Located just south of Boca Raton and just north of Fort Lauderdale, the city of Deerfield Beach is a vacationer’s dream. Visitors can get their fill of nature at Deerfield Island Park, which is home to mangrove swamps and manatees, or try their hand at paddleboarding or even cable water skiing at Island Water Sports or Ski Rixen at Quiet Waters Park. Shopping, history, art, culture, and some incredible restaurants will round out the experience and make for a great, fun Florida vacation.
1. Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier
Clocking in at nearly one thousand feet long, the Deerfield Beach International Fishing pier is hard to miss. It stretches out into the ocean and is almost always dotted with fishermen looking for a bite as well as visitors strolling along the boardwalk of the dock for a picturesque view overlooking the coast or the Atlantic Ocean. The pier was recently renovated, and besides people fishing and sightseeing, it is also home to the pier shop, where visitors can rent fishing rods and other fishing equipment, or purchase bait and tackle as well as souvenirs like tshirts.
200 NE 21st Ave, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, Phone: 954-480-4407
2. Quiet Waters Park
Quiet Waters Park is located inland from the oceanic coast, but the waters in the name are still applicable, in this case referring to several lakes. The park itself is approximately 431 acres of land and water, and is commonly frequented by boaters and people who want to try watersports such as cable water skiing, which can be done at Ski Rixen. Quiet Waters Park is also home to some noisier waters in the form of Splash Adventure Water Park, which features waterslides and an aquatic playground. There are 27 campsites at Quiet Waters Park, including several teepees, and visitors can opt to rent a tent if they didn’t bring their own.
401 Powerline Rd, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, Phone: 954-357-5100
3. Island Water Sports
Since 1978, Island Water Sports has been teaching visitors and locals alike in Deerfield Beach how to get the most from their water sports experiences. At Island Water Sports, visitors can learn how to surf, skim, and stand up paddleboard (SUP) with guided lessons, which are free at the bright and early hour of 7am every Saturday morning, or rent equipment and head out onto the water on their own. Besides the experiences themselves, Island Water Sports is also a surf shop, where customers can browse and purchase an excellent selection of gear, clothing, and accessories for watersports and skateboarding.
1985 NE 2nd St, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, Phone: 954-427-4929
4. Deerfield Island Park
Deerfield Island Park is, as the name suggests, an island, and can only be accessed by boat. There is a free ferry that takes visitors to and from the mainland every hour during the day on weekends, but visitors can also take a private boat to the park and use one of the six available slips. Deerfield island Park is not large, at only about 423 acres, but it is beautiful, full of mangrove swamps and two walking trails that have boardwalks and platforms for walking and observation. Wildlife in Deerfield Island Park includes manatees, armadillos, tortoises, and a variety of birds, some of which migrate to the area in the winter and some of which are indigenous.
1720 Deerfield Island Park, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, Phone: 954-357-5100
5. Deerfield Beach Arboretum
The Deerfield Beach Arboretum aims to preserve trees from all over the world within its grounds, which serve as a beautiful sanctuary and an incredible oasis within the bounds of its urban surroundings. There are over two hundred different species of trees within the Arboretum, over one hundred of which are palms, which are native to Florida’s hot, humid climate. The Arboretum also contains a rain forest area with tropical plants and features, aimed at educating visitors about rainforest preservation. There is a half-mile long walking trail through the Deerfield Beach Arboretum which provides a perfect excuse for a scenic, peaceful stroll.
66-124 Deer Creek Rd, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, Phone: 954-480-4494
6. Ski Rixen - Deerfield Beach
Cable water skiing is pretty rare—there are less than a hundred facilities in the world—and Deerfield Beach has one of them. Ski Rixen is a water sports facility located within Quiet Waters Park, where visitors can go wakeboarding or water skiing on the quiet waters of a lake, using a state of the art European-style cable water ski system, which pulls users over the glassy, smooth surface of the lake without all the bumps and waves of being pulled behind a boat. It makes learning how to do watersports a breeze, and even experienced water skiers will love it because it presents a great opportunity to practice some tricks in a safe environment. Users can even surf without waves.
401 Powerline Rd, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, Phone: 954-429-0215
7. The Butler House - Deerfield Beach Historical Society
The historic Butler House in Deerfield beach is home to the Deerfield Beach Historical Society. The house itself was built in 1923 and was constructed in a Mediterranean style, with a terracotta tile roof and walls built from hollow tile. The house contains a lot of original furnishings from its original owners, James and Alice Butler, who lived in the house and deeded it to the historical Society after their deaths in the 1970s. The Deerfield Beach Historical Society holds lots of free events for the public, during many of which they offer free tours of the Butler House.
380 E Hillsboro Blvd, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, Phone: 954-429-0378
8. Oceans 234
Oceans 234 is a lively Deerfield Beach bistro that was originally opened more than half a century ago as the Ranch House mom-and-pop diner. Since 2002, it has been transformed into a hip beachside restaurant helmed by Danielle Rosse, which offers expansive outdoor patio seating overlooking the beautiful Atlantic Ocean coastline. Inventive twists on classic seafood favorites include lobster mac and cheese, blackened mahi mahi with lump crab meat and fruit salsa, Thai pesto grilled snapper, and jumbo seafood towers stuffed with raw shrimp, clams, oysters, and crab meat cocktail. Diners can also choose from surf and turf combo platters or raw bar selections like cold water oysters or middle neck clams. A wine list available by the glass or by the bottle has received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, served up alongside signature tropical-influenced house cocktails.
234 N Ocean Dr, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, Phone: 954-428-2539
9. New Art Gallery
In spite of its name, the New Art Gallery has been around for over three decades. The New Art Gallery sells a wide variety of fine art, from paintings by local artists to prints of historic and antique posters. The styles of art on display are so diverse that everyone is sure to find something that appeals to them, but if not, visitors are encouraged to bring in art from other sources for custom framing. New Art Gallery provides framing services on the spot while customers wait, with a huge selection of framing options and a highly skilled staff that does excellent work and helps customers design exactly what they are looking for.
2223 W Hillsboro Blvd, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, Phone: 954-481-8855
10. The Whale's Rib
In a place so close to the Atlantic Ocean as Deerfield Beach, it’s no surprise that there are some incredible seafood dining options in town. The Whale’s Rib is one of these, located right on the beach. It’s a favorite among locals, and one of the most-recommended places to eat for visitors. Their food bears some wacky names like “dolphin fingers” and “whale fries”, which are not actually dolphin and whale but made from mahi mahi and thick-cut homemade french fries, respectively. The Whale’s Rib was featured on the tv show “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” so it’s pretty much always busy, but the food is well worth the wait.
2031 NE 2nd St, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, Phone: 954-421-8880
11. Casa Maya Grill
Since 2008, owner Emilio Dominguez has been serving authentic, delicious Mexican food to Deerfield beach residents and visitors to the area, and his restaurant, Casa Maya Grill, has become a staple and a standard for top quality Mexican cuisine in the area. There are no freezers in the kitchens at Casa Maya, so the menu features an abundance of fresh ingredients in their authentic, time-honored recipes. Visitors will love the colorful dining space, the fantastic drinks, and delicious food, which can be eaten in the dining room or outside on the shaded patio.
301 SE 15th Terrace, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, Phone: 954-570-6101
12. Patio Bar and Grill
There’s a lot of restaurants out there with great patio seating, but at Patio Bar and Grill, both the patio seating the the dining room, with its big glass windows that open to let in the breeze, overlook the Atlantic Ocean, offering an incredible view and setting for a meal. At Patio Bar and Grill, guests can take a break from a hard day of snorkeling, paddleboarding, or relaxing on the beach, and enjoy a refreshing drink or an incredible meal. Menu items include small plates, delicious entrees, and mouthwatering desserts, and the bar makes great handcrafted cocktails and coffee drinks for an extra buzz, as well as beer in bottles and on tap.
2096 NE 2nd St, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, Phone: 954-596-8618
13. Charm City Burger Company
Charm City Burger Company is a great spot for a quick, casual bite to eat or an evening spent enjoying good food and good beer with good company. This homey, casual bar and burger joint doesn’t look super impressive from the outside, but they pride themselves on serving some of the best burgers in town, using only the best quality ingredients available. At Charm City Burger Company, guests will enjoy eating a gourmet-caliber burger with great, quick service and a shockingly reasonable price point. There’s a wide variety of burgers on the menu, but other great offerings at Charm City Burger Company include wings, tater tots, milkshakes, and microbrew beers.
1136 E Hillsboro Blvd, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, Phone: 954-531-0300
14. JB's On The Beach
As the name implies, JB’s on the Beach is conveniently located right on the beach, with great ocean views. But that’s not where the fun stops; JB’s on the Beach is also home to some seriously good seafood and a fun, locally-driven culture that frequently features live entertainment. JB’s on the Beach has a huge, shaded patio with ocean breezes and views, and the menu features incredible seafood offerings as well as steaks and ribs, all seasonally curated with a tropical, Florida twist. Customers walk away from JB’s on the Beach satisfied whether they’ve gone for happy hour drinks or a steak dinner.
300 NE 21st Ave, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, Phone: 954-571-5220
15. SunStar Aquatic Services Inc.
Just off the coast of Florida is the Atlantic Ocean, full of incredible sea life like seat turtles, sharks, and coral reefs. At Sunstar Aquatic Services, guests can take a dive beneath the surface of these waters to catch a glimpse at the otherworldly underwater dimension below. Their operation is safe, experienced, and fun, with small groups to prevent overcrowding and to allow guests to feel they are getting a truly unique experience every time. New divers can take dive classes before heading underwater, and experienced, certified divers can charter a boat for half day or full day experiences.
609 N Federal Hwy, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, Phone: 561-368-9952
16. Sullivan Park
Sullivan Park is the former site of several historic Deerfield Beach locations, including a 1920s packinghouse and a restaurant and gambling facility called The Riverview Club. Today, the area is a waterfront park, along the edge of the Gulf Stream and directly across from Deerfield Island Park. Sullivan Park is great for families with small children, as it is equipped with several shaded playground areas as well as a fun splash pad feature where people of all ages can cool off in the spurting fountain water which rises from the ground. There are also picnic areas and a dock for boats.
1633 Riverview Rd, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, Phone: 954-571-7550
