Boca Raton, FL

Real estate developer Addison Mizner had a grand vision for Boca Raton in the 1920s as the Venice of Florida, complete with gondolas and a cathedral. While his development plans never came entirely to fruition, a spectacular pink palace of a hotel he built still stands as the Boca Raton Resort and the town remains dotted with well-preserved, Mediterranean-style buildings from that almost-Golden Age.

Today Boca Raton is home to about 86,000 residents, with about 200,000 in the surrounding area. While it's long been a retirement haven for Northeasterners, it's also home to a sizeable population of university students.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Boca Raton residents tend to work in service industries. Major employers in the city include:

• Sun Capital Partners, private investment firm.
• The Geo Group, a manager of private detention facilities.
• Florida Atlantic University, a state university serving 27,000 students.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Boca Raton is a city of homeowners mostly, with about 75 percent of the houses owner-occupied. Some of the important districts are:

• Downtown: The featured attraction here is Mizner Park, an open-air shopping mall with decorative walkways, a fountain and amphitheater.
• Beaches: Boca Raton opens on to some beautiful public beaches on the Atlantic, Red Reef Park and South Beach-where surf fishing and snorkeling are favorite pastimes-and Spanish River Park on the Intracoastal Waterway, where there is beautiful hiking through shady thickets.

BEST BETS

• Gumbo Limbo Nature Center: A small, South Florida nature center, Gumbo Limbo offers guided tours and learning experiences about Florida wildlife. The center is located on both ocean and intra-coastal waters with different ecosystems. Attractions include an open-air butterfly garden, a tower to climb, a native chiki hut and tanks with marine life including turtles, fish, sharks and rays.
• Coconut Cove Water Park: Slides, pools and a lazy river beckon sunbathers nearly year-round. With the exception of a month or two deemed too cold for swimming, this city-run water park is the hub of outdoor activities.
• Children's Museum of Boca Raton: The museum offers interactive learning that exercises a child's imagination. Exhibits include traditional costumes from foreign countries, and activities include archeology, running a bank and creating an art gallery. The museum is set in a pioneer home in Boca Raton.
• Boomer's: Laser tag, go-carts, rock wall, ball pit, miniature golf, bowling and a huge game room entertain guests here.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• Boca Raton Museum of Art: The museum features exhibitions and hosts an art school and lectures for children, teens and adults. The gallery hosts a number of annual events, including competitions, festivals and galas.
• Mizner Park: The amphitheater at Mizner Park hosts a range of events. Families are encouraged to bring a blanket and popcorn for evening movies or find a grassy seat to enjoy major concert and theatrical tours.
• International Museum of Cartoon Art: Honoring the cartoonist's art, from comic strips to comic books to animation.

FAMILY FUN

The government of Boca Raton oversees a Recreation Services Department, with the goal of promoting outdoor fitness and leisure opportunities among the city's inhabitants. The department supervises the maintenance and upkeep of the city's numerous park and outdoor areas. Some of the more popular recreation spots and facilities managed by the city include the Boca Raton Municipal Golf Course, Palmetto Dune Park and the Boca Raton Dog Park. The Recreation Services Department is also responsible for the city's library, located in the downtown area.

EVENTS

• Outdoor Juried Art Festival: More than 250 artists show their works at this festival.
• Green Market: A weekly, outdoor market offering everything from herbs to candles, wind chimes to jewelry.
• Holiday Street and Boat Parade: The parade features local groups, bands and officials.

EDUCATION

• Florida Atlantic University: This state school was primarily a commuter school catering to adult students, but in recent years has added a large number of student apartments and dorms for on-campus living.
• Palm Beach Community College: Located on the Florida Atlantic University Campus, PBCC offers associate degrees.
• Lynn University: Lynn University is a private, liberal-arts school serving more than 2,000 students.
• Digital Media Arts College: A highly specialized school offering degrees in media arts such as graphic design, digital animation and special effects.
• Everglades University: Offering courses including business administration, aviation science, management and alternative medicine, the university caters primarily to adult students, with some courses taught solely online.

GETTING AROUND

• Boca Raton Airport: The Boca Raton Airport is located halfway between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, just west of Florida Atlantic University.

LOCAL MEDIA

• WSBR 740 AM (money-talk radio)
• WBZT 1230 (talk station)
• WJNO 1290 (news radio)

• WKIS 99.9 FM (country)
• WAYF 88.1 FM (Christian hit radio)
• WXEL 90.7 (a locally-produced magazine show)
• WRLX 92.1 (soft favorites)
• WEAT 104.3 (today's hits and yesterday's favorites)
• WIRK 107.9 (country music)

• Boca Magazine
• Boca Raton Times
• West Boca Raton Times
• Boca News
• Sun-Sentinel
• Palm Beach Post