Delray Beach is a small city on the Atlantic coast of Palm Beach County, halfway between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach and effectively the most walkable beach town in southeast Florida. The centre is Atlantic Avenue, a mile-long pedestrian-friendly street of restaurants, galleries, and shops that runs from the Intracoastal Waterway straight down to a wide, well-kept beach.
The town was originally settled in the 1890s by Black pioneers from the Bahamas and white farmers from the Midwest — much of that early history is preserved in the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum and along West Settlers Historic District. Today Delray feels prosperous and outwardly low-key, with a population that mixes long-time Floridians, snowbirds, and a sizeable Jewish community that fled New York for the sunshine in the 1980s.
What sets Delray apart from its neighbours is the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, an inland complex built around a 1905 community of Japanese pineapple farmers — and one of the most peculiar and rewarding museums in Florida. Add to that an active arts and gallery scene around Pineapple Grove, several genuine historic buildings (the 1864 Blue Anchor pub was shipped here from London in pieces), the surprising Silverball Museum with hundreds of playable pinball machines, and a beach that is far less crowded than Miami's.
It is busy in season (December through April) and quiet in summer when the heat and humidity build. Most of the bars and restaurants are within easy walking distance of each other along Atlantic Avenue; the beach is a short walk east. There is a Tri-Rail stop at the western edge of town for connections to Miami and West Palm.