Free things to do in Boynton Beach: Wakodahatchee's boardwalk, Barrier Free Park, public art downtown, fishing piers, First Friday @ 5 and free city festivals.

Last checked Oct. 8, 2026. No entry below charges admission on the official page linked, unless we say otherwise. Parking may cost extra where noted.

Many of Boynton Beach’s best outings cost nothing. The county’s wetland boardwalks, the city’s parks and playgrounds, its outdoor art and most city festivals are free.

Who to call

  • City Recreation & Parks: 561-742-6650
  • City events: 561-742-6024, events@bbfl.us
  • City Library: 561-742-6390

Nature

  • Wakodahatchee Wetlands, 13270 Jog Road, Delray Beach. Free, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily: a three-quarter-mile boardwalk with more than 178 bird species recorded (county page).
  • Green Cay Nature Center and Wetlands, 12800 Hagen Ranch Road. 1.5 miles of boardwalk, sunrise to sunset; the county’s Green Cay page lists hours but no admission fee.
  • Scrub trails: Rosemary Scrub Area, 2901 N. Seacrest Blvd., and Seacrest Scrub Area, 3400 S. Seacrest Blvd., with short nature trails through protected Florida scrub.

More in our walking and biking trails guide.

Parks and playgrounds

City parks are open sunrise to sunset (some lighted courts later), per the city’s Tour Our Parks guide:

  • Barrier Free Park, 3111 S. Congress Ave.: all-abilities playgrounds and a spray-ground.
  • Kapok Park, 123 E. Ocean Ave.: gated playgrounds downtown.
  • Promenade Park, 700 E. Marina Way: a garden path to an Intracoastal overlook.
  • Fishing piers at Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway; Jaycee Park, 2600 S. Federal Highway; Pioneer Canal Park, 848 NW 13th Ave.; and Officer Joseph Crowder Park, 800 Renaissance Commons Blvd.

Art and culture

  • Public art walk: the city counts more than 80 outdoor sculptures, murals and mosaics, concentrated between City Hall and the marina, and posts a walking tour of its Kinetic Art Biennial on its public art page.
  • The library: a free card for people on the library’s eligibility list, which includes city residents and business owners, residents of unincorporated Palm Beach County and of partner cities such as Delray Beach and Lantana, and county public school students; others pay $30 (library card page). Free homework help runs 2:30 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Free city events

Event When Where
First Friday @ 5 (food trucks, live music) First Friday of each month Centennial Park, 120 E. Ocean Ave.
Fall Festival 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026 Centennial Park
BOO with the Blue Trunk or Treat 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026 Police headquarters, 2100 High Ridge Road
Scream on the Green movie 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, 2026 Wilson Park, 225 NW 12th Ave.
Pirate Fest Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 2026 Downtown
Oceanfront Bark (dogs on the beach, parking waived) 9 a.m. to noon, third Saturdays, November to February Oceanfront Park

Sources: the city’s listings for First Friday, the Fall Festival, Scream on the Green and Pirate Fest, and the police department’s Trunk or Treat page. In 2026 the city’s Egg-stravaganza and Memorial Day ceremony were also free; see Easter and Memorial Day.

Nearly free

  • The beach: no entry fee at Oceanfront Park, 6415 N. Ocean Blvd., but parking is $3.50 an hour, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (parking fees).
  • John H. Denson Pool: free daily entry for resident children 4 to 12 with a paying adult (pool page).

What this means for you

  • Go to the beach on an Oceanfront Bark Saturday and skip the parking fee, with or without a dog.
  • Get a free library card if you qualify; it also gives access to the library’s digital collection.
  • Watch the city calendar: most of its signature events cost nothing.

Frequently asked questions

What can I do for free in Boynton Beach? Walk the free Wakodahatchee boardwalk, play at Barrier Free Park or Kapok Park, take the public art walk from City Hall to the marina, fish from a city pier, and go to First Friday @ 5 or the city’s free festivals.

Is the Boynton Beach library card free? Yes for people on the library’s eligibility list, including city residents, residents of unincorporated Palm Beach County and partner cities such as Delray Beach and Lantana, and county public school students. Others pay $30. Apply in person with photo ID.

Is the beach free in Boynton Beach? There is no entry fee at Oceanfront Park, but parking costs $3.50 an hour from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Parking is free during Oceanfront Bark dog days on the third Saturday from November through February.

Are Boynton Beach city events free? Many are. First Friday @ 5, the Fall Festival, Scream on the Green, the police Trunk or Treat, Pirate Fest and the Memorial Day ceremony were all listed as free in 2026.

Related: kids’ activities, downtown Boynton Beach, dog-friendly Boynton Beach and things to do this month.