Today we’re doing something a little different — instead of covering one full trip, we’re diving into a destination we’ve visited many times and at many stages of parenthood: South Florida, specifically Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and West Palm Beach.

My husband has family in the area, so over the years we’ve visited with babies, toddlers, older kids, and extended family groups. That means we’ve gathered a lot of tested, kid-friendly recommendations to help you plan your own sunshine-filled adventure.

Where to stay with kids in Boca, Delray, or West Palm Beach

We usually stay with family but some great hotel options include:

    • Hotels like Hyatt Place, Residence Inn, and Embassy Suites: especially great when using points and traveling with a larger family.
    • Vacation rentals like Airbnb or VRBO are ideal if you want to cook, spread out, or enjoy your own private pool.
    • Boca Beach Club: a splurge-worthy, ocean-front resort with a kids’ club, gorgeous pools and beach, and delicious restaurants.

Beating the South Florida Heat

Plan ahead if you'll be there in the summer when the heat is intense:

  • Stay hydrated, take breaks in A/C, and don’t skip the hats + sunscreen.
  • Our go-to sunscreens: Blue Lizard (zinc-based but spreadable) and Babyganics stick for easy application.
  • Keep sunscreen application fun—let them choose the next body part, count down from 10, or turn it into a “spa moment.”
  • We also swear by cooling towels — wet them in the morning, keep them in a zip bag, and re-soak with water throughout the day. When the kids were babies, I’d tuck one in my carrier to keep us both cooler.

Our Favorite Things to Do with Kids in Boca, Delray, & West Palm

Sugar Sand Park (Boca Raton)

This is our all-time favorite place to take the kids:

  • Huge wooden play structures + rubberized ground
  • Water misters to cool off in
  • A toddler area separated from the big kids’ space
  • A carousel (small fee), picnic areas, and a shaded pavilion
  • AND the Children’s Science Explorium: hands-on exhibits with permanent favorites and also new things to explore each time

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center (Boca)

A peaceful, educational spot where kids can:

  • Walk boardwalks through coastal forest
  • Explore aquariums with tropical fish and sea turtles
  • Visit a butterfly garden
  • Learn from real marine biologists (sometimes they do behind-the-scenes work or special events for visitors)

Spanish River Beach (Boca)

Wide, open sand, short boardwalk access, paid parking, bathrooms available.

Patch Reef Park

Fun playground with a pirate ship structure, rope climbing areas and bars, a plash pad for hot weather

Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens (Delray)

We're excited to do this when our kids are a little bigger!

  • Beautiful Japanese gardens, koi ponds, bonsai trees
  • Indoor museum with rotating and permanent exhibits
  • Cultural events: tea ceremonies, traditional crafts, storytelling, music

The Girls Strawberry Patch (Delray)

A family-friendly farm spot with a petting zoo, ice cream, and tiny train rides when in season

Delray Beach (Atlantic & A1A)

Our go-to beach for its charm and ease: street parking nearby, brief walk through lush sea grape plants to the sand. No bathrooms, so plan accordingly.

Sandoway Discovery Center (Delray Beach)

A little gem hidden in a historic home:

  • Touch tanks with sea creatures including sting rays
  • Exhibits about Florida wildlife
  • Nurse sharks in the old outdoor pool!

Palm Beach Zoo

A lush, scenic zoo with:

  • Plenty of paths to explore with unique sculptures and bridges
  • Climbing/interactive areas for kids
  • Beautiful tropical animal habitats
  • Friendly zoo staff who share animal facts

Manatee Lagoon (West Palm Beach)

A free, manatee-themed learning center next to warm water outflows. Many visitors see dozens of manatees here — just not us on our particular visit! Even without manatees, the exhibits are worth a stop.

Tiger Shark Cove Park (Wellington)

A huge, imaginative playground with themed areas including mermaids, sharks, and a pirate ship. Scaled-down play spaces for toddlers too

Where to Eat (Kid-Approved)

And if you’re up for browsing or window-shopping, don’t miss:

  • Mizner Park (Boca)
  • Delray Marketplace
    Both are outdoor malls with open spaces for kids to run, restaurants with outdoor seating, and sometimes live music.

Helpful Travel Tips for Visiting South Florida with Kids

  • Traveling during winter or spring break? Expect crowds + higher prices
  • For flights:
    • Book early to score better deals
    • Be flexible with airports: consider West Palm, Fort Lauderdale, or Miami (or even Orlando) depending on price
    • Look into 1-way tickets — sometimes they’re cheaper than round-trip
  • Use travel points:
    • We favor flexible points (Chase, Amex, Capital One), so we can transfer to different hotel or airline partners.
    • Hyatt Place is often a sweet spot for hotels — decent points cost + kid-friendly amenities.
    • Use credit card travel portals, free night certificates, and browser tools like Rakuten for extra savings.
  • If you want a points deep dive (how we do it for a family of 5), just let me know and I’d happily do a full episode on that!
  • Learn more about travel points from 10x Travel or Points Talk Squad

Listen to the Full Episode

Adventures with Kids: Boca, Delray, and West Palm Beach
→ Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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