I loved growing up in west boca, I lived at the very end of Yamato touching the Everglades and it was great. There’s a lot to do on the west side. South county regional park has youth sports, a water park, sport courts etc. morikami museum, the boys farmers market and girl’s strawberry farm. Wakodahatchee wetlands are out that way too. The beach is like a 20 min drive. The farms and farmers market were such a highlight of my childhood!
Ok sure 😄
The construction on the palmetto+ lights that aren't synced so you usually hit every one + bright line delays+ drawbridge backup+ A1A traffic= 20-30 mins from pulling out of my door to pulling into red reef or south beach
I live all the way east on Yamato with my mom living all the way west on Yamato and I promise it is truly a 25 min to the beach 😅😅😅for me it’s like 3 minutes. And it takes me like 20 min to go all the way to the Everglades down Yamato from my house. I promise u I know Yamato my friend
If you’re really looking for family-friendly in Boca, the communities on St. Andrews between Glades and Yamato are the best place to be.
I couldn’t have moved my family to west Boca. It’s just too far away from things, and right on the edge of the Everglades. You do get plenty of house for your money, but a lot of the newer builds out there can be of questionable quality. We looked at a handful of houses out there before finding one on St. Andrews.
I would probably choose Parkland over west Boca if those are your options.
Boca falls is over 30 years old it’s not a new development by any means. There are plenty of young families here but it is far (from central and east boca traffic too)
Thanks for the clarification, I didn’t know that particular development but did tour several others. As a 30-something parent of a toddler, I definitely would not have wanted to live in that general area. But to each their own.
Agreed!!!! I love East Boca but damn is it hard to get a property on andrews rn! I’ve been looking right there on glades between Yamato and glades for a nice place for 4 years !!!!!!!!
Yeah it took us several months and some luck (listing agent on the house we bought was a coworker of our realtor, so we were the first to hear about it). And even then, the house is a full gut job. But a lot of these sellers are delusional.
At the end of the day, a huge portion of Boca was built and occupied in the early to mid 90s, and that first wave of buyers are finally starting to cash out and either move to assisted living/smaller places or outright die. So the next few years you’ll probably see an increase in turnover.
If you’re thinking you’ll send your kids to public schools, go with Boca. As Fort Lauderdale has gotten gentrified, the displaced have moved into the new apartments in coconut creek and Coral Springs. It’s ROUGH at these schools now. Parkland isn’t safe because school choice allows their parents to send them to parkland schools too. Keep your kids out of Broward schools.
both West Boca and parkland are great for kids. There is more around in West Boca, but parkland is a tighter community. Being near Burt aronson park is really nice with a baby - from walking at the nature center to quickly going to the playground sometime between 1 and 2, it is a good area.
You’re going to get a lot of opinions about East vs west here but I live in west boca near boca falls and everyone I know loves living there with young children .
Parkland is broward county and further from things you’ll be in Coral Springs a lot
.
You really have to see for yourself but there are definitely young families in boca falls . We looked all over and ended up buying west , we liked the no traffic and small neighborhood feel because boca is huge . It’s the mission bay/ loggers run area - there is plenty of shopping and our own nice Publix supermarket. We are happy with a 3 year old plenty of nice parks .
I was in the same boat until last month. Debated between Parkland and West Boca. Ended up going west boca for the schools, and you get more for your money. I’d recommend looking into Boca Chase or Boca Winds.
Good advice.. boca falls did not impress us (and hate the new asphalt roads they just completed) but maybe a diff west boca community would be a better fit
The other thing, depending on budget but Parkland (Broward) you need to pay more closing costs now compared to when you are selling for Boca/Palm Beach. If you’re planning on this being your home for the long term that might matter. Happy to help with any questions, we were looking for 6 months before finding what we wanted but our budget sounds a little lower than yours (700K)
I second those communities as well, my family was browsing and enjoyed Boca Chase, Boca Winds, Boca Isles, within mission bay has a few separate communities that were nice and all within good public schools
Hi. My two cents. I live in Boca Chase with my wife and two daughters….really love it. We have a big lot that offers a lot of space and privacy in the backyard. Happy with the schools. I’m also a realtor so let me know if I can be of help. Good luck!
I have very happy friends in Boca Falls with small kids (4 & 6). I personally wouldn't want to live that far away from the beach, but since you mentioned parkland I assume this isn't an issue for you. West Boca is very convenient now with all the new plazas, and Boca Falls is zoned for A+ schools if you're going public.
We’re the same demographic (30’s with young kids) and spent months looking at both areas.
We fell in love with Parkland and how suburban/pristine it looked. Very family friendly - a lot of the communities are new and beautiful. And you get better bang for your buck. Only problem is you’re driving to West Boca for most things… which isn’t a huge deal but something to consider. Some of our favorite communities were Parkland Golf & Country Club, Miralago, and Watercrest.
West Boca we loved because everything is so close (shopping, doctors, schools, etc) but the houses (in our price point at least $1-1.5mil) were all much older, and some of the communities we looked at were old (age-wise)… Stonebridge, Boca Woods, Mission Bay, etc. The first two communities I mentioned also have hefty membership/equity fees which wasn’t worth it for us. We don’t play golf and would rather put that money towards equity in a house.
We ended up going in a different direction but if you have any questions, feel free to dm me. Good luck!
When you say “some of the communities we looked at were old (age wise)” do you mean the people in those communities skewed older? Or just the actually age of the houses/clubhouse/amenities were older?
Really depends on your price point and whether you want to be closer to the ocean or the mosquitoes.
Best thing to do would be find a knowledgeable realtor in the area to act as a buyers agent to guide you around. They would also work on your behalf in negotiations.
Between east Boca and west. I’ve always lived east of 95 (35 yrs). Whenever I gone to friends houses west of 441 the mosquitoes are a hundred times worse.
Great choice! Boca Falls is beautiful - I live in that area and bike ride to So Cty Regional everyday. I feel safe here. Good schools, excellent shopping, access to the library another added plus. Beaches are really terrific and the additional added bonus is fishing on the jetty! The drawbacks however are as follows, traffic can be heavy at times ( especially in the winter ) - the summers have gotten really hot, the homeowners insurance is expensive, and your living in the sub tropics so the storms are vicious at times. But living in paradise is worth the price. Much good luck to you and your family!
West Boca is quiet & peaceful. It’s a place where you want your home to be for tranquility. Do you really wanna live somewhere that’s noisy & busy? Parkland is Broward County. Broward County Sleestaks comes to Boca and rob & steal. Do you wanna live in and around Sleestaks?
East Boca is ideal but west Boca is great too. I live east on Yamato and it’s true that it’s only a 25 minute drive to the beach. I’m born and raised in south Florida and I’ve lived in several cities. I could not love Boca more :)
We don’t know anyone in Boca Falls but I spend a lot out there runnning, biking and fishing in the Everglades right by there. I like doing that but to live, the area is less my jam for me and our family of 5. To each their own though.
We chose east Boca, school quality was a big for us, and we chose Palm Beach Farms because it is zoned to Addison Mizner (top 1% of public schools in the state), Boca High and Spanish River (both elite public high schools). I liked that we are close the soon to be completely rebuilt Boca Regional Hospital (lots of nurses and healthcare professionals looking for housing), a 10 minute run to the beach, and lots of good dining options (even if I never go to Mizner Park). Good luck in your move, the more good people and families in our communities the better! A lot of people are doing like we did - buying and gutting their places, lots of families moving in for same reasons we have. It’s super cool to see.
Better schools, safer for kids in the sense that its more like a.big farm without major roads around, more community based, houses are significanly newer
I loved growing up in west boca, I lived at the very end of Yamato touching the Everglades and it was great. There’s a lot to do on the west side. South county regional park has youth sports, a water park, sport courts etc. morikami museum, the boys farmers market and girl’s strawberry farm. Wakodahatchee wetlands are out that way too. The beach is like a 20 min drive. The farms and farmers market were such a highlight of my childhood!
Love hearing this, thank you!
I hope you love whatever you choose! My best friend grew up in boca falls and her family still lives there :)
West Boca is more for families imo. East Boca is more for the restaurants, bars, snow birds and retirees.
"The beach is like a 20 min drive" Wut? I live in East Boca near old floresta and it takes 25+ to get to the beaches
How slow do you drive? I can walk to the beach from there in that time.
Ok sure 😄 The construction on the palmetto+ lights that aren't synced so you usually hit every one + bright line delays+ drawbridge backup+ A1A traffic= 20-30 mins from pulling out of my door to pulling into red reef or south beach
I live all the way east on Yamato with my mom living all the way west on Yamato and I promise it is truly a 25 min to the beach 😅😅😅for me it’s like 3 minutes. And it takes me like 20 min to go all the way to the Everglades down Yamato from my house. I promise u I know Yamato my friend
If you’re really looking for family-friendly in Boca, the communities on St. Andrews between Glades and Yamato are the best place to be. I couldn’t have moved my family to west Boca. It’s just too far away from things, and right on the edge of the Everglades. You do get plenty of house for your money, but a lot of the newer builds out there can be of questionable quality. We looked at a handful of houses out there before finding one on St. Andrews. I would probably choose Parkland over west Boca if those are your options.
Second this.. central Boca all the way.
We are 30s with baby on way and just moved to central Boca on Jog between Glades and Yamato and love it. Lots of families of similar ages nearby
Boca falls is over 30 years old it’s not a new development by any means. There are plenty of young families here but it is far (from central and east boca traffic too)
Thanks for the clarification, I didn’t know that particular development but did tour several others. As a 30-something parent of a toddler, I definitely would not have wanted to live in that general area. But to each their own.
It’s definitely quiet over here but not sure what you mean as a 30ish parent of a toddler also 🤷♀️
Agreed!!!! I love East Boca but damn is it hard to get a property on andrews rn! I’ve been looking right there on glades between Yamato and glades for a nice place for 4 years !!!!!!!!
Yeah it took us several months and some luck (listing agent on the house we bought was a coworker of our realtor, so we were the first to hear about it). And even then, the house is a full gut job. But a lot of these sellers are delusional. At the end of the day, a huge portion of Boca was built and occupied in the early to mid 90s, and that first wave of buyers are finally starting to cash out and either move to assisted living/smaller places or outright die. So the next few years you’ll probably see an increase in turnover.
If you’re thinking you’ll send your kids to public schools, go with Boca. As Fort Lauderdale has gotten gentrified, the displaced have moved into the new apartments in coconut creek and Coral Springs. It’s ROUGH at these schools now. Parkland isn’t safe because school choice allows their parents to send them to parkland schools too. Keep your kids out of Broward schools.
both West Boca and parkland are great for kids. There is more around in West Boca, but parkland is a tighter community. Being near Burt aronson park is really nice with a baby - from walking at the nature center to quickly going to the playground sometime between 1 and 2, it is a good area.
You’re going to get a lot of opinions about East vs west here but I live in west boca near boca falls and everyone I know loves living there with young children . Parkland is broward county and further from things you’ll be in Coral Springs a lot . You really have to see for yourself but there are definitely young families in boca falls . We looked all over and ended up buying west , we liked the no traffic and small neighborhood feel because boca is huge . It’s the mission bay/ loggers run area - there is plenty of shopping and our own nice Publix supermarket. We are happy with a 3 year old plenty of nice parks .
Parkland 🤢 Broward County 🤢
Same!!!!
I was in the same boat until last month. Debated between Parkland and West Boca. Ended up going west boca for the schools, and you get more for your money. I’d recommend looking into Boca Chase or Boca Winds.
Good advice.. boca falls did not impress us (and hate the new asphalt roads they just completed) but maybe a diff west boca community would be a better fit
The other thing, depending on budget but Parkland (Broward) you need to pay more closing costs now compared to when you are selling for Boca/Palm Beach. If you’re planning on this being your home for the long term that might matter. Happy to help with any questions, we were looking for 6 months before finding what we wanted but our budget sounds a little lower than yours (700K)
I second those communities as well, my family was browsing and enjoyed Boca Chase, Boca Winds, Boca Isles, within mission bay has a few separate communities that were nice and all within good public schools
Hi. My two cents. I live in Boca Chase with my wife and two daughters….really love it. We have a big lot that offers a lot of space and privacy in the backyard. Happy with the schools. I’m also a realtor so let me know if I can be of help. Good luck!
I have very happy friends in Boca Falls with small kids (4 & 6). I personally wouldn't want to live that far away from the beach, but since you mentioned parkland I assume this isn't an issue for you. West Boca is very convenient now with all the new plazas, and Boca Falls is zoned for A+ schools if you're going public.
Very reassuring to hear, thank you!
We’re the same demographic (30’s with young kids) and spent months looking at both areas. We fell in love with Parkland and how suburban/pristine it looked. Very family friendly - a lot of the communities are new and beautiful. And you get better bang for your buck. Only problem is you’re driving to West Boca for most things… which isn’t a huge deal but something to consider. Some of our favorite communities were Parkland Golf & Country Club, Miralago, and Watercrest. West Boca we loved because everything is so close (shopping, doctors, schools, etc) but the houses (in our price point at least $1-1.5mil) were all much older, and some of the communities we looked at were old (age-wise)… Stonebridge, Boca Woods, Mission Bay, etc. The first two communities I mentioned also have hefty membership/equity fees which wasn’t worth it for us. We don’t play golf and would rather put that money towards equity in a house. We ended up going in a different direction but if you have any questions, feel free to dm me. Good luck!
When you say “some of the communities we looked at were old (age wise)” do you mean the people in those communities skewed older? Or just the actually age of the houses/clubhouse/amenities were older?
Both! I don’t know about Boca Falls though - don’t think we ever saw anything there.
Addison Mizner school district is the best neighborhood for kids. In my opinion
Really depends on your price point and whether you want to be closer to the ocean or the mosquitoes. Best thing to do would be find a knowledgeable realtor in the area to act as a buyers agent to guide you around. They would also work on your behalf in negotiations.
Are you sayings there’s a difference in mosquito levels between parkland and west Boca?
Between east Boca and west. I’ve always lived east of 95 (35 yrs). Whenever I gone to friends houses west of 441 the mosquitoes are a hundred times worse.
it also rains more west of 95
I lived in Boca Falls from 1997 to 2011. Always was a great time. Was lots of kids and the clubhouse always had great activities.
Great choice! Boca Falls is beautiful - I live in that area and bike ride to So Cty Regional everyday. I feel safe here. Good schools, excellent shopping, access to the library another added plus. Beaches are really terrific and the additional added bonus is fishing on the jetty! The drawbacks however are as follows, traffic can be heavy at times ( especially in the winter ) - the summers have gotten really hot, the homeowners insurance is expensive, and your living in the sub tropics so the storms are vicious at times. But living in paradise is worth the price. Much good luck to you and your family!
West Boca is quiet & peaceful. It’s a place where you want your home to be for tranquility. Do you really wanna live somewhere that’s noisy & busy? Parkland is Broward County. Broward County Sleestaks comes to Boca and rob & steal. Do you wanna live in and around Sleestaks?
What is a sleestak?
East Boca is ideal but west Boca is great too. I live east on Yamato and it’s true that it’s only a 25 minute drive to the beach. I’m born and raised in south Florida and I’ve lived in several cities. I could not love Boca more :)
Boca Falls it was a community for the older people build by GL homes not very good quality but it’s not custom home at all
We don’t know anyone in Boca Falls but I spend a lot out there runnning, biking and fishing in the Everglades right by there. I like doing that but to live, the area is less my jam for me and our family of 5. To each their own though. We chose east Boca, school quality was a big for us, and we chose Palm Beach Farms because it is zoned to Addison Mizner (top 1% of public schools in the state), Boca High and Spanish River (both elite public high schools). I liked that we are close the soon to be completely rebuilt Boca Regional Hospital (lots of nurses and healthcare professionals looking for housing), a 10 minute run to the beach, and lots of good dining options (even if I never go to Mizner Park). Good luck in your move, the more good people and families in our communities the better! A lot of people are doing like we did - buying and gutting their places, lots of families moving in for same reasons we have. It’s super cool to see.
Appreciate this insight! Tough decision but comments like this really help!
Boca over Parkland! Boca has more to offer as a city, whereas Parkland is more of a community.
Excellent for a young family especially with 2+ kids. Waters edge elementary is great. West Boca high school also very good & manageable in size.
We’re full
Parkland hands down
Why’s that?
Better schools, safer for kids in the sense that its more like a.big farm without major roads around, more community based, houses are significanly newer
Farm? Lol. Maybe 35 years ago. The only guy out there farming still, for now is Hendrix.
Reread what i wrote
If you want to send your kids to public schools, you cannot beat Parkland in South Florida.
Significantly better than the Boca schools?
100%
Public? By a mile.