Boca Raton Florida Hotels

Although the word “Boca Raton” literally translates to “Rat’s Mouth” in Spanish, the true origin of the town’s name is a bit more complex. According to the City of Boca Raton Web site, “The Spanish word boca (or mouth) often described an inlet, while raton (literally, mouse) was used as a term for a cowardly thief. But the “Thieves Inlet,” Boca Ratones, appeared on eighteenth century maps associated with an inlet in the Biscayne Bay area of Miami. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, the term was mistakenly applied to Lake Boca Raton, whose inlet was closed at the time.”

Boca Raton Florida Travel Guide

The modern city of Boca Raton has its roots in the South Florida land boom of the mid-1920s. Boca Raton was incorporated in 1925, and one year later architect Addison Mizner completed the Cloister Inn, a 27 story pink hotel that is one of Boca Raton’s most distinctive landmarks. The hotel has had different owners over the years, and is currently known as the Boca Raton Resort, which is part of the Waldorf Astoria collection. The resort occupies 356 acres, includes a private village with five distinctive settings for accommodations, and is bordered by a half-mile of private beach along Florida's Gold Coast in Palm Beach County.

Mizner’s influence can be felt throughout Boca Raton; the Spanish and Mediterranean influenced architecture he brought to South Florida is still popular today. Boca Raton also has a strict development code, including the size and types of commercial buildings, building signs and advertisements that may be erected within the city limits. There are no billboards permitted in the city, although one was grandfathered in during a recent annexation.

Even though Boca Raton is well known for its luxury resorts, gated communities and golf courses, the city has very accessible beaches. Nearly all of Boca Raton’s waterfront was set aside for public beaches instead of privately owned condominiums. Red Reef Park, Spanish River Park and South Beach are the three public beaches in town. Daily parking rates start at $15 for out of town visitors at Boca Raton’s beaches, while residents can purchase a yearly permit for $37.

For visitors and residents who would prefer to spend their days shopping in Boca Raton, the Mizner Park shopping, dining, and entertainment center attracts people from all over southern Palm Beach County. Mizner Park has a landscaped central park between the two main roads (collectively called Plaza Real) with stores, restaurants, an amphitheatre and the Boca Raton Museum of Art. In many ways, Mizner’s vision of Boca Raton as a world class resort community has come true, and the city’s accessible parks and beaches has also made this South Florida city a traveler’s dream come true.