (the venue's own claim). The Mizner Park directory listed it 11:30 AM – 9:00 PM on 2026-10-20 (that day only).
Source: Max's Grille (official site, schema.org data); Mizner Park directory, checked 2026-10-20
Mexican restaurant and cantina
409 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, FL 33432
A Mexican restaurant with craft cocktails and locations in Boca Raton (Mizner Park), Jupiter and elsewhere, per its own site. The City's MiCa shuttle stop list gives the Calaveras stop as 411 Plaza Real; the restaurant gives 409.
Source: Calaveras Cantina (official site); Mizner Park directory, checked 2026-10-20
Italian restaurant and pizzeria
100 E Palmetto Park Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33432
Italian ristorante, bar and pizzeria on the corner block east of the walking origin; its site says all pasta, bread, gelato, pastries and cookies are made in-house daily, with valet service daily and weekend brunch.
Mon – Thurs 11:30am – 1am; Friday 11:30am – 2am; Sat 11am – 2am; Sun 11am – 1am (full dinner menu Fri and Sat until 11pm, pizza until 12am, per its site)
Source: Louie Bossi's (official site, Boca Raton page), checked 2026-10-20
fine-dining Italian restaurant
171 E Palmetto Park Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33432
Fine-dining Italian restaurant founded by chef Angelo Elia, with other locations in Fort Lauderdale and Aventura; its site cites Wine Spectator and Gambero Rosso awards every year since 1998 (its own claim). Dinner only.
Monday to Thursday 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM; Friday and Saturday 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM; Sunday 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Source: Casa D'Angelo (official site, Boca Raton location page), checked 2026-10-20
steakhouse and seafood
101 Plaza Real S, Boca Raton, FL 33432
USDA Prime steaks, seafood and a raw bar at Royal Palm Place; part of Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, which runs one other Chops location (its own site).
Source: Chops Lobster Bar (official site); Royal Palm Place tenant list, checked 2026-10-20
French bistro
416 Via De Palmas #81, Boca Raton, FL 33432
A French bistro in Royal Palm Place, 'Est. 2007' per its own site, created by French-trained chef Laurent and his wife Doris (Royal Palm Place listing). Nightly specials include a Thursday lobster night.
Source: Casimir (official site); Royal Palm Place tenant list, checked 2026-10-20
contemporary American restaurant
141 Via Naranjas #45B, Royal Palm Place, Boca Raton, FL 33432
Chef Ron Weisheit's contemporary American restaurant in Royal Palm Place, using organic farm-raised produce, line-caught seafood and grass-fed meats (its own site). Dinner only; closed Monday and Tuesday.
Mon, Tue: Closed; Wed, Thur, Sun: 5pm – 9:30pm; Friday, Saturday: 5pm – 10pm
Source: Twenty Twenty Grille (official site); Royal Palm Place tenant list, checked 2026-10-20
Japanese restaurant and sushi bar
271 SE Mizner Blvd, Boca Raton, FL 33432
Japanese dishes, sushi and a premium sake list at Royal Palm Place (the site says 'Royal Palm Plaza'), a few steps from Mizner Park. Happy hour 3pm to 6pm daily, dine-in only.
Monday – Thursday 11:30am – 10:30pm; Friday 11:30am – 11:30pm; Saturday 12:00pm – 11:30pm; Sunday 12:00pm – 10:30pm. Lunch 11:30am – 3:00pm daily (dine-in only).
Source: Yakitori Sake House (official site); Royal Palm Place tenant list, checked 2026-10-20
Living here
The Census Bureau's Vintage 2024 estimate puts Boca Raton at 102,238 people. LPE Realty LLC, a licensed Florida brokerage serving South Florida, publishes this guide and can talk you through buying or selling here.
Quick answers
Downtown Boca Raton, Florida, in Palm Beach County. The City's downtown agency, the Boca Raton CRA (known as Downtown Boca), covers 344 acres the City Council designated as a redevelopment area in 1980.
Some is. Mizner Park says parking in its four garages (A, B, C and D) is free, and Downtown Boca recommends free City lots for events, including City Hall at 201 W. Palmetto Park Road and the Downtown Library at 400 NW 2nd Avenue. Street spaces with a painted number are metered and can be paid by ParkMobile or card.
Brightline's Boca Raton station is at 101 NW 4th St., Boca Raton, FL 33432. Brightline describes it as next to the downtown library and across from Mizner Park.
Source: Brightline Press Room: Brightline Opens New Stations in Boca Raton and Aventura
As of October 1, 2026, a day pass for a car at a City beach park is $40 on weekdays and $55 on weekends and holidays, valid only at that park for that day. Gatehouses no longer take cash; bring a card or use Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Yes. BocaConnect, the City's on-demand electric shuttle run by Circuit, is free for rides that start and end in the downtown (red) zone; you book in the Circuit app. Rides to or from the outer zone cost $2 per rider plus $1 per extra rider, capped at $5.
No. City Code Sec. 4-4 bans consuming alcohol on public streets, sidewalks, rights-of-way, parks, beaches and public parking lots, except at a permitted special event. City park pages also list alcohol as prohibited in parks and on beaches.
Source: Boca Raton Code of Ordinances (Municode): Chapter 4, Sec. 4-4
FDOT's exit list shows Palmetto Park Road as exit 44 and Glades Road as exit 45. City Hall sits on West Palmetto Park Road.
Source: Florida Department of Transportation: Interstate Exit Numbers for I-95
Journal
No. Boca Raton, Florida City Code Sec. 4-4 makes it unlawful to consume alcohol on any public street, sidewalk, right-of-way, park, beach or public…
BocaConnect is the City of Boca Raton, Florida's on-demand electric shuttle, run by Circuit and booked in the Circuit app. Rides inside the downtown…
Downtown Boca Raton, Florida's 2026 holiday run starts with the City's free Holiday Tree Lighting on Saturday, Nov. 21, 6 to 10 PM at…
Living here
LPE Realty LLC, a licensed Florida real estate brokerage serving South Florida, is behind this guide. If an evening at Mizner Park or a morning at the beach has you thinking about a home in Boca Raton, talk to us about buying or selling here.
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