Boca Raton is a hugely popular tourist destination, and rightfully so. Boca Raton is viewed as a high end shopping, dining and entertainment destination. Boca Raton deserves to be a vacation destination for thousands of tourists each year.
Boca offers ups some of the best beaches, restaurants, bars and shops in Palm Beach County. One thing is for sure, Boca Raton is not the cheapest place to visit. Are you on a budget and visiting Boca Raton trying to figure out what to do? Don’t worry, there are plenty of things to do in Boca Raton when you’re on a budget. Here are my top 5 budget friendly destinations in Boca Raton, FL. This list is in no particular order.
1. Daggerwing Nature Center – 11435 Park Access Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33498 – (561) 629-8760
The Daggerwing Nature Center is easily one of my favorite destinations in Boca Raton. “Daggerwing Nature Center is set within the beautiful confines of Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park in western Boca Raton. Features include a 3,000 sq ft. exhibit hall with live animals and interactive state-of-the-art exhibits, classroom facilities, laboratory, lobby, reading area, and an elevated boardwalk which takes you on a relaxing journey through a swamp.
The boardwalk has two trails, bench-style seating, as well as an observation tower available for you to view the abundant plant and animal life including: osprey, woodpeckers, butterflies, endangered wood storks, alligators, and a wide variety of bromeliads. Be sure not to miss our namesake, the Ruddy Daggerwing butterfly, as it flutters through the trees! Nature Center staff offer a variety of educational, interactive programs to people of all ages. Click on the links at the top left of this page and check out all of our opportunities!”
2. Spanish River Park – 3001 N. State Road A-1-A, Boca Raton, FL 33431 – (561) 393-7815
Easily my favorite beach/park in Boca Raton. Spanish River Park has a little bit of something for everyone on the 94.4 acres that it covers. Open everyday from 8am to sunset visitors will have to try very hard to be bored here. With a gorgeous beach, picnic pavilions, playgrounds, bike trails, amazing bird watching, a volley ball court, overnight camping, inter-coastal fishing, kayaking and much more.
The quiet walks and shaded area are favored haunts for a wide variety of small birds. On occasion, larger and more spectacular wading birds are observed along the lagoon and inter-coastal Waterway. All you’re responsible for is a small parking fee, an amazing way to spend a day off with family and friends.
3. Boca Raton Museum of Art – 501 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, FL 33432 – (561) 392-2500
For those of you that prefer some nice air conditioning, check out The Boca Raton Museum of Art. It is a 44,000 square foot facility has gained international recognition since it opened in 2007.
“The Boca Museum of Art features an assortment of traveling exhibitions and permanent collections from established and rising artists. It offers educational programs, artist lectures, films, classes for children, and events.The museums see more than 200,000 patrons annually, making it a major cultural institution in Boca Raton and the surrounding area. The museum promotes sketching in the galleries and even provides clipboards, sketch books, and pencils at the front desk.”
With pieces from some amazing artists from around the world including Eric Fischl, Adolf Dehn, Bill Crawford, Wolf Kahn, Jules Cheret and many more; you can easily get lost in this museum for hours. The museum’s is full of public programs include artist presentations, family activities, and more than 100 classes per week at its studio Art School. Kids and students are free, adults are only $12.
4. Sugar Sand Park – 300 South Military Trail Boca Raton, FL 33486 – (561) 347-3900
Sugar Sand Park is an amazing place for adults and kids to relax and have some fun! This 132 acre parks feature a children’s science explorium, a carousel, science playground nature trails and the Willow Theatre. There are multiple pavilions to rent, plenty of grass to toss a Frisbee around in and a variety of classes and programs for adults and kids.
With Halloween right around the corner, they have “Shriek Week” going on to celebrate the holiday. Prices vary depending on what you are going for, on most visits I haven’t spent more than $20 for my wife and I.
5. Mizner Park 327 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, FL 33432
Not so much a park as it is an open air shopping center with a variety of restaurants, an amphitheater, shops and an amazing movie theater; there is plenty to do. Now don’t get me wrong, Mizner Park can get very expensive if you plan on going there for an entire day, watching three movies at iPic and getting lunch and dinner.
But for a night out you can have a great time for under $50. Grab some food at one of the various delicious restaurants, head for some dessert at the local ice cream shop and end the night with some quiet time on a bench near the fountain.
Mary says
It’s great to know there are some fun inexpensive things to do in Boca I’m new to the area and found your info . helpful