Living Well | A Weekend in Delray Beach

There’s something about Delray Beach that always makes me slow down in the best way.

Maybe it’s the walkability, the beach-town charm, or the fact that every morning somehow feels softer there. It’s one of those places that manages to feel both lively and relaxed at the same time — equal parts coastal escape and neighborhood favorite.

No matter how much time I spend there, it never really loses its charm.

We stayed at the cutest little cottage tucked right between Atlantic Avenue and Pineapple Grove, which ended up being the perfect home base for the weekend. Everything was within walking distance — coffee runs, beach walks, dinners downtown, and late-night ice cream included.

We arrived early in the afternoon, settled into the cottage, and spent some time walking around the neighborhood before heading to the beach for a little. There happened to be a small local market set up right on the street near our cottage, which made everything feel even more charming — local vendors, people walking around with coffee, and that easy weekend energy Delray always seems to have.

That evening, we got ready for dinner at Drift at The Opal. Sitting right by the water with a salty ocean breeze and sunset light everywhere felt like the perfect way to ease into the weekend. After dinner, we wandered downtown for a bit before heading back to the cottage early.

The next morning started with coffee from Stingers at The Ray before breakfast at The Bridge Café and a long beach day after. The ocean had a surprising amount of seaweed that weekend (completely unusual for Delray), but honestly, it still felt impossible to complain while sitting by the water all day with a perfect ocean breeze and beaming sun.

Lunch at Hawkers, slow walks through Pineapple Grove, and dinner at Le Colonial made the entire day feel effortless. Le Colonial especially felt transportive in the best way — the interiors, the atmosphere, the lighting — everything about it feels elevated without trying too hard.

One of my favorite mornings started with coffee from The Seed and pastries from Tartelette Patisserie before breakfast at The Opal. Somehow overnight, the beach had completely transformed. No seaweed, clear water, and one of those perfect Florida beach days you wish you could bottle up forever.

We spent the afternoon alternating between the beach and walking downtown, grabbing lunch from Pura Vida to eat by the water before getting ready for dinner at Elisabetta’s. Ending the night with ice cream from Sloan’s felt mandatory on our last night.

Our last morning was slow in the best way. Coffee from The Seed again (because once is never enough), one final walk downtown, packing up the cottage, and a beach walk with my dog before heading home.

Delray has this way of making a weekend feel longer than it actually is. It’s easy, charming, walkable, and somehow always leaves me wanting to plan the next trip back before I’ve even left.

The SEM Guide to Delray Beach:

Where We Ate

• Drift at The Opal

• The Bridge Café

• Hawkers

• Le Colonial

• Pura Vida

• Elisabetta’s

• Sloan’s Ice Cream

  
  

Coffee & Morning Stops

• Stingers Coffee at The Ray

• The Seed

• Tartelette Patisserie

  
  

A Few Favorite Things

• Staying walking distance from Atlantic Avenue

• Morning beach walks

• Dinner reservations that turn into long evenings

• Ice cream after dinner

• Bringing my dog everywhere possible

If you’re looking for a Florida weekend getaway that feels charming, relaxed, and endlessly walkable, Delray is absolutely worth the trip.