Highland Beach is a horse of a different color. Wedged on the beachfront between Delray Beach and Boca Raton, this beautiful waterfront town is home to just over 4,000 annual residents, with that number doubling during tourist season. Thanks to its unique position and status, Highland Beach has no traffic lights, schools, restaurants, and only two businesses with a Highland Beach address. Despite its relative "isolation" from the bustle and nightlife of nearby towns, in reality, the edges of the city are only a mile apart, and on either side, the town is flanked by two of the most exciting downtown districts in South Florida.
For avid foodies and cocktail connoisseurs, Atlantic Avenue to the north, and Mizner Park to the south, are each replete with dozens of incredible food selections - from the finest upscale dining to cheesesteaks and truffle fries. For those Highland Beach residents content with watching the moon rise from their beautifully decorated patio, here are 5 of our favorite spots to order in from to the north and south.
Hawkers Asian Street Food - North
When we think of delivery food,...
Highland Beach is known for its uncanny elevation, high-end beachfront manses, and its history with water purification. Highland Beach's entire existence is owed to a famous 1949 vote to incorporate the town following a dispute over water purification. This velveteen divorce led to a city with just under 4,000 year-round residents, and a total landmass of 0.5 square miles. Due to its uniqueness and its tiny footprint, Highland Beach is often forgotten as the individual it is when wedged between more prominent Delray and Boynton Beach. Highland Beach only has two incorporated businesses, meaning there are no stores, restaurants, or even doctors who call Highland Beach their permanent practice. Regardless, there's plenty to eat, drink, and practice on either side of this individual yet immediately accessible beachside town. Here are 5 restaurants within moments of Highland Beach that we recommend!
Sporting a crisp 4.5-star rating with over 1,200 reviews from a notoriously stringent crowd, Latitudes Restaurant is the only restaurant with a Highland Beach address, as it is found within one of the only businesses in Highland...
Highland Beach - A town of less than 4,000 headquartered on a tiny shimmering strand of coastline that stretches barely more than a mile. This beautiful and unique town is almost entirely residential, featuring sprawling beachside mansions dotted by a handful of municipal structures. With Delray Beach directly to the north and Boca Raton due south, some may be wondering why a separate town exists at all. Read on to learn more - from our first historical discoveries to the state of the town today! Here is a brief history of Highland Beach.
Pre-Settlement History
Before the arrival of Spanish settlers, and well before the flight of Seminole Indians southward due to the Seminole Wars, this area was dominated by the Calusa Indians. The Calusa tribe were the first humans to be encountered and recorded and likely developed from centuries of archaic Everglades peoples. In their native tongue, Calusa translates to "fierce people," a reputation they backed often.
Also known as "shell Indians" much of their crafts utilized the small and larger shells found throughout the region. In fact, the term "conched" on the head may have stemmed from the mace-like weapon Calusa Indians would wield - a stick with a vine-tethered shell of a lightning whelk. This jagged conch-like mollusk leaves behind a shell that is perfect for this purpose. A Calusa dart was responsible...
