Going to Delray Beach? Here are 12 things to do while you're there

Have you been to Delray Beach recently? If you have you know how much there is to do, if not, there's no time like the present to find out everything you've been missing.

One of Palm Beach County's absolute 'must visit' cities, Delray Beach features a beautiful vibrant downtown, bordered by historic neighborhoods and homes and has a dining scene that's nothing short of amazing with new restaurants opening regularly.

Atlantic Avenue is where most of the action starts. The avenue and its adjoining streets are home to dozens of great places to grab a drink, enjoy a sweet treat or relax with cup of gourmet coffee. Additionally, there venues that offer live music, plays, movie screenings and much more.

Don't forget to check out Delray's beautiful beaches, with plenty of public parking, wildlife areas, mountain biking trails, and even a place to play pinball.

In Delray Beach? Here are 11 things you should put on your bucket list:

Take a stroll at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens

Need to get away from it all? This is just the place. Opened in 1977, the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens has long been the center for Japanese arts and culture in South Florida. The property west of Interstate 95, offers 16-acres of get-away-from-everything and can help reset your mind with strolling paths, resting areas with magnificent views, lakes teeming with koi and even a waterfall (a rarity in South Florida - granted, it's manmade). There's also another 200 acres of nature trails through pine forests. Head indoors to the museum to see any one of the many rotating exhibits or even tea ceremonies. Hungry? The Cornell Cafe has lakeside terraces to dine along.

Play some pinball at Silverball Retro Arcade

Fancy yourself a pinball wizard? Feel the need to get those flippers flipping whenever you hear the classic song, but lament the fact that you can hardly find a game anymore? Then get over to the Silverball Retro Arcade and get happy! This bastion of classic cool features hundreds of pinball machines. More of an 80s gamer? You're also in luck as they have Donkey Kong, Frogger, Spacelab, Millipede, Missile Command, Space Invaders, Asteroids and many more. The arcade also offers food, drinks and can accommodate groups for parties.

Visit Old School Square

Located at the corner of Atlantic and Swinton Avenues, this National Historic Site is in the heart of downtown Delray Beach. It features a collection of beautifully-restored, early 20th century school buildings that include the Cornell Art Museum and the Crest Theatre. It is the focal point for visual and performing arts in the city offering concerts, plays, movie screenings and other events. It is largely regarded as having been the catalyst for 1990s renaissance of downtown Delray Beach.

Spend an evening at Arts Garage

Founded in 2011, the Arts Garage has served as a cultural destination for the city, with both gallery and performance space as well as programming that includes classes for the public. See live music, plays, musicals, spoken word events, comedy, visual arts and more at this venue that brings in local, emerging artists along with established global performers. In one month, the Arts Garage offers a range that can include comedy open mic one night, a Miami-based jazz band, a Linda Ronstadt tribute band, poetry open mic, a Tony-nominated Broadway performer and a student production of a current Broadway musical. There's something for everyone.

Catch (or play) some great tennis at the Delray Beach Tennis Center

The Delray Beach Tennis Center stadium was built in 1992 and has hosted matches for the Fed Cup and Davis Cup. It currently hosts the Delray Beach Open. Tennis phenom Coco Gauff's father (and coach) grew up just blocks from the courts. "A lot of legacy here," Cori Gauff told the Palm Beach Post in March 2024. "If they didn't have these courts, I might not have played. I learned how to play tennis right here." When she was about 5 years old, his daughter hit her first ball there. For years, the stadium was host to the Chris Evert Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic, an event that drew many other big names both on and off the court. The center is a public tennis facility with 14 clay courts, 4 hard courts and 8 pickleball courts. It is also home to an 8,200-seat stadium with a pro-shop and pavilion. The venue hosts clinics and camps as well as programming for adults, juniors and league play.

Go walking and birding in the Wakodahatchee Wetlands

Get in touch with nature at this park that was created from 50 acres of unused utility land and transformed into recreational wetlands. Wakodahatchee is open to the public and features a three-quarter mile boardwalk that cross crosses open water pond areas, emergent marsh areas, and islands with shrubs and snags to foster nesting and roosting for birds. Though the walk through is relatively short, guests will be amazed at the amount of wildlife they will encounter. Over 150 species of birds have been spotted inside the park, including wood stork, pied-billed grebe, snowy egrets, and black-bellied whistling ducks. The park is also home to turtles, alligators, rabbits, frogs, and raccoons.

Mountain bike in West Delray Regional Park

No mountains in South Florida? No problem. Mountain biking aficionados can hit the trails at West Delray Regional Park, get an adrenaline rush and (as the late, great Richard Simmons might encourage) feel the burn as they race through the five-mile, intermediate-level loop.

Head to the beach, Delray Public Beach

Delray Beach has earned more than one accolade over the years for its wide sandy shores and its proximity to so many other draws.

Yes, there are no shortage of beaches in Palm Beach County, but Delray Beach has a particularly wide and welcoming shoreline that has been named more than once in various state and national listings for best beach destinations. The city's public beach sits at the foot of Atlantic Avenue on the east side of A1A and is monitored by city lifeguards. Parking is sometimes a challenge, but once you manage that, at least, dining isn't a problem, sitting just across the street or down the block.

Details: Delray Public Beach, 400 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach

Mark your calendar for Delray Affair

This annual springtime event turned 63 in April 2025 and though it's technically at retirement age, the Delray Affair shows no signs of slowing down. One of the largest arts and crafts festivals in the United States, this three-day event covers 10 city blocks and features an eclectic mix of art, great crafts and funky products from over 500 artists. There's also live music each year.

Stroll Atlantic Avenue

Along with Las Olas, Clematis and a maybe a few others, this is one of the "destination streets" in South Florida. Exit 52 east off Interstate 95 takes you straight to the heart of Delray Beach via Atlantic Avenue, a thoroughfare that runs to the ocean, the most hopping stretch begins just east of the Delray Beach Tennis Center and continues non-stop for roughly a mile. Along the way, visitors have their pick of some of the best restaurants in the area, great shopping and more. Some of the newest restaurants that have recently opened include Gabriella's, Novecento, Gesto and Bourbon Steak.

Meet a stingray at Sandoway Discovery Center

Don't miss the shark feeding at Sandoway Discovery Center.

This historical home is an award-winning nature center located along the ocean. It features shark and stingray feedings, aquariums with coral reefs, interactive educational exhibits and more to inspire the minds of children, future botanists, oceanographers and marine biologists.

Pineapple Grove Arts District

Pineapple Grove in Delray Beach, Florida on December 6, 2023.

Submerge yourself in Delray Beach's art scene by heading to this district where you'll find murals, sculptures and vibrant art galleries. Located just off of Atlantic Avenue on NE Second Avenue, the district is also home to shops, restaurants and Artists Alley. You’ll also find the Arts Garage, Chamber of Commerce and the Hyatt Place Hotel in the Grove.

Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at [email protected]. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.