Boca Raton for 3 nights before leaving out of Miami

[ski_mom]

We are staying in Boca Raton for 3 nights pre-cruise because we're catching a spring training game in Jupiter before our cruise out of Miami.  Are there any things we should be sure to do in the area?  We've never stayed there before.

 

Also, when I map our drive to the port, it looks like there are tolls, but doesn't seem to make much difference in time if I choose to avoid toll roads, so I'm assuming that would be the best way to go?  We will have a rental car, but if I'd rather not purchase the toll package if I don't need to.

 

 

[FOPMan]

1) Blowing Rock State Park

 

2) Johnathan Dickinson State Recreation Area

 

Florida’s turnpike will have less traffic than I-95 from Jupiter. 
 

It is almost exactly 90 minutes from the Manuel bridge on the turnpike to Port Everglades.

 

Its a pretty straight shot from the turnpike to Port Everglades. 

[Flymia]

If you are driving on a weekend avoiding tolls should be fine. 

 

As to what to do. Boca is close enough to West Palm Beach to drive up there and enjoy something in that area. Even just driving along the beach front and seeing the estates that are there. 

 

I really enjoy Delray Beach and Atlantic Ave for dinner. An even closer drive from Boca than West Palm Beach. Great options for dinner there. 

 

Personally I prefer Delray over Boca as it feels (though it really is not) more isolated. We have gone up there for quick 2-night trips, and it feels completely different than Miami. Nice spot to spend a weekend. 

[capriccio]

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center (https://www.myboca.us/2096/Gumbo-Limbo-Nature-Center) between the ocean and the intracoastal in Boca Raton.

 

Flagler Museum (https://www.flaglermuseum.us/) in Palm Beach.  The Guilded Age home of Henry Flagler who established the Florida East Coast Railway to Miami and the Overseas Railway in the Key West.

 

Morikami Museum and Japanese Garden (https://morikami.org/about/) in Delray.

[Rothko1]

I agree with those suggestions. 

 

If you are going up to Blowing Rock, then definitely continue north and go into the Town of Jupiter Island and drive up to the north end and enjoy the views.  You can then cross over the bridge back to the mainland and go south to Jonathan Dickinson.  Also, go check out the Jupiter Lighthouse.  If you are hungry/thirsty, you can go to the Square Grouper at the Jupiter Inlet, or Guanabanas on the other side of the road.  Both are great places to chill and have a drink.

 

If you are going up to Palm Beach, then you must go to Worth Avenue and walk the vias - keep your eyes open for them, don't just stay on the main street.  Have lunch at Pizza Al Fresco, you will feel like you are in Italy.  Drive around the Island and ogle the mansions (Mar-a-Lago is in the south end; the Kennedy mansion is in the north end but it is under reconstruction).  Go into the Breakers (just tell the security guard you are going to "HMF" for a drink) and walk around.  Rent bikes and do the Bike Trail to the north end of the Island; it's amazing.  Go all the way to Annie's Dock and enjoy the views of the Inlet and Peanut Island.

 

Take A1A all the way down to Atlantic Avenue in Delray, or keep going all the way back down to Boca.

[FOPMan]

More info about JD: https://www.jdstatepark.com/rentals/

 

And I believe I misspelled it earlier- Jonathan, no “h.” 

[Rothko1]

1 hour ago, FOPMan said:

More info about JD: https://www.jdstatepark.com/rentals/

 

And I believe I misspelled it earlier- Jonathan, no “h.” 

No worries, mate.  🙂

 

You can canoe up the Loxahatchee River at JD Park to the old Trapper Nelson site.  Step back in time.

 

Another great park up there is Riverbend Park.  They have the historical battle site from the Seminole Indian War, and you can also rent canoes or kayaks there and go up the Loxahatchee River also.  https://discover.pbcgov.org/parks/Locations/Riverbend.aspx  

 

Unlike Jonathan Dickinson, the Riverbend Park is free to go into.  I think it's one of the crown jewels of Palm Beach County.

[Cienfuegos]

Good thread.  Both I-95 and the parallel (in that area) Turnpike will take you to Fort Lauderdale / Port   Everglades area, or north to Jupiter and the ball field.  The field is adjacent to the I-95 at Donald Ross Road.   I-95 is not tolled in that area, the Turnpike is tolled for its entire length.

 

When you go south on the Turnpike, it is tolled.  I-95 south has sections of inner express lanes which are tolled electronically. The overhead gantry reads your transponder or your license plate and bills you. The I-95 outer local lanes are not tolled,although they can be sluggish in rush hours.

 

Palm Beach County has a substantial number of high quality museums. In addition to the Flagler, I will add the Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach (live HD simulcast from the Metropolitan Opera House, people dress up).  The greenway allows you to walk between the homes of many extremely wealthy folks and their yacht docks just north of the Four Arts. And the wonderful Norton Museum in West Palm Beach.

 

If you have a hankering to see the brokers' and CEOs' yachts, many are docked along Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach.

[ChanaC]

Just as a thought, although it seems like you already did a lot of research into this, but Jupiter to Boca to Miami is all pretty spread out. It's about an hour drive north of Boca to Jupiter, then about an hour to an hour and half (depending on traffic) down to Miami. If you are spending a lot of time in Jupiter for spring training, you might want to stay closer to Jupiter and hang out in that area, then make one big drive down to Miami for the cruise. 

 

As for what to do in Boca and the surrounding area, I already see a lot of good options. Some other choices:

 

- Going to the beach in Delray or Deerfield Beach. No sure where you are staying in Boca, but there are not a lot of public beaches and some require a parking fee in their lots. Delray (to the north) or Deerfield (directly to the south) have lots of metered parking directly on the beach. Deerfield is less popular but there are still a couple of restaurants in walking distance and their is a nice large fishing pier you can just sightsee on for a couple of bucks. Both Delray and Deerfield have restaurants with ocean views, which doesn't really exist in Boca. Also in Deerfield are a couple of restaurants on the intercoastal so you can watch the boats go by.

 

- Take a intercoastal waterway boat tour in Delray Beach. You'll see a lot of nice houses.

 

- Visit Green Cay Nature Center in Boynton Beach to walk on a raised boardwalk over wetlands to look at local wildlife (like birds and sometimes gators).

[Corby114]

Have lunch or dinner in Deerfield Beach at either the Whales Rib or JB's on the Beach or have great food at the Aruba Beach Cafe In Lauderdale By The Sea. All three locations are casual and have excellent food.