Visiting Delray Beach, Florida!

Delray Beach, Florida is a very special place that does not get as much recognition as it deserves. I have been to Florida countless times, but never to Delray Beach, so this was my first time visiting but definitely not my last!

Delray Beach is about 30 minutes from the West Palm Beach airport, which is where I flew in and out from. Delray Beach is a part of the Palm Beaches, so it is very close to the West Palm Beach/Palm Beach area, Boynton Beach and Boca Raton. 

The heart of Delray Beach is on Atlantic Avenue, which is their "Main Street." This is where you'll find great bars, restaurants, art galleries and other activities. We'll discuss more of this later on in the article. 

So let's get right to it!

Where to Stay

I stayed at the Delray Sands Resort, which is actually in Highland Beach. Highland Beach is a very exclusive beach town, only 10 minutes away from Atlantic Avenue, and this Resort is the only commercial business in Highland Beach, which really makes it a locals' and tourists' favorite. You can tell this immediately just by how many locals come to eat at their restaurant everyday. 

The Delray Sands Resort is a beach front resort, with newly renovated rooms and is part of the Opal Collection hotel group. I stayed in an ocean front room and it was absolutely gorgeous! To wake up to that ocean view everyday was an absolute dream and having a balcony to go out on was fantastic. The room had a keurig maker, a refrigerator, NEST amenities, a safe and plenty of space for you to enjoy your stay.

Due to Covid, once you have checked into your room, no one else ever steps into it besides you, which means there is no daily maid service. So because of this, every morning, you wake up to a laundry bag that is left outside of your door with plenty of new, clean towels and bottles of water. I thought this was a wonderful feature, because at other hotels that I stayed at during the pandemic, you would always have to go to the front desk whenever you needed something brought to the room, and with what the Delray Sands is doing, you are never having to go get any towels or amenities for yourself, instead they're always there, waiting for you, whether you requested them or not.

At the Delray Sands Resort, there is a tropical pool, a hot tub and the beach for you to enjoy. They also have a fully equipped gym. The beach area is private for the hotel, where they have chaises, chairs,
umbrellas and cabanas for you to use that are included in your stay. 

Latitudes is the restaurant that is on the property, and it is delicious for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I can attest that it is delicious for any meal of the day, it is such an exquisite dining experience, whether eating inside or outside. They also have their Wave Pool Bar so you can enjoy some tasty frozen cocktails as you soak up the sun! 

Here's an inside look at my stay:

Things to do

I love going on boat rides, so I made sure to include one in my itinerary. Delray Yacht Cruises has a bunch of different types of cruises to choose from. I took one of their sightseeing cruises that goes from Delray Beach/Atlantic Avenue, down the intracoastal to Lake Wyman in Boca Raton. It was a two hour long cruise, where you hear about the history of the intracoastal, along with interesting facts about the unbelievable real estate you pass by. 

I would highly recommend checking out the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. It was so beautiful and peaceful. You definitely feel a sense of calmness as soon as you walk into the gardens. You can go at your own pace, there is plenty to see, and places to rest along the way to sit and take in the beauty of the gardens. When you first walk in, there is a film to watch, which I would recommend watching, so you can get an overview of the museum, the gardens and their history. 

The Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is still closed, however they have a nature trail that is open to the public to walk on, which is a nice change from walking on the beach. 😉

In the video below, I show you Morikami and the Gumbo Limbo boardwalk, along with some of the restaurants I dined at, on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach: 

It was a wonderful feeling to be able to travel to somewhere new again, safely, of course. I truly believe that if you do have the opportunity to travel, either by plane or by car, it can be done safely and cautiously so you can enjoy yourselves without putting yourself or others around you at any risk. Florida is a special case because it is "open." But the places were still limiting the amount of people allowed in, there was social distancing and people were always courteous and cautious of one another and when necessary wore their mask. 

The tourism industry is one of the many industries that have been devastated from what has gone on over the last year. So if and when you can, I highly recommend getting out there and traveling, just be sure to do it cautiously and carefully. Even if it is just to your local museum, a staycation, a garden, whatever it might be, just go visit them, they will be smiling so big underneath their masks to see you there!

Now, when you wish someone "safe travels," it really holds a lot more weight. So with that said, I wish you and your loved ones, safe travels, for when you can, as we continue on in what will be, a much better year!

* To see more from my trip, be sure to check out my Instagram. I also saved a bunch of my stories to the Delray Beach Highlight for you to check out!*

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