I discovered Delray Beach totally by accident (and what a pleasant one it was!). My husband and I were recently won a trip to Hollywood, Florida on The Marriage Ref. Up until now the only Hollywood I knew of was in CaliforniaJ. After some investigation, I found out it’s a Miami suburb resort town where people getaway for the weekend to play golf, relax on the back or pamper themselves at the spa. Works for me!
While looking for things to do near Hollywood, I discovered Palm Beach County. Delray Beach is located 20 miles south of Palm Beach, 28 miles north of Ft. Lauderdale and 50 miles north of Miami. It is by far, my favorite small town in all of South Florida! No wonder Delray Beach was named All-American City in 1993 and in 2001, the only city in Florida to receive the award twice. (Only 10 communities in the U.S. receive this award each year.)
With a population of 60,000 (more than that of the entire country of Iceland), there is a very strong community feeling in Delray. Being greeted by familiar faces at restaurants and shops is commonplace. People who have live here once come back to stay for good. The surprising fact is that the average age of the citizens in Delray use to be 74 in the 1980’s & is closer to 40 now. Younger people are deciding to bring up their families in this small, organized and unique town which boasts numerous beaches, hotels, restaurants, spas, fitness centers and art galleries. Travel Holiday magazine voted Delray’s Beaches as the top public beaches in the southeastern United States for swimming and one of the top 35 beaches in the entire country!
So what makes Delray so special? The Downtown Development Authority has taken upon to put Delray on the map. They keep coming up with new and creative ways to attract visitors and entertain residents. The key word is “grand”.
The marketing promotion is themed differently each month in Delray and there are merchant specials, activities, promotions and events based on the theme. An example, March is Savor the Flavor month where five blocks of East Atlantic Avenue are closed off for Florida’s largest dining table at Savor the Avenue serving 1000 guests. Think about Thanksgiving times 100! The restaurants create their menu, serve the food at their location on the avenue. It is yet another of Delray’s efforts to bring the community closer together.
Tastemakers of Delray Beach is a 5 hour long restaurant crawl held every August. For only $25, foodies can sample food and wine at 24 downtown Delray Beach restaurants, each representing a different country from around the world.
In December, Delray puts up a 100 foot tall Christmas tree. Made up of metal arms and decorates with 15,000+ LED lights, elves, historic scenes and a toy train, the tree is yet another example of how the community comes together every holiday season. There are also festivities with Santa arriving by chopper, live concerts, and kid’s activities.
I guarantee a trip to Delray Beach will have you coming back for more. What I like most about this town is that it had a small town charm, friendly people and easy accessibility, yet there is so much to do and see that you will never have a dull moment. This Florida’s Village by the Sea or the Hamptons of the South will not disappoint you, so make sure you plan a trip there next time you are in South Florida.
(Photos courtesy of the Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority.)
