One Of Florida's Top Places To Retire Is A Coastal City With Morning Markets, Beaches, And Breezy Cafés

Florida is a popular destination for American retirees with good reason: the warm weather, tax friendliness, and pristine beaches. But Florida's big, and when it comes to picking the perfect town to retire in, it can be a challenging decision. Delray Beach is one of Florida's best towns for beach-filled fun, parks, and art, and Rand McNally and USA Today have called it the "Most Fun Small Town in America." Situated on Florida's Atlantic Coast, Delray is emerging as a top destination for retirees thanks to award-winning healthcare and memory care facilities, prolific 55+ communities, and a plethora of relaxing yet engaging things to do, all within 15 square miles. Plus, it's centrally located and easily accessible, so out-of-town family and grandkids won't have any trouble planning a visit. Situated on Florida's east coast in South Palm Beach County just 10 miles north of Boca Raton and about 55 miles north of Miami, Palm Beach International Airport is a bit more convenient at less than 20 miles north. Alternatively, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is 30 miles south.

Originally an agricultural community that produced tomatoes and pineapples, in the 1920s artists and writers, including famed poet Edna St. Vincent Millay,  started wintering in Delray and formed the Artists and Writers Colony, establishing an arts-forward cultural community there. By the 1970s, the U.S. interstate highway expansion had connected Delray with the rest of the country and started attracting more people who wanted to spend their winters in a culturally-minded beach town. Today, Delray Beach has evolved into a thriving small city and destination for retirees with more than 30 communities that cater to ages 55 and older, 18 golf courses, a thriving arts scene, and, of course, beautiful beaches.

Florida is one of the best states to retire in part because the weather makes outdoor activities like farmers markets, golf, birdwatching, and art walks accessible year-round. The Delray Beach Green Market is a weekly, open-air farmer's market held every Saturday downtown in front of the Old School Square, an artistic hub on the National Register of Historic Places. Operational since 1996, GreenMarket hosts dozens of vendors serving everything from produce and local baked goods to fresh-cut flowers and other handicrafts. In June and July, the GreenMarket runs from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., and from October through May from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Delray Beach prioritizes staying active over age 50. Some of the best birdwatching in the U.S. is in Delray, at Wakodahatchee Wetlands Park. Delray Beach also holds an annual "Senior Games," a qualifier for the Olympic-style Florida Senior Games featuring events like pickleball and powerlifting. There are also 100 golf courses within 20 miles, with 18 in Delray Beach alone. Many are private or exclusive to 55+ communities, like the Boca Delray Golf & Country Club in Delray Beach, an 18-hole course that sprawls through a 450-home retirement community, and Kings Point Golf & Country Club, which has an exclusive clubhouse at Kings Point retirement community. 

Delray Beach is proud of its artist history and hosts a First Friday Art Walk on the first Friday night of each month. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., galleries and studios are open for viewing, with public live music and other events. You can also explore Delray's art scene all day, every day, utilizing the city's art trail map, which highlights murals and galleries throughout the city.

Nothing says retirement like taking your time over a cup of coffee and staying for a second. Atlantic Avenue, downtown and just a few blocks from the beach, is Delray's main throughway around which there are at least 120 dining options, many with very much a European-style indoor/outdoor vibe where you can relax and take your time with a drink or two. Deke's is a laid-back, dog-friendly coffee shop that carefully selects and roasts its own beans. Coffee District is several blocks away and a favorite with locals where you can get a beer with your espresso and croissant. 

After your coffee, stroll east down Atlantic until you hit the ocean at Delray Beach Municipal Beach, one of the city's three beaches and the biggest, with a wide, sandy stretch, volleyball courts, and chair or cabana rentals. Anchor Park and Atlantic Dunes Park are additional Delray Beaches on the southern end of the city. Delray Beach is one of the few downtowns in the U.S. that's right on the ocean and it truly influences the overall vibe of the city, not to mention it's very walkable. Off the municipal beach, Caffe Luna Rosa is a sidewalk bistro overlooking the water with a seafood-forward dinner menu, a very diner-style brunch menu, and a wine list.

Healthcare and prioritizing senior health is also important in Delray Beach. Delray Medical Hospital is considered one of America's top 250 hospitals and in the top 5% of pulmonary health providers in the U.S. Delray's hospital system also has a dedicated seniors facility, and there are at least 25 memory care facilities in Delray Beach that cater to patients dealing with dementia, Alzheimer's, and other memory-loss conditions.