DEERFIELD BEACH
Where
Deerfield Beach encompasses more than 5 miles of pristine beaches. The town’s International Fishing Pier, located at 200 NE 21st Ave, Deerfield Beach, 33441, anchors this sandy wonderland. Here are other Deerfield Beach accesses, parks, and facilities, and specific road intersections and addresses.
Vibe
Old-Florida charm on an award-winning, guarded beach with ample activities. Kicked back, and popular for surfing, swimming, and sand volleyball, Deerfield Beach is home to a nearly 1,000-foot fishing pier, welcoming families and a diverse crowd of beachgoers.
See, feel
Cocoa colored sand and low-rise condos. A boardwalk shaded by palms and lush with green berms. A pier reaching far over the Atlantic. Deerfield Beach is easy on the eyes and kicked back, but never a snooze.
Here, you’ll see surfers riding waves, fishermen trying their luck on the pier, and -- if you’re an early riser--epic sunsets over the surf. This Blue Wave beach is recognized for having exceptionally clean water and sand. Expect some waves, which will vary according to tides, winds, and offshore systems. For activities and eateries-- and more crowds, head to the area by the pier. For a tranquil escape, head to the southernmost part of the beach. To live vicariously, check out the live webcams in Deerfield Beach, including one focused on the pier, another on the beach, and still another showing what’s going on underwater at the pier.
On or near the beach
Sunbath, people-watch or swim, or up the adventure with surfing – on the north side of the pier if you’re a hot shot, and south of Tower #7 if you’re not as experienced. Fish from the International Pier for almost guaranteed success, or take a stroll out over the waves to catch some salt air and stunning views.
Sand volleyball courts are available on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Head just north of the pier to snorkel or scuba dive Turtle Beach, boasting a reef and a wreck a few hundred feet offshore. There’s more, too, with programs that include a walking club, yoga, and arts and crafts for kids. Fuel the fun at beachfront eateries like Oceans 324 or JB’s on the Beach.
Accessibility
The International Pier is wheelchair and stroller friendly. You'll also find a mobility mat, which carries a chair across the soft sand that leads to the beach, plus accessible restrooms. Beach wheelchairs are offered by Ocean Rescue free of charge.
Facilities
Amenities include volleyball courts; picnic pavilions, tables and overlooks; a three-mile boardwalk; and restrooms at the fire station at 71 SE 21st Ave, and in the South Beach area at 726 NE 21st Ave, which also offers showers. The International Pier’s concessions rents fishing gear and offers bait and souvenirs.
Lifeguards
Lifeguards protect a one-mile stretch of Deerfield Beach with nine lifeguard towers year-round.
Parking
You’ll find parallel parking the length of the beach walk, five public parking lots near the beach, and a 360-space parking garage two blocks from the pier on State Road A1A. Here’s a map with parking.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DEERFIELD BEACH
Q. Where is Deerfield Beach?
A. In Broward County, on the Atlantic coast at the county's northern edge. Boca Raton sits just north across the Palm Beach County line, and Pompano Beach is the next city south. State Road A1A runs along the shore, and the beachfront district is built around the pier at the east end of Hillsboro Boulevard.
The city is bigger than its beach. Most of Deerfield Beach lies west of the Intracoastal Waterway, so the oceanfront strip is a small, walkable part of it.
Q. Are there lifeguards?
A. Yes. The Deerfield Beach Ocean Rescue division staffs nine towers along a one-mile stretch of sand, numbered from Tower 1 at the north end to Tower 9 at the south end in front of the Embassy Suites. The division is certified by the United States Lifesaving Association.
Two things to know. Coverage is that one-mile stretch, so sand beyond the towers is unguarded. And the city's own pages list different lifeguard hours in different places, so check the Ocean Rescue page for the current schedule rather than planning around a fixed time.
Q. How do I check conditions before I get in the water?
A. Deerfield Beach flies beach warning flags using the International Life Saving Federation system, and the city publishes current conditions on its beach conditions and flags dashboard, which is updated through the day.
Green means low hazard. That is not the same as risk free. Yellow means medium hazard, with moderate surf or currents. Red means high hazard, and double red means the water is closed. Purple means dangerous marine life has been spotted, and it can fly alongside any of the other colors.
Atlantic beaches tend to have more waves than the Gulf. Conditions change daily, and rip currents can occur even when the ocean appears calm. If you get caught in one, don't swim straight back toward the sand. Swim parallel to shore until the pull releases, then angle in. Call 911 if someone is in trouble, and wave for a lifeguard rather than going after them yourself.
Q. Where do I park?
A. In city lots and metered street spaces along the beachfront. Deerfield Beach runs a pay-by-plate system: you park, enter your license plate at one of the multi-space meters, and pay there or through ParkMobile and PayByPhone. Both apps are free to download and available on iPhone and Android devices. The city's parking page has more options to pay, including online and by phone.
Enforcement runs long hours, and the boundary matters. North of Southeast 1st Street and along Ocean Way, including the pier lots, meters are enforced from 6 a.m. to midnight. South of Southeast 1st Street, including the main beach lot, enforcement runs 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Rates vary by zone and are posted on the meter you're paying at.
Q. Can I fish from the pier?
A. Yes. The Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier at 200 NE 21st Ave. is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., though holidays and events can change the hours.
Admission is charged separately for sightseeing and for fishing. The city discounts or waives some fees for residents, veterans, active military and first responders with ID. The current rates as well as discounts are on the pier's page. A bait shop on the pier sells bait, tackle and ice, and rents rod packages that include a bait pack and parking.
You don’t need a personal fishing license to fish from the Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier because the pier holds a blanket fishing license issued by the State of Florida that covers all anglers.
Q. What's on the beach itself?
A. Sand volleyball courts and recreation areas sit on the north side of the pier. Surfing is allowed in designated zones rather than anywhere you like, and boards need leashes. The beach rules page sets out where hard boards are permitted, and the zones are marked relative to the pier and the tower numbers.
The city points to its Blue Wave designation from the Clean Beach Council, awarded on water quality, beach conditions, safety services, public information and habitat conservation.
Q. Is the beach accessible?
A. Deerfield Beach offers a mobility mat, which carries a chair across the soft sand that leads to the beach, plus accessible restrooms.
Beach wheelchairs are offered by Ocean Rescue free of charge.
Q. Can I bring my dog?
A. Animals are not allowed on the public beach at Deerfield Beach, with the exception of ADA-compliant service animals. They are allowed on the public beach, pier, and sidewalks.
Woofing Waters, the dog park at Broward County's Quiet Waters Park on South Powerline Road, has a swimming area and an obstacle course.
Q. What else should I know about the rules?
A. Alcohol is prohibited on the beach, and glass containers are strictly prohibited. Smoking violations carry fines. Swimmers are asked to stay within 50 yards of shore and to swim in the guarded areas. Standing on the rocks is not allowed, and jet skis, windsurfing and kayak launching need authorization.
Snorkeling and diving are permitted with a dive flag.
Q. What is there to do besides the beach?
A. Quiet Waters Park is the big one, a 430-acre county park a short drive inland at 401 S. Powerline Road. It has cable water skiing at Ski Rixen, the Splash Adventure children's water park, fishing lakes, mountain bike and paved trails, camping and boat rentals.
Closer to the water, the Cove area on the Intracoastal has restaurants and shops with dock views. The beachfront strip along A1A near the pier has the usual mix of casual restaurants and rental shops.
Q. When is the best time to visit?
A. This is one Florida beach where winter swimming is realistic. Ocean temperatures off Broward County sit in the low to mid-70s in January and February, cool enough to notice on the way in but warm enough that most people swim comfortably. Air temperatures in those months are mild and the humidity is low.
Summer is hot and humid, with afternoon thunderstorms that usually pass through quickly, and the ocean is at its warmest. Spring and fall split the difference.
Q. What about sea turtles?
A. Nesting season in Broward County runs March 1 through Oct. 31. The Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program, run by Nova Southeastern University under contract to the county, surveys more than 24 miles of county beach every day through the season and cages nests in areas where hatchlings are most likely to be drawn off course.
Stay clear of marked nests. Disturbing one is illegal under state and federal law. Don't use flashlights, flash photography or video lights near nesting turtles or hatchlings, and avoid walking the beach at night during the season, since human presence can turn a nesting female back into the ocean before she lays. Fill in holes and flatten sandcastles before you go, because both can trap a hatchling, and take chairs, umbrellas and tents off the sand overnight.
If you're staying in a beachfront rental, the rule is not simply that lights go off. Broward's coastal cities each have a beachfront lighting ordinance, and the standard is that artificial light must not shine onto or be visible from the beach during the season. Shielded, turtle-friendly fixtures are allowed and stay on. The conservation program's guidance for beachgoers and residents covers both, and disturbed nests or injured turtles go to the state Wildlife Alert line at 888-404-3922.
