Our first stop as we started our road trip north from Miami was just outside of Fort Lauderdale in a small beachside town called Delray Beach, at the Delray Sands Resort.

You can check details and latest rates on Booking.com, Agoda or Expedia or visit their website directly at Delray Sands Resort. Don’t just take our word for it though, check out their reviews on TripAdvisor

Known as a ‘vibrant, intimate town with big city sophistication,’ Delray Beach holds a prime spot right on the Atlantic Ocean, with a long main street running straight down to the beach front, filled with boutique shops, brand names, cool restaurants, fine dining and local bars. The two miles of pristine beaches are aaward-winningand were barely occupied while we were there. It’s a quiet and relaxing place, but certainly not the ‘retirement home’ that people had described it as. When we from our hotel and into downtown Delray, we saw the youth of Delray and plenty of other locals of all locals come out to eat, drink and play in the restaurants, bars and clubs this little hotspot has to offer.

The Delray Sands Resort was a little way out of all the action, a secluded retreat about 10 minutes away in the extremely exclusive Highlands Beach area. Firstly, Delray Sands is the only hotel which enjoys direct, private beach access to Highlands Beach, so the only other way to enjoy that privilege is to rent or buy a home there, just for your holidays, as many others have done. Many of the private houses and mansions along Highlands Beach stand empty for much of the year.

Being right on the beach, there are plenty of spots around the property which enjoy a sea view, including the pool, the hot spa Jacuzzi and the restaurant terrace. As the weather was acting up during our stay, we made plenty of use of the Jacuzzi in between short dips in and out of the sea.

PEOPLE

As I said, we had been told that Delray Beach was only for the elderly and retired, which wasn’t really the case at all. There were people of varying ages from all over the USA and abroad staying in the Delray Beach Resort and the town itself was a lively hive of activity. Everyone we spoke to was genuinely pleased we were there and wanted to tell us all about how much they loved living there.

ACCOMMODATION

Our room was a double room with a king size bed, kind of classic in style, with the studded headboard and giant bolster cushion. It was luxurious, without being over the top or loud. There was plenty of natural light streaming in through the patio doors, which led out onto the balcony, giving us a panoramic view over the pool.

FOOD

We spent our days and evenings exploring outside of the hotel, so we didn’t eat lunch or dinner there, but our daily breakfast was amazing, sitting out on the decked terrace with the beach in front of us in the morning sun. The a la carte breakfast had everything from simple fruit, to home-made muesli, to full cooked breakfasts of bacon, sausages, eggs and waffles…the lot!

AMENITIES

As well as the obvious benefits of being located right on the beach with exclusive access to one of the most desirable beaches in the area, the hotel is equipped with – Beach Chair & Umbrella Rentals, Private Cabanas Available, Beach Food & Beverage Service, Tropical Outdoor Pool, Whirlpool, Children’s Pool, High Speed Internet Access, 24-Hour Fitness Center, Mandatory Valet Parking, Business Center, Latitudes Ocean Grille and Live Weekend Entertainment at Cabanas Oceanside

TIPS

As for a seafront room, because while the view out to the pool is very nice, the view out to the ocean is spectacular!

AREA GUIDE

Dubbed, ‘The Most Fun Small Town in America,’ by Rand McNally & USA Today, there is tonnes to do in Delray Beach for everyone. Get your sports fix and your adrenaline kick, before browsing galleries and museums, then end your day with good food and fine wine!

Museum and Gallery Hopping – Delray Beach has no shortage of art galleries and museums. Check out the Arts Garage to the Cornell Museum of Art & American Culture and catch a stage play at the Delray Beach Playhouse.

Water Sports – An activity which has practically become a local religion in Florida is Stand Up Paddle Boarding, which you can rent all along the beach. There are also plenty of options for kayaking, sailing, even some surfing on a good day.

Historic Bike and Walking Tour – Grab a copy of the historic tour map, then hire a bike from one of several stores in town and get exploring. An independent, self-guided kind of tour!

Culinary Tours – Seemingly quite popular here in Delray Beach, there are a few to choose from, using the local cuisine to help explain some of the histories of Delray Beach (and vice versa)

Note: This trip wouldn’t have been possible without the help and support of Visit Florida, the official tourism office of Florida in Tallahassee, and especially Ms. Summer Gilhousen, who arranged the whole trip and coordinated with all the local tourism boards, private companies for our sponsored hotel stays, tours and car rental (all opinions and text are all mine) Thank you!

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