Boca Raton is a city of just under 100,000 people situated north of Fort Lauderdale on Florida’s eastern shoreline. Boca Raton is known as one of the top places to retire. (In fact, Fran on the TV sitcom, “The Nanny,” used to joke about shipping her mother off to Boca Raton.) But if you look at the Boca Raton resorts and all the great shopping and dining, you’ll see it can be a good place to take a vacation, too.

If traveling to Boca Raton, you might want to stay at the Boca Raton Resort and Club, located at 501 E Camino Real. This four-star resort has more than 1,000 rooms on its 356 acres. The Boca Raton Resort has been around since 1926, when it was designed to be a winter get-away for wealthy visitors from the Northeastern United States. It has been enlarged and renovated to accommodate modern vacationers, including those traveling as families. As you would expect in Boca Raton, there are pools for swimming and a private expanse of beach. Plus, there are courts for tennis and golf courses, of course. Photos of the Boca Raton Resort and Club are beautiful. Visit www.bocaresort.com for more information on accommodations, amenities and reservations.

Boca Raton is known for being an upscale city with a lot of fancy shops. One place to find some of that great shopping is Mizner Park, located at 430 Plaza Real. There you’ll find an open-air shopping mall that is incredibly landscaped. In addition to clothing, jewelry, make-up and shoe stores, you’ll find a movie theater and several fine art galleries at Mizner Park.

When you’re done there, head to another great shopping center in Boca Raton: the Royal Palm Plaza at 315 Southeast Mizner Boulevard. This place is called “Pink Plaza” because of its Mediterranean-style buildings. It’s the oldest shopping venue in Boca Raton.

Finish your shopping spree at Town Center Mall at 6000 Glades Road. This is a huge mall with a large variety of shopping options. You’ll find Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue and even Bloomingdale’s. Plus, there are the stores you’ll find in many other malls around the country, including Pottery Barn, Coach, Sharper Image and Banana Republic. There’s even a food court at Town Center Mall if you get hungry. Valet parking keeps you out of the Boca Raton sunshine.

If all that shopping makes you hungry, try one of the restaurants deemed the best in Boca Raton by the Palm Beach Post. Those would be: Café Bellino at 180 South Federal Highway (Italian including veal and seafood); GiGi’s Tavern Bar & Restaurant at 346 Plaza Real in Mizner Park (Mediterranean); La Vieille Maison at 770 East Palmetto Park Road (French); Max’s Grille at 404 Plaza Real in Mizner Park (American); The Grille on Congress at 5101 Congress Ave. (American); and Watercolors at 999 E. Camino Real, Radisson Bridge (American). Prices at these restaurants range from $0 to $25.

If you want to try more elegant (expensive) fare, try Johanne’s at 47 E. Palmetto Park Road (Mediterranean); La Vieille Maison at 770 East Palmetto Park Road (French); or New York Prime at 2350 Northwest Executive Center Drive (steakhouse).