Things to Do in Delray Beach

Shannon "The Cannon" Hudson is an International Kickboxing Federation world champion, a fifth-degree black belt in japanese shotokan karate, and a survivor of more than 70 bouts in the ring—yet, one of his most influential titles is "father." With two kids clinging around his waist like a squirmy fanny pack, Shannon started brainstorming a way to channel his boxing and kickboxing training into a quick, effective workout that even those who are busy or out of shape could tackle. The result was 9Round, a 30-minute routine of aerobic, anaerobic, and resistance moves divided into a circuit of nine stations. The ever-changing series of workouts maximizes morale and results and minimizes boredom.

His trainers launch the workouts every three minutes, motivating exercisers through each station—which might include jumping rope or pummeling speed bags. Online nutritional counseling supplements the workouts, teaching patrons how to construct and eat healthful meals instead of falling back on old habits, such as snacking on cheese sculptures.

Boca Raton Children's Museum, located inside a quaint home built by hand around 1913, unfurls an array of exhibits designed to feed children's creativity and enhance critical-thinking skills. Visitors venture to Dr. Dig's Back-Porch to learn about artifacts and fossils, stage dramas in a miniature theater with hand puppets, or head to the Faces Multicultural Room to play musical instruments and play dress-up with garments from around the world. They can also wheel pintsize shopping carts through a replica of Boca Raton's first grocery store, where orange juice was invented, or chart a course across the lawn's grasses aboard an outdoor pirate-ship fort. The museum has recently added a gift and snack shop, and also offers classes that teach nonverbal tots to use sign language and summer camps that provide opportunities for play and learning in a group setting.

Second generation PGA pro Frank Clark is a specialist in the art of the golf swing: he’s had more than 40 years of teaching and playing experience. Rather than rely on his intuition alone, however, Frank couples his keen sense of stroke with video analysis. That way, golfers can examine their own mechanics and identify areas for improvement. The camera used during the high speed video moves at 300 frames per second to capture every moment of the swing in fine detail, from backswing and contact to your follow-through and victory dance. Students can also soak up Frank’s wisdom through other lesson formats, including individual and group playing lessons and clinics on varying topics. Frank also offers Golf Fit classes, which allow students to hone the specific movements and and positions of the five basic golf shots while improving overall health and wellness.

After teaching foreign languages and working as a sales rep, Alice Abrams realized that the biggest constant in her life—exercise—should be her next career move. Her 16 years of Pilates training prompted her to open Pilates of Boynton Beach, where she mans classes alongside her daughter, Elyssa Zion, and a squad of certified instructors. The curriculum shapes lean bodies with a variety of stretching and dance techniques. Mat and equipment Pilates work alongside Xtend Barre lessons to stretch muscles while improving posture, and Zumba classes incorporate festive music to fuel cardio choreography. All sessions, whether group or private, are meant to accommodate students of any skill level so long as they bring a permission slip signed by each vertebra.

On the shores of Lake Boca, only 100 yards from the Atlantic Ocean, Ride-A-Wave doles out rentals from its fleet of WaveRunners and Sea Rays. Its entry-level WaveRunners, three-seat Yamaha VX 110s, can crest swells at up to 60 miles per hour. Alternatively, the open bows of 19-foot and 21-foot Sea Rays let up to eight passengers feel the wind in their chest hair as they steer through tropical waters while listening to the radio and grabbing drinks from the built-in cooler.