The city of Boca Raton, once known as a winter retreat for retirees and tourists, has grown into an affluent year-round playground with exclusive yacht and country clubs, luxury homes and some of South Florida's most popular upscale shopping and dining. Sprawling across Florida’s Atlantic Coast, roughly 50 miles north of Miami, the city is a haven for boaters and anglers. But over the past several years, it has experienced rapid development downtown, becoming a destination for shoppers and the home for major companies like Office Depot, Tyco Integrated Security and ADT Security Services. According to the Palm Beach Post, Boca’s median age of 48 is younger than it’s ever been, and its population has grown three times as fast as the rest of the country in the past few years.
Exclusive yacht and country clubs in Boca Raton offer luxury and leisure on Florida’s coast.
Luxury homes in Boca Raton provide elegant living with stunning design and top-tier amenities.
Sprawling across Florida’s Atlantic Coast, Boca Raton offers scenic views and vibrant living.
Royal Palm Place in Boca Raton offers upscale shopping and dining in a vibrant setting.
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High-end shopping, dining and a thriving arts scene in downtown Boca Raton
Downtown is a major shopping and dining destination, anchored by two open-air plazas: Mizner Park and Royal Palm Place. Both locations offer upscale boutiques and restaurants, ranging from casual take-out to fine dining. Most of the city's nightlife is clustered here, from craft cocktail and wine bars to nightclubs and intimate music venues. “Boca has everything,” says Diane Gray, a local Realtor with the Keyes Company. “Just go down Federal Highway and hit any kind of restaurant – Greek, Mexican, Cuban, Japanese. It used to be an older kind of town, but it’s catching a younger vibe now while still keeping older traditions alive.”
Home to theaters and museums, Mizner Park is, in many ways, the cultural heart of the city. The Boca Raton Museum of Art includes an art school for kids and adults, as well as contemporary exhibits, a sculpture garden and space for social events. At the Boca Ballet Theatre, locals can catch professional performances or enroll in workshops that feature guests from renowned companies like the American Ballet Theatre. Concerts are staged all year at the Mizner Park Amphitheater, which is also the site of March's annual 10-day, multi-media Festival of the Arts BOCA, named the #1 cultural event on Social Magazine’s list of Top 10 Florida Events for 2022. Renovations to the amphitheater are expected to begin in 2025, along with the construction of the new Center for Arts and Innovation, a $155 million creative campus designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano. When completed, the almost 2-acre site will house six performing arts spaces and an incubation lab for entrepreneurs.
Meanwhile, east of downtown, off Glades Road, is The Town Center at Boca Raton, one of South Florida’s largest and most popular luxury malls. Inside are sought-after brands, such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Cartier. “The Town Center has grown tremendously,” says Caroline Greenhouse, a local Realtor with Lang Realty. “I used to love going up to Palm Beach Gardens because it had so many anchor designer stores. Now, our Town Center can give any other mall in South Florida a run for its money. There’s a variety of high-end stores and boutiques.” Big-box grocery stores and specialty food markets are found throughout the city, most concentrated along major routes like Glades Road, Yamato Road and U.S. Highway 1 (known locally as Federal Highway).
Mizner Park in Boca Raton offers upscale shopping, fine dining, and vibrant cultural events.
Royal Palm Place in Boca Raton features luxury boutiques and diverse dining in a lively setting.
The Mizner Park Amphitheater hosts concerts and events year-round in the heart of Boca Raton.
The sculpture garden at the Boca Raton Museum of Art offers serene outdoor displays of art.
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Boca Raton’s robust parks system
The city’s oceanfront is actually a barrier island. On one side is the vast blue ocean; on the other, a series of private docks jut out into the Intracoastal Waterway. In the middle of the island, just across the water from Lake Wyman Park, is the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, a 20-acre preserve that protects several species of native animal and plant life, ranging from exotic butterflies and endangered sea turtles to the center’s namesake gumbo limbo trees.
The nature center is connected by a boardwalk to Red Reef Park, a nearly 70-acre hub of outdoorsy activity along the Intracoastal Waterway and beachfront. Visitors can snorkel through an expansive man-made reef system, float around designated swimming areas, tee off from the 9-hole golf course or fish for marlins and barracuda from the beach.
Further inland, Sugar Sand Park’s 132 acres are packed with things to do. Its children’s science museum, tri-level science-themed playground, splash pad and carousel are a boon for young kids. Other amenities include a roller hockey rink, a nature trail and the Willow Theatre, a 155-seat theater that regularly hosts professional musical theatre productions, concerts and comedy acts.
The Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton offers scenic trails and interactive exhibits.
The Gumbo Limbo Center in Boca Raton is a 20-acre preserve protecting sea turtles and wildlife.
Explore Boca Raton Red Reef Park, where visitors relax and enjoy stunning ocean views.
Delight in family moments in Boca Raton, embraced by the charm of Sugar Sand Park.
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Luxury living along the Intracoastal Waterway
Boca Raton's 2024 median home price was around $600,000, down almost 14% from the previous year. On the east side of the city, midcentury houses along the Intracoastal Waterway easily cost upwards of $2 million, while two- to three-bedroom homes on dry lots roughly range from $400,000 to the high $800,000s. New construction single-family properties with three- to four-bedrooms range from $1.2 million to $5 million. “A lot of new construction hit the downtown area, and, in order to compete, buildings on the oceanfront and Intracoastal are maintaining their concrete restoration, redoing their lobbies and aesthetics,” Greenhouse says. Downtown or on the coast, luxury high-rise condos with less than 2,500 square feet run $1 million to $2 million, while larger units go for more than $10 million. Sprawling estates in the gated yacht and country club communities can cost over $20 million.
Luxury high-rise condos in Boca Raton offer upscale amenities with stunning coastal views.
Two- to three-bedroom homes in Boca Raton offer luxury living, priced from $400K to $800K.
Enjoy sprawling estates in Boca Raton gated communities with yacht clubs and unmatched luxury.
Discover waterfront estates in Boca Raton, offering stunning views and premium coastal living.
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Well-rated public schools and home of Florida Atlantic University
The School District of Palm Beach County serves Boca Raton. One of America's largest districts, Palm Beach earns a B-plus by Niche. The city has 13 elementary, five middle and 23 high schools; highlights include Boca Raton Community High, a STEM magnet school; and Spanish River Community High, with specialized academies in American history and law, biotechnology, early childhood education, and entrepreneurship.
One of the city’s largest employers, Florida Atlantic University, has over 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across its 10 colleges and made The Princeton Review’s “Best 389 Colleges" list for 2024. Also local are the smaller Lynn University, Everglades University and Palm Beach State College.
Courtyard at Boca Raton Community High School.
Drop off area at Addison Mizner School.
Florida Atlantic University Signage in Downtown Boca Raton Neighborhood.
Welcome to Olympic Heights Community High.
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Easy access to I-95, U.S. Highway 1 and public transportation
Running parallel to Interstate 95, U.S. Highway 1 passes through downtown, providing easy north-south access to the whole East Coast. State Road A1A runs north and south between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal Waterway, providing access to coastal destinations like Fort Lauderdale. The city is served by the PalmTran bus system, the Tri-Rail commuter train and the Brightline high-speed rail, so residents are connected to surrounding South Florida hubs, as well as area airports. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is 25 miles away, and Miami International is less than 50 miles away. The local, smaller Boca Raton Airport is used for private, corporate and charter flights and has noise abatement programs to keep sound pollution to a minimum, including voluntary curfews for pilots between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Hurricane season and a relatively low crime rate
Boca Raton locals need to be prepared for hurricane season between June 1 and November 30. In the event of a hurricane, residents are advised to learn their home's evacuation zone. Much of the city falls within a Special Flood Hazard area as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and buyers seeking a mortgage from a federally backed lender are required to purchase flood insurance. Residents living outside of this area are still encouraged to purchase flood insurance, though it isn't required.
According to FBI data, Boca Raton's reported property crime rate was below the national figure but above the statewide rate. The city's violent crime rates are generally below both the U.S. and state figures. Between 2022 and 2023, property crime rates increased by about 7%, while violent crime rates fell by around 10%.
I am a Realtor serving the Treasure Coast area of Florida. I have a team that I work with including my wife Renee. Renee and I are both native residents of South Florida. Renee began visiting and vacationing on the Treasure Coast with her family in 1990. While Renee was in College Jason began his Real Estate Career as in investor in the South Florida area. In 2003 they decided that the Treasure Coast area was where they wanted to settle, and Renee began her career as a Realtor in 2004. Jason quickly decided change gears in his Real Estate ventures and joined Renee as a Realtor in 2005. Jason and Renee formed the perfect team, with what seemed natural to them, they would soon find out was very unique, and EFFECTIVE! Their diligence and perseverance made them Top Producers almost immediately. Jason became the listing and buyers representative while Renee handled everything "behind the scenes." With a reputation of integrity and trust while getting results; TEAM COLEY took the Treasure Coast area by storm, and became respected by clients and colleagues. As a result, Jason became the manager, trainer, and Team Leader of Keller Williams Realty of Stuart. Shortly following Renee began a similar phase of her career as the administrator, office manager, and trainer for Keller Williams Realty of Jupiter. Jason realized that he enjoyed the one to one contact with clients more than management and teaching. Getting back into sales in 2009, and again was a consistent TOP PRODUCER in his office. In need of help with the growing demand for service, Renee yet again became the administrator for TEAM COLEY, and we have also added the services of a full time buyer's agent. Once again with a reputation of integrity and trust TEAM COLEY became known for their … Commitment to Excellence… Producing Results! Always striving to do what is in the best interest of our buyer's and seller's ; Team Coley Real Estate Group continues to be… Committed to Excellence… Producing Results!
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