Coconut Creek

In Banyan Trails, a quiet neighborhood just south of the Sawgrass Expressway in Coconut Creek, you’ll find a community that first developed in the early 2000s, with lakes and parks next to most homes, and plenty of playgrounds, sports facilities and gyms to keep residents healthy and active.<br><br>This community was created so that “everyone can have a home here,” says Realtor Damiana Mendes Ponce with RE/MAX Direct, who was also the 6th buyer to sign a contract on a home in Banyan Trails back in 2000. Originally, the builders wanted to create three living areas. That’s why you’ll find single-family houses and townhouses of varying sizes in the neighborhood. “Whether you’re single, starting a family or downsizing, the home models here fit many lifestyles,” Mendes Ponce says.<br><br>Most homes in Banyan Trails are Mediterranean with barrel-tile roofs, stucco siding and arched entryways. Single-family homes start in the high $500,000s and offer three to five bedrooms and up to 3,000 square feet of living space. They also feature screened-in pools, paved patios and multicar garages. Town houses are slightly more modest and start in the $400,000s, with a fewer number of bedroom choices and up to 2,000 square feet. The community’s two pools, its fully renovated clubhouse and gym, and its play areas are all widely used and a real draw for homebuyers, Mendes Ponce says.<br><br>The public schools that serve Banyan Trails each received a B-plus from Niche. Winston Park Elementary offers a special visual arts program to support students' creative endeavors and help them understand the value of creative pursuits as they grow and develop. Lyons Creek Middle features several academic pathways depending on a student’s career interests, whether that means continuing their schooling, learning to use business technology or learning the nuances of social and emotional wellness. At Monarch High, students can earn dual enrollment credit and industry licenses through the school’s partnership with Atlantic Technical College.<br><br>The largest of Coconut Creek’s city-run parks, Sabal Pines Park was designed for athletes, families and nature lovers. It features four baseball diamonds, football and soccer practice fields, and tennis courts. Playgrounds are located next to the picnic pavilions and are convenient to the main parking lots. Sabal Pines is also home to protected cypress wetlands, a lake and walking paths. Tradewinds Park and Stables encompasses part of the neighborhood to the south. This recreational area is seven times the size of Sabal Pines and features horseback riding, therapeutic horse riding for people with special needs, an educational farm and much more.<br><br>For everyday needs, you’ll find a Publix at Winston Park Center, which also features an LA Fitness with group fitness classes. If you’re craving Cuban food, head north on Lyons Road until you reach Caribbean Grill. The carne asada you’ll find here looks like it’s been simmered for hours.<br><br>For more upscale shopping, Promenade at Coconut Creek is very close. This open-air mall features over 50 stores, boutiques and restaurants, including favorites like Cooper’s Hawk and Bar Louie. “A Cheesecake Factory is coming, too,” Mendes Ponce says. A Silverspot Cinema operates on 11 screens and offers luxury seating, first-run blockbusters, 3D and concerts. Or if a day at the ocean is more to your style, Deerfield Beach is only a little over 8 miles away.<br><br>Whether you’re moving with a family, downsizing or needing a first-floor primary for a grandmother or grandfather, this beautifully planned and built community, may be just what you've been looking for.

Tucked inside a pocket of Coconut Creek communities, the gated Wynmoor condominium development offers an active 55-plus golf-course lifestyle that’s rich in amenities. Just outside the central Wynmoor community, you can find town houses, villas and single-family homes in The Township development and the gated, all-ages Centura Parc. Daniel Miqueiro, Broker with Engage 100 Realty Group, who moved from Coral Springs to Wynmoor several years ago, says, “It’s the best thing my wife and I ever did. Everyone is so friendly, and we have so much fun here. You’ll see 50 or 60 people getting together outdoors for birthday parties, and you can join more than 80 clubs, from ceramics to woodworking to dancing. You can also play pickleball on 10 courts. It’s great for anyone 55 and older, but if you’re single or widowed, it’s also nice because you’ll make friends immediately.” Living outside of Wynmoor in The Township, a three-bedroom stucco-and-siding town house built in 1980 can ask around $430,000 while a beautifully remodeled four-bedroom, three-car-garage home on a corner lot can fetch $740,000. In gated Century Parc, a lovely stucco three-bedroom single-family home built in the middle 1990s averages around $525,000. “Not many people realize,” says Miqueiro, “that while Coral Springs right next door got public endorsement and investments in the past from Johnny Carson and Erik Estrada, Coconut Creek has the same AAA credit rating as Coral Springs.” Within Coconut Creek’s 55-plus, gated Wynmoor community, pricing can range from around $160,000 for a 1970s two-bedroom condo with magnificent lake views to $260,000 for an updated 1980s two-bedroom waterside condo overlooking golf greens. Miqueiro adds, “The villages in Wynmoor have island names. So, you have Aruba, Cayman, Victoria, Martinique, Antigua and more. And they’re all on this beautiful, heavily treed landscape, with fountains that light up at night.” Designed to provide maintenance-free living and encourage healthy pursuits, you’ll notice residents out for late-night walks, traveling the community in golf carts or working out at the clubhouse gym. Not only is your lawn taken care of in Wynmoor, you can swim at nearly 20 heated pools, fish at the lake, or enjoy golfside cookouts at the cove. You don’t have to travel far for date nights, either. Says Miqueiro, “There’s a more-than-900-seat theater in Wynmoor, showcasing great musicians and comedians year-round.” Golfers living in Wynmoor can tee off at an exclusive 18-hole executive course and enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner at Café on the Green. For recreation outside Wynmoor’s gates, you can tango, salsa and waltz at Goldcoast Ballroom in Lyons Plaza, considered a local gem for decades. “They have excellent bands,” Miqueiro adds, “and people come from all over Miami and Palm Beach to dance at the competition level.” Outdoor concerts are held at Coconut Creek Community Center just south of Coconut Creek, and nearby Windmill Park offers volleyball, tennis, basketball and a dedicated dog park. For pickleball fanatics, adds Miqueiro, “There’s the championship indoor Diadem Pickleball Complex that just opened at Broward College in 2023.” Broward County Public School kids can start at Coconut Creek Elementary, which earns a B-minus grade from Niche, before moving on to Margate Middle School, which Niche gives a C-plus. Teens head to Coconut Creek High, which earns a C grade from Niche and fields strong football and track programs. Eateries and retailers are close at hand in Coconut Creek Plaza, where you can grocery shop at Publix or make it a New York-style pizza night at Johnny Pies. “Because it’s right on the turnpike,” adds Miqueiro, “it’s convenient to everything. You can drive to Festival Marketplace, filled with vendors, in about 5 minutes. Festival’s been a landmark here for more than 35 years.” If you’d rather opt for public transportation, Coconut Creek Community buses head to Festival Marketplace, Promenade Mall, the Coconut Creek Recreational Complex and the Turtle Creek Drive Walmart. For a sunny South Florida home that’s not in a flood plain and is filled with recreation and entertainment venues, Wynmoor is worth exploring.

From sprawling estates with private gates, barns, and horse stables on acres of land to Mediterranean-inspired New Traditional single-family residences, Palm Beach Farms is a subdivision community located in the heart of Coconut Creek. “Coconut Creek has been revitalizing over the past 10 years. Originally there were many empty nesters, and now new young families are moving in,” says Michael Mucci, a Realtor at LoKation with 10 years of experience and has sold over 50 homes in Coconut Creek. “It’s very homey and central to almost everything; there are no thoroughfare streets and no congestion, and you can get to anywhere in any direction in about 20 minutes.” In this community, expansive Mediterranean-inspired farm-style ranch houses with large acre lots, stables and barns may list over $2 million. “Palm Beach Farms is one of the few subdivisions where you can find large, 3-to-5-acre properties,” says Laura Sanders, a Realtor with RE/MAX Direct for over 20 years. “The city has pushed to keep large organizations from moving in and encourages homeowners to keep cows, chickens and horses.” Single-family New Traditional and ranch-style homes around 2,000 square feet are around $600,000 and $800,000. The rest of the neighborhood is comprised of additional subdivisions, including the gated San Mellina and Paloma Lakes, which is a townhouse community with homes available in the mid-$400,000s. Condominium communities such as Evergreen Lake are priced between $200,000 and $350,000 for two-bedroom units. Students may begin schooling at Winston Park Elementary and continue to Lyons Creek Middle School, both of which have B Nitch scores. Lyons Creek offers academic pathways, including the Cambridge international program and the Exceptional Student Learners curriculum. Monarch High School has a B-plus and features an industry-approved career dual enrollment program through its partnership with Atlantic Technical College. One of the largest parks in the area, Tradewinds Park and Stables draws people from the surrounding communities with several attractions. Local horse owners can enjoy the park’s equine trails while others can play disc golf or fish at the lakes. Children can explore and meet animals at the educational farm and ride the model steam trains, which are maintained by the nonprofit Tradewinds & Atlantic Railroad. Butterfly World, which is also home to the park, is the world’s largest butterfly park with 3 acres of butterfly aviaries. Residents may also play sports or walk along the boardwalk at Winston Park and Nature Trail. Near the center of Palm Beach Farms, the Promenade at Coconut Creek is an open-air mall that contains the Silverspot Cinema and over 50 stores and upscale restaurants. Ethos Greek Bistro serves authentic and modern Mediterranean dishes, including spanakopita, lamb chops and gyros. Bar Louis has happy hour specials and is known for its house cocktails. Grocery stores and big-box retailers in the area include Aldi, Winn-Dixie, Target, CVS Pharmacy and The Home Depot. The city of Coconut Creek has various festivals throughout the year, including the Coconut Creek Butterfly Festival, with live bands, amusement rides and a Polynesian show at Sable Pines Park. Additional events include Hometown Market, movies and concerts in the park and Arbor Day free tree giveaways. Locals can also catch a live performance or play live poker at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. “Coconut Creek is about 7 miles to the beach so it’s far away from tourists but close enough for locals to enjoy the waters,” Mucci says. Pompano Beach Fisher Family Pier and Pompano Beach are located within 10 miles of Palm Beach Farms. The neighborhood is about 43 miles away from Miami International Airport and 21 miles from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport via Interstate 95. Fort Lauderdale is roughly 18 miles south through Florida’s Turnpike, and Miami is approximately 40 miles away. HCA Florida Northwest Hospital is 3 miles west of the neighborhood. Broward County Transit provides bus stops throughout the major destinations in the county.

Quiet living along the water Amid the intertwined waterways lined with condos and residential homes lies Coral Gate in Florida, a residential, picturesque community dotted by palmettos that’s a popular draw for those looking for waterfront properties in a tropical climate. With West Sample Road, a main thoroughfare, cutting through the northern portion of the neighborhood, Coral Gate offers its residents proximity to the water while remaining close to major outlets of shopping and dining as well as a quartet of parks within its borders. “It’s really close to the turnpike and the highways,” says Damon Penn, team leader of the Penn Team at EXP Realty. “There’s the Festival Flea Market, a lot of good restaurants, local sports, good schools and it’s home to all ages, from 55+ communities to families. There’s the Promenade downtown area, closeness to sports and recreation and it’s got a variety of everything around it.” Homes with historical designs Most properties in Coral Gate are waterfront by nature due to the canals and bodies of water in the backyards, and it was primarily founded in the 1960s; the Spanish ties of the region mean stucco exteriors and low-angled roofs are prominent. Largely residential, it’s close to major thoroughfares; there’s a high hurricane risk, but an emphasis on safety is crucial to the area. “There’s a ton of condos and townhouses,” Penn says. “There’s also villas and single-family homes. “The starting price is probably in the $150,000 range, going up to about $700,000. Most of the single-family homes are ranch styles, but a couple communities have multi-levels as well.” Schools around the Coral Gate area While no schools are specifically located within Coral Gate’s boundaries, Liberty Elementary School sits just off the southwestern corner of the neighborhood. Rated at a C-plus by Niche for its service of students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, Liberty Elementary is followed by Margate Middle School, which also receives a C-plus rating from Niche. Grades nine through 12 are hosted by Coconut Creek High School to the south of Coral Gate, scoring a C-plus with Niche and regarded for its college preparation. All three schools are within Broward County Public Schools, listed as the third-best district in the Miami area and ranking in the top 10 districts for athletics and diversity in Florida. A quartet of parks for recreation There are four parks scattered throughout the Coral Gate neighborhood, meaning there’s no shortage of recreation opportunities for residents. The largest is Tradewinds Park, occupying the northeastern corner and stretching north beyond Coral Gate’s boundary for a total area surpassing 600 acres. Butterfly World, the largest such park on the globe and featuring more than 20,000 butterflies, is its primary showcase, but there’s a plethora of amenities in Tradewinds. There’s a rideable model steam train, horses, athletic fields and courts, picnic areas and a playground, plus disc golf and cricket facilities. Cypress Park, Veterans Park and George S. Gerber Memorial Park are also popular open spaces. Local establishments for dining and craft beer “The downtown area is called the Promenade and it has restaurants, dining, movie theaters, clothing stores and all of that,” Penn says. “La Bamba Mexican Restaurant, a really good Mexican place that’s pretty famous, is right there. Bonefish Mac’s has a really good vibe there, kind of a sports bar atmosphere, and they serve seafood, burgers and wings. It’s a cool little restaurant.” Firegrills is another of the most popular restaurants within Coral Gate’s borders, showcasing the “art of fire and flavor” within its doors. Fully-furnished taproom atmospheres can be found at Pompano Beach Brewing Company and Black Flamingo Brewing Company. Casinos, shopping centers and farmers markets Test some luck at the Seminole Casino, where attendees can play blackjack, poker and slots or simply enjoy live music taking the stage inside each week. Head to the local farmers market every other week, take in a holiday lights display in Tradewinds Park around the end of the year. For shopping and retail, the Promenade at Coconut Creek sits just north, where along with catching the latest movies at its theater patrons can find eats at places like Naked Taco or Night Owl Cookies beside shops like Sephora and Sunglass Hut. Parallel to Florida’s Turnpike With Florida’s Turnpike making up the right side of the neighborhood, Coral Gate residents are never far from getting around the region. Just 20 miles north of Fort Lauderdale and less than 10 miles from the coast, Coral Gate’s waterways connect the community via creeks, pools and ponds, and it’s also close to Route 441. Its proximity means there’s dining options, Walmart and Costco within quick reach.

For the residents of Winston Park, it’s all about nature. After all, they reside in the “Butterfly Capital of the World,” Coconut Creek. Live oaks, poincianas and palms shade quiet, sidewalk-lined streets as colorful wings flutter from one yard to the next. With all this natural beauty, it makes sense that neighbors are always running into each other at the nearest park. The verdant community cultivates not only gardens and greenery but also kindness. “People smile at one another — there’s southern hospitality,” says Lia Papadopoulos, a longtime South Florida resident and Realtor with Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty. “It’s just down-to-earth people that are very nice to each other. It’s the polar opposite of Miami, and that’s why a lot of people move up here from there. They’re not just buying for a safe area; they’re buying for the community, the families, the schools and the parks.” Winston Park’s beautifully landscaped subdivisions were developed between the late 1980s and early 2000s. While some of these three- to five-bedroom residences are strong examples of Spanish eclectic architecture, others display Minimal Traditional, New Traditional and midcentury modern influence. In-ground pools and patios are common backyard fixtures. Standard features are driveways and two-car garages. Lot sizes range from less than 5,000 square feet to around a quarter-acre. Listings start at $455,000 and max out just under $800,000. A smattering of condos and townhouses can be found on the community’s outskirts for between $200,000 and the high $400,000s. HOAs are mandatory across all of Winston Park. Fees vary from subdivision to subdivision depending on amenities and whether the community is gated. The neighborhood has front-row seats to the city’s Butterfly Festival. This free event has been held annually for over a dozen years at Sabal Pines Park. Thousands of residents and tourists head to the day-long festival to enjoy a flurry of activities. Much of the festival adheres to the titular theme with bug-themed carnival rides, colorful butterfly costumes and insect-inspired face paint, but so much more uplifts local businesses and programs, from local food vendors and student dance performances to a business expo and police department K-9 demonstrations. The night caps with fireworks high in the sky, shining down on thousands of smiling faces. Coconut Creek has the moniker “Butterfly Capital of the World” because it’s home to Butterfly World, the world’s largest butterfly aviary. Home to about 20,000 winged beauties, it’s the first facility of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. Winston Park residents enjoy proximity to this rare find, and so do their family and friends. “Back when I lived in Minnesota, I’d bring the kids down to see their grandmother in Winston Park every year,” says Mitchel Wachman, a longtime South Florida resident and the founder of Flamingo Green Realty. “They loved going to see Grandma. There’s just so much to do with family down there. The beach is nearby, there are plenty of parks, and then there’s Butterfly World. I took them there every time, and they just loved it. Did you know it’s good luck if a butterfly lands on you at Butterfly World?” “There’s at least one park everywhere you go,” Papadopoulos says. Some subdivisions have their own clubhouses and pocket parks, but the central recreational hub is Winston Park and Nature Trail. The park’s north side has athletic courts, a playground and, of course, a butterfly garden. On the south side, a boardwalk juts through protected woodlands of towering cypress trees and giant ferns. The neighborhood is served by Broward County Public Schools, which includes Winston Park Elementary, graded B on Niche; Lyons Creek Middle, also graded B; and Monarch High, graded B-plus. Monarch high-schoolers can get a headstart on their future career paths with the Career Dual Enrollment program. This program splits their school days between the high school campus and Atlantic Technical College, where students may fulfill industry credentials or licenses. Monarch High’s athletic offerings are robust as well, featuring various varsity teams. “Soccer and football are huge,” Papadopoulos says. “Everyone’s going to the games. The stands are packed.” Winston Park Boulevard is the main way to get in and out of the neighborhood. It intersects two commercial corridors, Lyons Road and U.S. Route 441. Along these strips are shopping plazas with big box stores like The Home Depot and supermarkets like Publix. An array of dining options are located up and down these roads, too. Rock N Roll Ribs is a favorite, owned by none other than Iron Maiden’s drummer, Nico McBrain. Residents have immediate access to the Sawgrass Expressway, Florida’s Turnpike and U.S. 441, each bordering the neighborhood. Bus stops on U.S. 441 offer a carless commuting option.