BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — Boca Raton has received its second straight international Blue Flag Beach Award for the beach at Spanish River Park, a designation that recognizes beaches for environmental education, water quality, coastal management and safety.
The City of Boca Raton officially raised the Blue Flag on May 7, 2026, marking the start of its 2026–2027 designation season. The recognized area runs from Tower 18 to the southern boundary of Spanish River Park.
Boca Raton is one of just three beaches in the United States to receive the distinction, according to the city.
The Blue Flag Beach Award is administered globally by the Foundation for Environmental Education and is considered one of the best-known international eco-certifications for beaches and marinas. To qualify, beaches must meet and maintain more than 30 criteria tied to environmental management, sustainability, education, safety and water quality.
For Boca Raton, the award is tied directly to Spanish River Park, one of the city’s major oceanfront public beach areas. The designation recognizes not only beach conditions, but the systems around them: how the shoreline is managed, how beachgoers are informed, how water quality is monitored, and how conservation programs are presented to the public.
“Receiving the Blue Flag designation for a second consecutive year reflects Boca Raton’s commitment to protecting our coastline and providing an exceptional beach experience,” Mayor Andy Thomson said. “This recognition highlights the dedication of our staff and community to maintaining the highest standards for our beaches.”
As part of the Blue Flag program, the city provides educational information boards at the Central Tunnel pavilion. Those boards include current water quality information, beach safety guidance, conservation initiatives and details about environmental programs offered through Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.
Those educational programs are part of the city’s ongoing compliance with Blue Flag standards. They are also intended to keep residents and visitors informed about Boca Raton’s coastal ecosystem, including the dune system and the broader work required to maintain the beach.
The designation also recognizes Boca Raton’s mature dune ecosystem and the conservation work carried out by city staff across multiple departments.
“Our continued Blue Flag recognition highlights the City’s ongoing investment in sustainability and coastal preservation,” Tina Batoh-Jennings, the city’s sustainability manager, said. “It represents the collective effort to protect and enhance our shoreline for future generations.”
The Blue Flag does not apply to every stretch of beach in Boca Raton. The city identified the designated area as the section from Tower 18 to the southern boundary of Spanish River Park.
For residents, the award means that Spanish River Park’s designated beach area will continue to be managed under the standards required by the Blue Flag program during the 2026–2027 season. Beachgoers can expect to see posted information tied to water quality, safety and environmental education at the Central Tunnel pavilion.
The award also places Boca Raton in a small national group of Blue Flag beaches at a time when coastal cities continue to balance public beach access, environmental protection, storm resilience and long-term shoreline management.
In Boca Raton, that work is concentrated along a coastline that draws residents, visitors, families, anglers, swimmers and beach walkers year-round. The city says the second consecutive designation reflects continued investment in preserving the shoreline while maintaining public use of the beach.
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