SIX18 TRAVEL

Located nearly 50 miles north of Miami, Boca Raton is part of the region known as the Palm Beaches – a 47-mile stretch of the Atlantic coastline. It was designed to be one of Florida's premier resort towns in the early 20th century after Henry Flagler's East Coast railroad heightened the state's tourism industry. Along with the signature town hall, architect Addison Mizner created the original Cloister building of The Boca Raton resort and membership club. This Mediterranean-style, Spanish-inspired "castle" first opened as a hotel in 1926 and remains an architectural marvel as one of the city's most iconic buildings.

Boca – as the locals call it – is the second-largest and southernmost city in the Palm Beaches. It's known for its beautiful parks and beaches as well as its wildlife conservation and education centers, including the 20-acre Gumbo Limbo Marine Center, part of the larger Red Reef Park. The affluent city is also home to a renowned art museum and theater, a bevy of high-end designer boutiques, a variety of chic department stores and a vibrant restaurant scene. Much of Boca's building structures and gathering places are constructed in the Mediterranean Revival style to this day, making it one of South Florida's most beautifully designed cities.