Wondering when the big guy from the North Pole is coming your way? You can track him and his sleigh with the Santa Tracker! Here is the website: noradsanta.org.

You also visit the Google Santa Tracker and do a lot of other things besides just tracking Santa. There are games, you can put together puzzles, create a jam band, get Santa ready for his big trip and more. The website is located here: Google Santa Tracker

Merry Christmas!

Brightline opened in Boca Raton on Dec. 21, bringing in staff, local dignitaries, media and more. 

Congressman Carlos Gimenez and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer and City of Aventura Mayor Howard Weinburg were joined by officials from the City of Boca, the City of Aventura, Miami-Dade County and Brightline executives to officially launch the highly-anticipated opening of the two new stations. (Aventura also was scheduled to open the same day, but has had some delays).

More about Boca Station

At the Boca station, there were a few words said by Brightline’s President Patrick Goddard, City of Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer, Florida State Senator Tina Polsky and Milton Segarra of Discover The Palm Beaches. The ceremony proceeded with a tour of the completed station and the inaugural ride from Boca Raton to Aventura, where there was another ceremony.

Brightline’s Boca Raton station is located on a 1.8-acre site adjacent to the downtown library and across from Mizner Park and at 101 NW 4th St, Boca Raton, FL 33432. The 22,000 square-foot station features a 455-space parking garage which will service Brightline’s guests and visitors to the library, who will have dedicated, covered and complimentary spaces on the first floor. The station will also provide two complimentary, on-demand Brightline+ EV carts to destinations within downtown Boca Raton. Travel between Boca and MiamiCentral will be approximately 60 minutes. 

Partners in this project include the City of Boca Raton and Federal Railroad Administration that awarded Brightline and Boca $16.4 million for construction of the station.

Station Travel Times, Parking + Passes (both stations)

Brightline’s initial schedules for Aventura and Boca are designed to optimize commuter patterns and will focus on peak morning and evening weekday service. During non-peak hours and weekends, Brightline will provide service approximately every other hour. Regular hourly service will continue in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and MiamiCentral. You can view a full schedule for Boca and Aventura here. 

Parking options will be available at both stations upon opening with rates for Brightline guests starting at $7 and walk-up parking rates starting at $6 for up to an hour. Guests traveling from Aventura and Boca Raton stations will also have access to Brightline+ shuttle services offered to South Florida’s biggest games and events.

For guests looking to save on fares, a commuter SMART pass will be available for $229 per month. Passes for SHORT (2-leg) and LONG (4-leg) bookings will also be available for both SMART and PREMIUM. Miami-Aventura passes can be purchased in-person at the Aventura station and will become available for purchase online in early 2023 for $170 per month. To purchase tickets, visit www.gobrightline.com. 

At the ribbon cutting.

The much-anticipated day is arriving… Brightline will open a new train station in Boca Raton on Dec. 21.

People can jump on the train and head to Ft. Lauderdale, Miami or West Palm Beach. They also are opening an Aventura station on the same day. Soon, the Orlando station will also be open as well.

One-way tickets start as low as $10. Service runs about every other hour for now. 

There will be ribbon-cutting events the day before, on Dec. 20, with dignitaries celebrating the new station, at 9 a.m. in Boca and noon in Aventura.

The new Boca station is located at 101 NW 4 St. For more information, visit  www.gobrightline.com

The construction continues for Brightlines extension to Orlando, the opening of certain stops, like in Boca Raton, and more. In Deerfield Beach, in particular, on Eller Street, there will be daily flagging operations and full closure from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. in areas, from Dec. 19-23.

Detour Information:
Eastbound Eller St. traffic will be directed to travel north on NW 2nd Ave. to W. Hillsboro Blvd., travel east on W. Hillsboro Blvd. to NE 2nd Ave. and travel south on NE 2nd Ave. to access Eller St.
Westbound Eller St. traffic will be directed to travel north on NE 2nd Ave. to W. Hillsboro Blvd., travel west on W. Hillsboro Blvd. to NW 2nd Ave. and travel south on NW 2nd Ave. to access Eller St.

For more info. on Brightline, visit  www.gobrightline.com.

Come join the community in Deerfield for some light fare, spirits and good cheer… and even Santa! Bring your pooch for a picture! Event is at the Deerfield Beach Museum & Cultural Center at 84 SE 4 Ave.

Saturday, December 10, from 6-8 p.m.
Oveta McKeithen Recreational Center
445 SW 2 St., Deerfield Beach.

Join the Sample-McDougald historic home staff for a Night of Caroling. This family event will take place on Dec. 14 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the home, located at 450 NE 10 St. in Pompano. In addition to caroling, there will be arts and crafts for the kids, gifts provided by Miss Christmas Joy, lite bites, open bar and even a visit from Santa. This is a great time to tour the home. You also can get holiday family photo sessions. Admission is $15 or free for those who become members or renew at the door. Free for kids under 12. For more info., visit www.samplemcdougald.org.