Red Reef Park-Boca Raton

There’s no shortage of things to do in Boca Raton. There are so many things to do that it can often be hard to choose. If you’re looking for a super clean, easily accessible, and family-friendly Boca Raton beach, the 67-acre Red Reef Park is the perfect pick. Although the park itself can be accessed for free, there is a $16 vehicle entry fee per vehicle on weekdays, however, this fee becomes $18 on weekends. Still, that’s not at all bad for a full day of fun.

 

As far as hours, Red Reef Park is open from 8 AM to 10 PM every single day including Sundays, and can be found at 14000 N Ocean Blvd, roughly a 15-minute walk from our amenity-filled suites located right across the street from the Mizner Park lifestyle center. Snorkeling is one of the most popular activities at Red Reef Park. It’s easy to enjoy your day knowing Ocean Rescue staff members and lifeguards are watching over you and your family seven days a week, every day of the year, so that you can feel confident you will be protected in case of an emergency. As far as undersea exploration goes, Reef Reef Park is a popular snorkeling destination for several reasons. For starters, the Park features an elaborate man-made reef located right off the beach, making it an easy destination to reach for swimmers of all experience levels.

 

Along the way, you’re guaranteed to run into some sort of sea critters, including eels, snooks, barracudas, and hundreds of other types of fish. In addition to the coral reef itself, you will find a colorful display of sea creatures and vegetation surrounding it, such as sponges and coral. The only downside to the entire Red Reef Park snorkeling experience is that there is no on-site equipment rental. You can, however, prepare for your trip by stopping at a Walgreens or any number of tour stops along the way.

There is also the Red Reef Park Executive Golf Course, located at 1221 N. Ocean Blvd, which is a 9-hole, 1357-yard executive-style public course minutes away from Red Reef Park beach. With a timelessly elegant design, this course offers all the amenities you could possibly need, such as electric and pull cart rentals, vending machines, on-course bathrooms, advance tee times, and practice green. In addition to offering some fun and casual courses for golfers of all experience levels, the Red Reef Park Executive Golf Course also has some breathtaking scenery. The course is backed by a magnificent stretch of Intracoastal Waterway, and many games take place near Red Reef’s spectacular dunes.

 

Throughout, you will find plenty of trees and other greenery that are sure to be well-maintained by the helpful staff. Red Reef Park golf course was designed with beginning to intermediate players in mind, so those looking for a more challenging experience might want to consider some of the many other golf courses Boca has to offer. There are also membership options available, ranging from regular annual memberships to special membership packages for seniors and youth.

 

On the other side, Red Reef Park also offers a nature center and trails open to the public every day from 9 AM to 4 PM. The park also features a popular boardwalk path, complete with seating areas where you can take a break if needed. Here, you will have plenty of opportunities to observe endangered wildlife such as loggerhead sea turtles, manatees, gopher tortoises, American eels, and American crocodiles in their natural habitats.

 

As far as Red Reef Park fishing goes, surf fishing is one of the destination’s biggest draws. With comprehensive Intracoastal access to a no-wake boating area, park visitors can come and fish comfortably from many parts of the beach. However, there are some designated swimming areas where surf fishing isn’t allowed but these spots can be easily avoided by following signs or simply asking any of the on-duty staff. The clear waters are yet another reason why Red Reef Park fishing is such a popular pastime for tourists and locals alike, as is the diversity of marine life in those waters. Barracuda, snooks, marlins, bonefish, blue runners, and countless other varieties of saltwater game fish are bountiful year-round in the waters of South Florida, and many of these species find their way into Red Reef. Just don’t forget to bring the bait.

 

Construction of a new recreational snorkel reef at Red Reef Park has been completed, enhancing the park’s current reef into an extended snorkeling trail for beachgoers. Red Reef Park already features a snorkeling area that consists of six artificial reef modules located just offshore at the southern end of the park. The new reef added over 14 additional modules constructed with 12-18 limestone boulders to create a larger recreational area for snorkeling. The City’s contractor utilized a barge and crane to place the artificial reef modules in the same vicinity just offshore. Once colonized, the new reef is expected to attract fish species like those that currently exist in the area, including Sergeant Majory, Parrotfish, Bar Jack, Spottail Pinfish, Molly Miller, and more. The project was completed in early September 2021.

 

Following that, the City Council is preparing a revised Master Plan, Report, and Recommendations for Red Reef Park, which includes the unique Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. The Master Plan will address the Park’s existing facilities, structures, uses, and demands, as well as operation and maintenance procedures, and will then recommend suitable modifications, improvements, enhancements, and additional potential uses. In addition, the Master Plan will include opinions on probable costs for recommended capital improvements, modifications, repairs, renovations, or operational maintenance recommendations. Items of the facilities to be analyzed include, but are not limited to, buildings, pavements, sidewalks, landscaping, boardwalks, dune crossovers, lifeguard facilities, parking control systems, and all related infrastructure.

 

It is anticipated that some tasks will be required due to normal deterioration, while others may be the result of aesthetic considerations or requirements to maintain existing levels of service. Both interior and exterior building features may be considered as well as a review and recommendations of potential new buildings and facilities to accommodate existing and future demands of the uses of each element of Red Reef Park. In addition, there are plans for audio-visual presentations on various topics from coral reefs to sea turtles. This Nature Center and Education Center project is scheduled to be completed by 2022.