Things to do in Boca Raton, FL

Early explorers, cursing the dangerous rocks that shield its bay, equated the location of the city of Boca Raton with a rat's mouth. Thus, the colorful Spanish phrase, "boca de ratones," gave rise to the city's name. First populated by Calusa Indians, the area also attracted settlers who traveled to Boca Raton from the Carolinas and Georgia, hoping to build their futures upon agriculture. In the 1920s, notable Palm Beach architect, Addison Mizner, bought thousands of acres after visiting Boca Raton, intending to develop the area into a new Venice, Italy. Shortly after Mizner completed the Cloister Inn (a city landmark now known as the Boca Raton Resort and Club) and Camino Real (an expansive avenue with a gondola-strewn canal running down its center), the real estate market went bust, and his extensive plans for Boca Raton tourism went with it.

Luckily, the hotel survived the decline, and in the 1960s, Florida Atlantic University and increased travel infused the area with new life. As Boca Raton travel grew, Mizner's style was replicated in construction, giving the town a unified aesthetic and a decidedly pink tint (it was Mizner's preferred color). Nowadays, various technology industries call the Boca Raton area...  Read more »

Early explorers, cursing the dangerous rocks that shield its bay, equated the location of the city of Boca Raton with a rat's mouth. Thus, the colorful Spanish phrase, "boca de ratones," gave rise to the city's name. First populated by Calusa Indians, the area also attracted settlers who traveled to Boca Raton from the Carolinas and Georgia, hoping to build their futures upon agriculture. In the 1920s, notable Palm Beach architect, Addison Mizner, bought thousands of acres after visiting Boca Raton, intending to develop the area into a new Venice, Italy. Shortly after Mizner completed the Cloister Inn (a city landmark now known as the Boca Raton Resort and Club) and Camino Real (an expansive avenue with a gondola-strewn canal running down its center), the real estate market went bust, and his extensive plans for Boca Raton tourism went with it.

Luckily, the hotel survived the decline, and in the 1960s, Florida Atlantic University and increased travel infused the area with new life. As Boca Raton travel grew, Mizner's style was replicated in construction, giving the town a unified aesthetic and a decidedly pink tint (it was Mizner's preferred color). Nowadays, various technology industries call the Boca Raton area home, and its population runs towards the affluently style-conscious. Elaborate shopping venues, stunning beachfront parks, innovative restaurants, and an atmosphere of cultivated leisure appeals to locals, while those on vacation in Boca Raton are enticed by the spectacle and realization that the good life exists indeed.

The Boca community redeveloped downtown Boca Raton in the late 1980's and Boca's Mizner Park resulted. Now an outdoor venue for a number of concerts and events each year, Mizner Park features an amphitheater, decorative walkways and fountains. With restaurants and other Boca entertainment locales peppered through and around it, Mizner Park is at the top of most lists for Boca Raton sightseeing.

Visiting Boca Raton is sure to inspire relaxation in tourists. The bread and butter for local residents, Boca Raton tourism is the city's primary source of income. Visitors vacation in Boca Raton to attend special events and to be pampered, and with an abundance of golf courses, country clubs, resorts, spas and beaches, they aren't likely to be disappointed. Boca Raton travel is fairly easy, despite the lack of public transportation. With two large airports nearby, the City of Boca Raton caters to Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Dania Beach, Delray Beach and Deerfield Beach.