Boca Raton Things to Do

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Mizner Park is a three block long self-styled " lifestyle " center incorporating an upscale shopping mall, multiple dining establishments, rental apartments and commercial offices, and a cultural center as well as a multiplex cinema. The architectural style is Mediterranean with a wide median down the main thoroughfare with walkways, palm trees, gazebos, and fountains. Constructed in the late 1980's and early 1990's, it replaced a failed conventional enclosed mall.

The shopping includes the anticipated offerings, some local stores and others national and international names with clothing and accessory stores dominating, spiced up by a pet boutique and a large jewelry store. Restaurants include American, French, Mexican, and Italian offerings ( no bars ) with scattered yogurt and ice creams stores, optometrist, and other outliers. At the north end of the complex lies the cultural center which includes an art museum and the 4200 capacity Count de Hoernle amphitheatre, a state of the art venue offering a full gamut of concerts and shows from classic to rock.

At the entrance to the museum is the bronze statue entitled Space Station by Cuban sculptor Julio Larraz. A coffee pot sits atop a skewed column of coffee cups, a humorous appraisal of Latin American politics as a structure ready to collapse because of its own instabilities.

Mizner Park offers a nice way to pass several hours wandering through the stores, stopping for a bit of sustenance, and perhaps picking up some culture at the art museum.

The Count and Countess de Hoernle are local philanthropists who contribute significantly to local and regional causes. The Amphitheatre stages and hosts a wide variety of cultural events through the year. It is located adjacent to the Boca Raton Museum of Art in Mizner Park. Guests over the last few years have ranged from Lynard Skynard to Sir Salmon Rushdie to Duran Duran to Itzhak Perlman.

A large tent is erected over the grass for major events at the amphitheatre.

Emphasis on post World War II American art - and many interesting contemporary pieces by artists of the last quarter century. Indoors the museum is much more interesting than you might be led to expect if you judge look at it from its exterior.

Free parking is nice!

located just north of the boca raton city limits in delray beach is the atlantic dunes beach park. this beautiful beach has metered parking for $1 per hour. this beach is a good alternative to the expensive boca raton city beach parks.

red reef beach park is one of the city of boca raton's beach parks. what makes this beach park unique is red reef just off the beach which offers excellent snorkeling. boca raton city parks are very expensive. if you are just going to the beach for bathing and sunning i would suggest south inlet park to the south or delray beach park to the north. in the city of boca raton parking is $16 during the week and $18 on holidays and weekends.

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The beaches are gorgeous and well maintained. If you are staying near Ocean Drive or A1A, most of the access is limited because of lack of parking except at the public areas. This creates a real sense of privacy in some beach areas.
There are public beaches where you will see more of a crowd but not like SOBE.

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The Japanese garden that dates from 1905, when an entrepreneurial farmer, Jo Sakai, came to Boca Raton to build a tropical agricultural community. The Yamato Colony, as it was known, was short-lived; by the 1920s, only one tenacious colonist remained: George Sukeji Morikami. But Morikami was quite successful, eventually running one of the largest pineapple plantations in the area. The 200-acre Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, which opened to the public in 1977, was Morikami's gift to Palm Beach County and the state of Florida. A stroll through the garden is almost a mile long. An artificial waterfall that cascades into a koi- and carp-filled moat; a small rock garden for meditation; and a large bonsai collection with miniature maple, buttonwood, juniper, and Australian pine trees are all worth contemplation. There's also a cafe with an Asian-inspired menu and gift shop.

The Festival which is held at the Count de Hoernle Amphitheater features the best of the best in classical, opera, jazz, Latin music and literature. Last year we heard Anna Quinlin of the NY Times speak.

Runs March 1-11.

Returning favorites for 2008 include the National Russian Orchestra, in demand worldwide and at major international music festivals (Edinburgh, Lucerne, and Sydney) under the direction of Teodor Currentzis, Music Director of Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre; along with one of the most celebrated international conductors of all time, Claus Peter Flor who has appeared regularly with some of the most recognized music ensembles in the world (Vienna Symphony, Orchestra de Paris, London Symphony, and Orchestra de Milan.)

Featured returning soloists for 2008 will include: internationally acclaimed baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, cellist Nina Kotova, and flutists Lady Jeanne and Sir James Galway.

Jazz artists scheduled to appear include: Chick Corea, Pat Metheny and Gary Burton.