Travel Finds: Surf and turf in Delray Beach
A blue-and-white Massport sign attached to a restaurant door had me thinking, "Where am I?"
But an existential crisis was averted when I remembered I was heading into Boston's on the Beach in Delray Beach, Fla. - a Boston-themed bar where somehow the TVs are always playing a Celtics, Patriots, Bruins or Red Sox game.
Finding a little bit of Boston in Delray Beach is a surprise, but then again this beachfront community is full of surprises.
The city has long been overshadowed by its A-list neighbors: Palm Beach to the north and Boca Raton to the south. But visitors are discovering Delray, and part of the draw is a slightly urban feel.
Besides a beach on the Atlantic - with public access every few hundred feet along Ocean Boulevard - attractions include a thriving art scene. The city has worked to bring an East Village aura to its Northeast Second Avenue and the area called Pineapple Grove, where small bungalows are painted in pastel colors and old, low warehouses have been converted into loft-style apartments.
Stores in Pineapple Grove include Conversation Pieces, which stocks one-of-a-kind sculpted metal pieces, and Spotted on Second, with blown glass pieces by local artists.
You'll also find a slice of the Champs Elysee at Ronald and Flavie Furst's shop, Furst, featuring handbags and jewelry. When looking to open their first American location, the couple, who also have a shop in Paris, hunted all over Florida before settling here.
"We're passionate about being in Delray," said Ronald Furst. "We love the lifestyle here. It's understated but elegant."
A diverse scene is on display on Atlantic Avenue, the main drag that runs from the beach to Interstate 95. Fancy shops like Lilly Pulitzer and South Beach Club are next door to T-shirt shops stocked with those ubiquitous refrigerator magnets in alligator and flamingo shapes.
Atlantic Avenue is also the location of the city's dining and nightlife scene. More than two dozen spots offer dining-under-the-palm trees, often with Latin-influenced music oozing out of sound systems. Many welcome the jeans and flip-flops crowd.
On the high-end, 32 East (www.32east.com; 561-276-7868) brings a bit of urban New York chic to the beach with its hip decor and ever-changing menu focusing on local ingredients.
Staying there: The Delray Beach Marriott (www.marriottdelraybeach.com; 877-389-0169;rates from $239) is one of the few hotels on the beach and offers guest rooms and suites with private balconies. Farther off the beach, but set amid a tropical garden, is Sundy House (www.sundyhouse.com; 866-663-0024; guest rooms from $169 to $359), a boutique property in the former home of Delray Beach's first mayor.
Find more travel features and the Get Away with Fran blog at www.wickedlocal.com/getaway