Things to Do in Boca Raton

Just a mile into the waters off Fort Lauderdale Beach, the currents churn with migrating kingfish, tuna, marlin, sharks, and other fauna. With 40 years of experience on this crowded expanse of slate blue, Paul Roydhouse knows how to catch them. Aboard their 85-foot boat, he and his crew lead trip groups in drift fishing, a method that entails letting the boat float with the wind and current like a depressed seagull. They load up the drift-fishing vessel or a 48-foot sport-fishing boat with everything from bait and tackle to licenses and rods. Passengers cast lines from fighting chairs, buckling themselves in to battle mahi-mahi and sailfish in jeweled veils of spray. On the Mary B III, up to 50 patrons sprawl in the sunshine, clicking together beers brought from home; chartered vessels also can slip through the water toward the Bahamas. During nighttime swordfish cruises, Paul and his crew shut off the engines, letting lines baited with squid and glow sticks hang in the dark until the massive fish grab them and thrash through the water.

A Romana’s Pilates certification is more than just a piece of paper. Named after Romana Kryzanowska, the hand-chosen protégé of Joseph Pilates, it reflects a tireless dedication to continued Pilates education and total mastery over the sport's mat exercises and varied equipment. Studying under Romana Kryzanowska herself, Pilates Space Florida owner Kerstin Korzekwa tallied the requisite 700 hours of training to receive her certification in only six months, adding it to a resumé that includes master's degrees in both physical education and dance performance.

Though Korzekwa doesn’t credit her previous career as a dancer and choreographer for her quick mastery of Pilates, it did provide her with an acute understanding of how the sport can benefit dancers, athletes, and everyday exercisers alike. Pilates gently conditions the body with a series of moves that shape and strengthen the core and tone the body without adding bulk. The routine—often aided by equipment such as a Reformer, chair, tower, or repurposed taffy pull—can also help practitioners to lengthen their limbs and straighten fatigued spines, and with continued practice, many note that they sleep better, stand straighter, and have more endurance.

Even in the midst of a recession, Drew Tucker couldn't ignore his passion for music. By founding The Tucker Academy For The Arts in 2007 and partnering with the Arts Garage to address the dearth of music education in South Florida, Drew built up a flourishing cadre of performers and educators at the Delray Beach music emporium. Programs run the gamut from private lessons to drum circles for kids, while a focus on performing inspires fledgling artists to share their talents with an audience not made up of only stuffed flamingoes.

At Boca Riding Club, friendly instructors lead riders through lush greenery and teach riders of any skill level through both English- and Western-style riding lessons. Veteran instructors tailor each lesson to students' individual goals, working on basic riding skills, advanced techniques, or highway-merging tips. Riders spend around 80% of their lessons on the horse, with the remainder of their time devoted to saddling and after-ride care.

The tree-and-lake-dotted ranch at Boca Riding Club also hosts public group rides and children's summer-camp sessions. Under the guidance of instructor and manager Elizabeth Constantin, riders walk, trot, canter, or ride off into the sunset, depending on ability and experience filming Hollywood westerns.

Palm trees, grassy shrubs, and crimson blossoms flourish among the neatly manicured fairways of Cypress Creek Country Club’s golf course, designed by Robert von Hagge. The course debuted in 1964 but was recently renovated to keep up with contemporary standards. Five unique, tricky par-3 holes present a challenge to golfers of any level, and water hazards pop up throughout the course.

At the Don Law Golf Academy, you can take lessons from PGA and LPGA professionals to improve your swing or learn how to repurpose old 9-irons as fireplace pokers. Stop by the restaurant for a bite to eat after working up an appetite on the course, at a lesson, or at one of the range’s five hitting stations.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,531 yards
• Course rating of 72.0
• Slope rating of 131
• See the scorecard

Paintballs and airsoft ammo whiz through the air across East Coast Extreme Inc.'s 8 acres of simulated battlegrounds. On wooded fields, forest canopies cast shadows over paintball players as they weave through tree trunks, duck into ditches, and launch more acrylic salvos than a frustrated cartoonist. Elsewhere, splatterless ammo fires across 2 acres of airsoft fields. East Coast Extreme Inc.'s pro shop helps players stock up for these friendly battles. Its rich blue walls enclose a sea of airsoft and paintball gear, including guns with flashlights and laser scopes as well as safety gear.