Living near the water in Delray Beach: marina, beach and Intracoastal facts

Delray Beach grew on both sides of its water: the Town of Delray west of the Intracoastal incorporated in 1911, the beachside Town in 1923, and the two united as one city in 1927. Living near the water here is mostly a permits-and-closures reality, and those are City-published.

• In 1911 the area west of the Intracoastal Waterway was incorporated as the Town of Delray; in 1923 the area east of the Intracoastal was incorporated as the Town of Delray Beach; on May 11, 1927, the two towns united as the City of Delray Beach. City of Delray Beach: About Delray Beach

The beach parking permit

The annual Beach Parking Permit costs $90 plus tax and covers parking without meter fees at the named beach lots – Sandoway Park, Anchor Park, Ingraham Park, Orange Grove and the others on the City’s list. Vehicle registration and driver’s license are required, permits are non-transferable and are associated digitally with the vehicle. Residents 70 and older have their own $95-plus-tax tier. The visitor side of beach parking – where to park for a beach day – is our sister guide’s turf; this is the resident program.

• The annual Beach Parking Permit costs $90 + tax and allows parking without paying meter fees at: Sandoway Park, Anchor Park, Ingraham Park, Orange Grove (just north of Atlantic Avenue on SR A1A), and Atlantic Dunes North & South Lots. The permit is not valid for parking on Ocean Blvd./SR A1A or the Gleason Street Lot. City of Delray Beach: Beach Parking Permit
• To purchase a Beach Parking Permit, vehicle registration and driver's license must be provided; permits are non-transferable, are associated digitally with the registered vehicle/license plate, and all City of Delray Beach parking citations must be paid or satisfied to purchase. City of Delray Beach: Beach Parking Permit
• The Senior Beach Permit is available to residents 70 years and older for $95 + tax and is valid October 1st – September 30th. It allows parking without meter fees at Sandoway Park, Anchor Park, Ingraham Park, Orange Grove (just north of Atlantic Avenue on SR A1A), Atlantic Dunes North & South Lots, and Ocean Boulevard/State Road A1A south of Miramar Drive and north of Atlantic Avenue; it is not valid in angled parking spaces on Ocean Blvd/SR A1A or the Gleason Street Lot. City of Delray Beach: Senior Beach Permit

The Marina Historic District

Marina and Marina Historic District residents have their own residential permit package under a published fee schedule, with eligibility proven at the parking office. The district is the one neighborhood with its own parking overlay.

• Marina Historic District residential parking permits are issued to eligible residents of the Marina Historic District and the City Marina under a fee schedule (plus tax): Residential Parking Permit Package (one annual resident permit plus one temporary resident guest pass) $60.00/year; Second Annual Resident Parking Permit (dwelling unit residents only) $60.00/year; Short-term Parking Permit $5.00/week up to 13 weeks; City Marina Temporary Boat Resident Guest Pass (City Marina residents only) $30.00/year. No residence may possess more than two annual resident parking permits and one temporary resident guest pass. City of Delray Beach: Marina Historic District Parking Permits
• Residents of the City Marina and the Marina Historic District may purchase the residential parking permit package. A dwelling-unit resident must present a current government-issued driver's license, a current vehicle registration card, and proof of residence (a current utility bill within the past 30 days matching the dwelling address, or a copy of a valid lease). City Marina boat residents (named licensees on a Boat Dockage License Agreement) are entitled to one free annual resident parking permit, and seasonal rental property owners with a Florida Sales Tax receipt and valid Landlord Permit may purchase one package per rental unit. City of Delray Beach: Marina Historic District Parking Permits

Keeping a boat here

The annual City Boat Permit – $200 plus tax for residents, $350 plus tax for non-residents – covers parking without meter fees at Mangrove Park and Knowles, the boat-ramp lots. The permit-year and residency details of the beach permit above apply here too: digital, non-transferable, proof required.

• The annual City Boat Permit costs $200 + tax for residents and $350 + tax for non-residents and allows parking without meter fees at Mangrove Park (1211 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach, FL 33483) and Knowles Park (1001 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach, FL 33483). Trailer registration, vehicle registration and driver's license must be provided; stickers are non-transferable and outstanding citations must be paid. City of Delray Beach: City Boat Permit for Residents and Non-Residents

December on the Intracoastal

The Holiday Boat Parade on December 11, 2026 runs the Intracoastal past Delray Beach, and the bridges close as it passes – George Bush and the other crossing bridges, per the City’s listing. If you live east of the water, that evening’s comings and goings are timed around a parade.

• The 2026 Holiday Boat Parade (December 11, 2026, 6-9 p.m., on the Intracoastal Waterway) passes Delray Beach, and bridges close as the parade goes by: George Bush Blvd around 7:45 p.m., Atlantic Ave around 8:00 p.m., and Linton Blvd around 8:15 p.m., per the DDA listing. Downtown Delray Beach DDA – 2026 Holiday Boat Parade

Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: City of Delray Beach (official site)

Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: City of Delray Beach (official site)