When it’s time to get some sand between your toes, here are some tips on where to go.

Beach parks

Like all things in beautiful south Florida, parking lots of popular places fill up fast. Earlier arrivals are best. If you have a car and you want to park, you’ve got to plan. Go early, go late, or plan to be patient.

Most beaches are open at sunrise and stay open until after sunset.

Depending on your interests, there is a beach for you. See Find Your Beach in Palm Beach County and see the Discover Palm Beaches map. The Oasis is in south Palm Beach county.

Paid parking

Most beach parks collect fees for parking your vehicle. Download the Park Mobile app for contactless paid parking $1.50/hr. Tip: Take a picture of your license tag so you can enter the plate number in the app or at the parking kiosk.

Oceanfront Park in Boynton Beach

Distance: 3 miles

Our “home” beach is Boynton Beach Oceanfront Park. It’s the closest beach and it’s also the beach park with best amenities. Splurge on the blue umbrellas and chairs, just sit in one and the Oceanside Beach Services attendant will come to you. It’s your vacation, after all!

Delray Public Beach

Distance: 7 miles

This stretch of oceanfront has 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of coastline and is busy with over 3 million beach visitors every year. This 7,000-foot (2,133 m) beach has designated areas for swimming, surfing, volleyball, sailing, wind surfing, snorkeling, and kite flying. Delray Municipal Beach is a favorite destination for many visitors and locals. An active pedestrian sidewalk and pavilion are close to many restaurants and famous Atlantic Ave. You can find metered parking along A1A and in lots at two parks on the south end: Sandoway Lot and Anchor Park. Oceanside Beach services are here too so just bring your flip flops. Check it out before you go on the Delray Beach web cam. The city website helps you find parking.

Atlantic Dunes Park in Delray Beach

Distance: 9 miles

Another favorite beach destination is Atlantic Dunes Park in Delray Beach, just north of Linton Blvd. I like this quiet beach. There is metered parking across street, or limited handicapped parking on the beach side. Bathrooms and showers on the beach side. Yes, the blue umbrellas and chair services offered by Oceanside Beach Services are here too.

Red Reef Park in Boca Raton

Distance: 14 miles

The 40-acre premier beach park in our area is also pricey with a $20 parking fee. A beautiful 2-mile shaded boardwalk meanders along many beach access points. Beautiful white sand, artificial reefs for snorkeling, and Oceanside Beach Services. I sometimes splurge and go to Red Reef Park for a special beach day.

Free beach parking

Go early (before 9:00am) during season to secure a space

Boynton Beach Inlet Park

Distance: 4 miles

With plenty of parking for the beach or the intracoastal, Boynton Beach Inlet Park is a nice local beach where you can sit on the sand, swim in the sea, or just get out of your car and walk out on the piers and walk up in the observation tower. On the intracoastal side of the park, take some time to sit at a table, see the shallow water and nifty driftwood trees, and watch fishing boats going in and out. On the ocean side, go see the pier fishermen cut up their catch and the pelicans beg for food. This is a nice beach for swimming and sand enjoyment. We’ve seen manatees and dolphins here. Sign up for Sea Angels beach cleanup on the last Saturday of each month.

Ocean Ridge Hammock Park

Distance: 3 miles

Take a nature beach walk at Ocean Ridge Hammock, I like to collect small shells here. The path to the beach is a shaded crushed shell walkway through a wooded hammock, a grand example of the natural south Florida landscape. With just a few dozen free parking spots, there is a shower in the parking lot, but no restrooms.

Gulfstream Park in Boynton Beach

Distance: 3.9 miles

A modest beach park with a 600-foot beach. Scenic and lovely because of the trees, playground, and picnic areas. The 6.8-acre Gulfstream Park is a local beach park paradise. With a natural appeal, there are two beach access points, showers, restrooms, lots of picnic areas and grills. Insider tip: A nice bench at the north beach access provides a lookout seat where you can watch the ocean without getting on the sand. I recommend this park for a delightful sand and sea outing.

Phipps Ocean Park in Palm Beach

Two entrances (south and north) to this little gem nestled between other crowded beaches. Just a few people use this beach, especially during early morning hours before 11am. Parking $5/hr.

Tip: Limited free parking by the tennis courts from 8am-1pm.

Palm Beach county’s natural treasures

In South Florida, every month is a great month to explore the outdoors! Visit Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management to learn all the ways you can enjoy the great outdoors.

Snorkeling and scuba diving

Check out West Palm Beach snorkeling tours.

If you have snorkel gear, there are plenty of options for getting in the ocean. Head over to Peanut Island for an authentic experience of tropical island living.

Snorkel at high tide on the underwater snorkeling trail at Phil Foster Park at the Blue Heron Bridge in Riviera Beach. This world-class diving destination is popular, so arrive early to find parking, or plan on walking a ways.

Snorkel anytime at the reefs on Singer Island, just off the Riviera Municipal Beach public beach park. You can park free and walk through the shopping center to the beach. After your swim, you can listen to live music, eat, and drink at Two Drunken Goats beach cantina or Johnny Longboats, a Florida Coast landmark. Detailed directions for parking and swimming the reef here.

Snorkel at high tide at the tiny reefs (rocks, really) at Gulfstream Park and Ocean Inlet park.

For full service scuba diving and snorkeling, we have many professional dive shops, choose from Splash Down Divers, Boynton Beach Dive Center, and others.

Deep sea fishing

Local tackle store is Boynton Fisherman’s Supply at 618 North Federal Highway, Boynton Beach, FL. Get your fishing license, bait, and local information. Call (561) 736-0568 to talk to the locals at this tackle store (or better yet, visit in person)‎ for details on fishing. We buy worms at this tackle store to guarantee a catch when we fish off of the dock. It’s been a while since we’ve done fishing at the Oasis, so ask in advance if you want us to provide poles and tackle (we can likely borrow).

Day fishing options abound.

• Popular fishing aboard Lady K Deep Sea Drift Fishing Boat 314 East Ocean Avenue, Lantana, FL 33462 (561) 588-7612 ‎ Bar Jack Fishing
• Go local with Sea Mist III Driftboat 700 Casa Loma Boulevard, Boynton Beach, FL 33435 (561) 732-9974 or (888) 829-7488  ‎ Sea Mist III

Both boats have two 4-hour trips daily (8am and 1pm), choose a flat ocean day for the best experience.