With palm trees shading its grassy berm and popular beach walk, Deerfield Beach features one of South Florida’s most scenic and uncluttered beaches.
Low-rise condos, contained commercial development and modest hotel presence are signature features, offering relief from Southeast Florida’s otherwise urbanized oceanfront.
Deerfield’s golden sand and gentle slope with near-shore reefs make it a magnet for snorkeling, paddle boards and surfing.
Beach-area businesses, off the beachfront, retain their Old Florida charm, a classic mix of restaurants, surf shops and souvenir emporiums.
The Beaches
The main beach in Deerfield, where you’ll find the highest concentration of sun worshippers, is centered on the main beach parking lot on Ocean Way, south of the fishing pier.
Surfers and paddle boards are restricted to the beach on the north side of the pier, where you’ll also find seven beach volleyball courts, often the scene of amateur and semi-pro tournaments. Overlooking this section of beach are two restaurants with outdoor bars and dining.
The most popular area for snorkelers and divers is a little north of the pier on “Turtle Beach”, where divers can access a reef and a wreck a few hundred feet offshore. The closest parking is at the North Beach Pavilion, but get there early if you want a spot.
The paver beach walk starts at the North Beach Pavilion and extends three miles south past the pier, along the Main Beach to the South Beach to the Embassy Suites at the town’s southern border.
South Beach is the most scenic area with its dune vegetation, and it is considerably less crowded but devoid of restaurants and bars.
The three-mile beach walk is lined with benches and covered pavilions with picnic tables, and the South Beach area has restrooms and observation decks. Clusters of trees on the south beach provide idyllic space to spend your day reading a book in peace. Bring a lawn chair.
There is parallel parking along most of the length of the beach walk, and five public parking lots near the beach and a 360-space parking garage two blocks from the pier on State Road A1A.
Rambler Tip: If the main beach is too crowded and parking difficult, or you just want a quiet place to chill, keep driving south on Ocean Way to the less-crowded South Beach.
Live Deerfield Beach Cam
The Deerfield Beach Fishing Pier
Editors’ Note: The pier was damaged by Tropical Storm Nicole and restoration is underway. Portions of the pier have reopened.
The Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier juts 976 feet into the Atlantic Ocean with views of the coast from Boca Raton south to the lighthouse at Hillsboro Inlet. The fee for sightseers is $2. The fee for all-day fishing is $4.
Rod rentals are available at the pier concession for $18 per day. The concession also sells fresh and frozen bait, tackle, fishing accessories, ice, and t-shirts.
The most frequent catches from the pier are mutton snapper, bonito, blue runner, mangrove snapper and pompano.
The neighborhood around the fishing pier retains an Old Florida beach town vibe with a 21st Century touch as new restaurants and cafes sprout up along the beach walk. Moderately priced fare, including breakfast, can be had at the Deerfield Beach Pier Cafe. Higher-end dining is available at the oceanfront Oceans 234 or JB’s on the Beach. Both have patio bars and outdoor seating.
But the best chow for my buck is found at the Whale’s Rib Raw Bar, a local favorite just down the street from the pier. The same block includes an eclectic cluster of restaurants, bars, beach gear and souvenir shops and a 360-space public parking garage.
Paddle to Deerfield Island Park
Truly a hidden gem.
Wedged between Deerfield Beach and Boca Raton, Deerfield Island Park is a 50-acre undeveloped spoil island with canals on all three sides. The only way you can get there is by boat. A free shuttle runs from Sullivan Park every hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Paddlers can kayak to the island, launching from the boat ramp at Pioneer Park at 217 NE 5th Ave. into the Hillsboro Canal. Paddle downstream (East) about a half-mile to the island.
There are public docks on the north side of the island, but boaters can access sandy beaches on otherwise inaccessible portions of the island.
The island has nature trails, observation decks, a picnic area with shelters and rest rooms.
The island has a local moniker: Capone Island, named after the famous gangster Al Capone, who once owned it. Capone once planned to build a house on the island, within view of an old fish-packing house he reportedly used as a gambling den.
The fish-packing house would later become a popular restaurant known as the Riverview. The restaurant closed in the mid-1990s and never reopened. It was purchased by the city and torn down, making way for an expansion of Sullivan Park, which was next door.
Related article: Urban paddle: Backyards of the 1%
Quiet Waters Park
Deerfield Beach is blessed with a 430-acre regional park with three lakes, one featuring a popular water park with slides, fountains and beach. Another lake is the site of a challenging cable water-ski concession, and the third accommodates paddlers in canoes, kayaks and standup paddle boards, which are available to rent.
Picnic areas, some with shelters, are scattered throughout the park, most on the banks of the paddle lake.
A rent-a-tent campground with two teepees and 10-by-10 canvas walled tents holds down a peninsula between two lakes, all with lake views. Each campsite has 20-amp electric, a fire ring, charcoal grill and picnic tables.
The park also features a paved multi-use trail that weaves from one end of the park to the other, and a back-country mountain bike trail that is well maintained.
Rambler tip: Quiet Waters has a fenced dog park near the canoe/kayak concession.
Riding a bike in Deerfield Beach
Ocean Way is a comfortable and safe three-mile ride along the beach, and even though you share the road with vehicles, the traffic is one-way south and slow-moving. The beach walk is off limits to bicycles because of the heavy pedestrian traffic.
A bike lane runs the length of the city’s main drag, Hillsboro Boulevard, but it’s really too narrow to be safe in my opinion.
Serious riders extend their rides south on A1A through scenic canopy of Hilllsboro Beach and north through Boca Raton, but A1A is narrow and, in my opinion, too dangerous.
The city’s premier destination for bicycles is Quiet Waters Park, which has 7 miles of trails, a multi-use paved trail that weaves through the park alongside the lakes and a well-maintained mountain bike trail that skirts through the park’s back country. There is a $5 fee to ride the mountain bike trail.
A really fun, scenic and adventurous ride is 10 miles west of Deerfield atop the levees along the edge of the Everglades. For access, go all the way west on Hillsboro Boulevard through Coconut Creek and Parkland to the traffic circle. Take the first right off the circle, then left onto Loxahatchee Road, to the south gate of the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.
You can park in the refuge parking lot and bicycle 20+ miles in any direction on the three levees that converge there. These multi-use levee trails are unpaved but reasonably smooth and well-maintained.
Occasionally, you may encounter an alligator sunning itself or crossing the trails. It’s unlikely bother you if you don’t bother them. Give them a wide berth until they move along. For me, the alligators and 275 species of birds that reside here only enhance your experience.
eBikes
Florida state law allows eBikes on any designated bike paths or multi-use trails that allow regular bicycles, unless otherwise restricted by local ordinance. While there are currently no restrictions defined by local ordinance, eBikes are currently restricted only on the mountain bike trail at Quiet Waters Park.
Related article: Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge: Window to the Everglades
Places to eat in Deerfield Beach
Deerfield Beach is blessed with a full slate of dining opportunities. Cuisines range from traditional American to Peruvian, Columbian, Thai and Vietnamese. Here are a few of our favorites:
Beach Area
Whale’s Rib Raw Bar. A rustic seafood restaurant and raw bar with sidewalk seating. My all-time favorite. 2031 NE 2nd Street (A1A). Phone: 954-421-8880.
JB’s on the Beach. Colorful beach atmosphere with outdoors bar and beachfront dining. Great destination for out-of-town guests. 300 North Ocean Drive (A1A). Phone: 954-571-5220.
Ocean’s 234. A pricier choice with excellent food. Industrial design. Next door to JB’s with outdoor patio dining on the beach walk. 234 North Ocean Drive (A1A). Phone: 954-428-2539.
Near the beach
The Cove Shopping Center, across the Intracoastal Waterway from the beach, offers a variety of restaurants appealing to a multitude of tastes. Our top picks:
The Cove. A lively destination with dockside dining and tiki bar on the Intracoastal Waterway. Seafood focus. Friday Happy Hour is a big draw. Phone: 954-421-9272.
Patrizia’s of New York. A new addition and a new favorite. Moderately priced, industrial decor. Italian cuisine with a twist. Phone: 954-751-9797
Le Val de Loire. Moderately priced French restaurant and bakery for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Cozy dining room with sidewalk seating. Cafe menu features coffees, teas and, of course, yummy pastries. Affordable wine selection. Phone: 954-427-5354.
Two favorites for breakfast and lunch are the Sticky Bun and Sylvain’s Cafe, both small cafes popular with locals and visitors located in The Cove Shopping Center.
Inland Dining
Muddy Waters. Key West-themed casual dining with outdoor patio in a strip mall. Focus is seafood with raw bar specials, but the juicy burgers may be the best in town. 2237 West Hillsboro Blvd. Phone: 954-428-6577
Olympia Flame Diner. Traditional diner once featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show when local celebrity Suze Orman worked the counter. Typical Greek diner fare, moderately priced. 80 South Federal Highway (U.S. 1). Phone: 954-480-8402
Little Havana. Cuban restaurant with a Latin menu. Good food at moderate prices and the servings are ample. 721 South Federal Highway (U.S. 1). Phone: 954-427-6000
Note that there are numerous Latin American restaurants throughout the city, particularly Brazilian, Peruvian and Colombian cuisine.
Places to Stay in Deerfield Beach
The most popular hotels are on the beach, of course. There are a dozen classic mom-and-pop motels a block off the beach and several brand-name inland hotels within easy driving distance. Here are our top oceanfront picks:
Wyndam Deerfield Beach Resort. Oceanfront hotel at the pier with a very good restaurant and a popular patio bar. Easy access to restaurants and shopping. 206 NE 2nd Street (Ocean Way) Rated 9/10 by Hotels.com.
Embassy Suites. Oceanfront hotel on quiet South Beach featuring a restaurant, pool and a pool bar. Great location for a laid-back visit and avoiding crowded beaches. 950 Ocean Drive. Rated 8/10 on Hotels.com.
Royal Blues Hotel. Upscale boutique hotel on the oceanfront near the pier. Three luxury suites and nine guest rooms with balconies. Restaurant and bar on premises. 45 NE 21st Avenue at the corner of Ocean Way). Rated 9.6/10 on Hotels.com
If you use the Hotels.com links above to make your reservations, Florida Rambler may receive a modest commission. You can also book your room directly through the hotel with the hotel-name links for which we receive no compensation. Here’s a a complete list of Deerfield Beach hotels on Hotels.com.
What else is nearby?
North of Deerfield Beach, visit Boca Raton. Three destinations worth visiting in Boca are Mizner Park for restaurants and shopping, Town Center Mall and Spanish River Park.
Boca Raton also has a popular multi-use bike trail along State Road A1A with beach views, which you can ride from the Deerfield Beach line to a handful of well-maintained beachfront parks, including Spanish River Park and the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.
Bob Rountree is a beach bum, angler and camper who has explored Florida for decades. No adventure is complete without a scenic paddle trail or unpaved road to nowhere. Bob co-founded FloridaRambler.com with fellow journalist Bonnie Gross 14 years ago.