Vacations are a time for you and your family to relax and indulge in the activities that you enjoy the most. From lying on a beach all day to boating on the ocean, a vacation in the Delray Beach area has everything you need to pass the days and reconnect with your family. Located in southeast Florida between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach sits on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. All up and down the coast are beach towns, each with its own vibe and selection of activities for your family’s enjoyment. Here are the 9 best places to look for a Delray Beach vacation rental to help you start your search.
1. Delray Beach
Pick a vacation rental on the beach where you can wake up each morning, fix a cup of coffee, and head out onto the balcony to watch the sunrise over the beach and water. After a morning on the beach, take the family to the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens with its exotic and beautifully grown trees, plants, and flowers. For some fun and games, visit Putt’n Around for a game of mini golf and then pick some strawberries for dinner at The Girls Strawberry U-pick.
2. Gulf Stream
Travel north up A1A to the coastal community of Gulf Stream with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and Gulf Stream, a body of fresh water, on the other to indulge in a vacation filled with kayaking, fishing, paddle boarding, and trying your hand at surfing. Spend the day enjoying some retail therapy at all your favorite upscale stores at the Village at Gulfstream Park, and pick one of the many restaurants for lunch. See if your family has the smarts to solve the riddles and puzzles to escape a locked room at Code to Escape.
3. Briny Breezes
Enjoy the smell of salt air as you open the door to the balcony of your beachfront vacation rental in the beach town of Briny Breezes. Rent a bike from one of the local outfitters, and ride around town stopping to check out the unique local stores. Schedule a Craft Food Tours for the foodies in your family and find some great places to return to for dinner later in your vacation. Take your younger children to Gulfstream Park to play on the playground.
4. Ocean Ridge
With the ocean on one side and the stream on the other side, Ocean Ridge offers easy access to the water. At Ocean Inlet Park, you and your family can play on the beach, swim in the water, and fish off the concrete pier that extends into the ocean. Take a charter boat with Blue Devil Fishing to find the best places to fish in deep waters, and grill up your catch for dinner back at your vacation rental.
5. Manalapan
Slow down, and take life easy with a vacation rental in the small town of Manalapan, which is north of Delray Beach on A1A with a drive up the coast that offers picturesque views of the ocean and the barrier islands. At Eau Spa, you can turn relaxation into an art form when you get a massage or spruce up your skin with a facial. In the evenings, take the family to Plaza Theatre to watch a musical performed by local actors and singers.
6. Highland Beach
Drive south along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean from Delray Beach to the coastal community of Highland Beach. After a day on the beach, take the family to Hidden Lakes Park so the kids can play on the playground, and walk or bike around the paved paths. Spanish River Park abuts the Intracoastal Waterway with stunning views of the water and a variety of bird life. It’s a popular place for a stroll in the early evening.
7. South Beach Park, Boca Raton
Looking at beach towns, the South Beach Park neighborhood of Boca Raton offers a lot of attractions for your vacation. Three separate beach areas feature vacation rentals to suit your family. Try your hand at surfing or paddle boarding on any of the beaches. At the Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex, your kids learn more about the sea creatures that make their home in the Atlantic Ocean and view a variety of butterflies at the butterfly garden.
8. Hillsboro Beach
Take a boat shuttle over to Deerfield Island Park for a day of exploring and adventure on this unique mangrove habitat teeming with wildlife and birds, and pack your binoculars to get a closer look at bird’s nests. This town offers plenty of vacation rentals on the water, ranging from condos to single-family homes.
9. Lighthouse Point
Named for the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse, Lighthouse Point offers your family a small community with a layout that includes access to many tributaries along with the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway. Finding a vacation rental with a dock and immediate access to the water is easy and makes it a snap to fill your days with fishing, boating, kayaking, and jet skiing.