On September 3, 1996, voters said yes and Weston became a city. Thirty years later, there’s no doubt that it was the right call. The only question is how one planned community in western Broward County became one of the most celebrated places to live in the entire country. Here are 30 reasons we think it’s worth celebrating.
1. It was built on purpose. Every street, lake, trail, and greenway was drawn on a plan before the first family moved in. That intentionality still shows.
2. The land itself. The 15,000 acres that make up Weston were first assembled in the 1950s, making it a remarkable vision for what South Florida could become.
3. Windmill Ranch and Country Isles. The first homes were completed there in 1984, and both neighborhoods remain among Weston’s most established addresses four decades later.
4. The incorporation vote. Roughly 90% of voters chose to become their own city. Few decisions in local history have been that decisive.
5. Bonaventure said yes too. In April 1997, Bonaventure’s residents voted by nearly a two-to-one margin to join Weston rather than Sunrise. The family got bigger.
6. Lean, effective city government. Weston contracts out many city services, keeping overhead remarkably low while still delivering a full range of services to residents.
7. 26 square miles of well-planned space. The city encompasses 25.2 square miles of land, providing room to breathe in a region that doesn’t always offer it.
8. 70,000 neighbors. The city has grown from its first residents in 1984 to a community of approximately 70,000 people connected by sidewalks, bike paths, and shared green space.
9. Cypress Bay High School. Cypress Bay ranks in the top 10% of high schools in Florida, with 78% of 10th graders proficient or above in English Language Arts (well above both county and state averages!).
10. Falcon Cove Middle School. Falcon Cove earns a 9 out of 10 on GreatSchools and an A from the Florida Department of Education.
11. Elementary schools that earn their reputation. From Manatee Bay to Eagle Point, Weston’s elementary schools consistently rank among the best in Broward County.
12. Private school options too. Schools like Sagemont Prep School give families even more choices for exceptional education within city limits.
13. Cleveland Clinic. A nonprofit, multispecialty academic medical center integrating clinical care with research and education, right here in town.
14. More than 14 city parks. With miles of biking and walking trails, and community events like Moonlight Movie in the Park, there’s always something happening.
15. Weston Regional Park. The city’s recreational anchor, with sports facilities, an exercise path, pickleball courts, and EV charging stations.
16. A trail network that actually connects things. Weston’s interconnected paths make it genuinely possible to walk or bike across significant stretches of the city.
17. The lakes. Nearly every neighborhood has one. The waterfront views aren’t accidental either. They were engineered as part of the original water management system and became one of Weston’s defining features.
18. Weston FC. Florida’s largest soccer club, and one of the largest in the United States, calls Weston home.
19. The Weston Sports Alliance. An all-volunteer organization managing organized athletic league programs across baseball, softball, basketball, football, soccer, lacrosse, and rugby, with roughly 9,000 participants annually.
20. Weston Town Center. A walkable retail and dining hub that gives the city a genuine downtown feel that many South Florida communities still wish they had.
21. The amphitheater. Outdoor concerts and community events under the South Florida sky, steps from Town Center.
22. Religious diversity. Weston supports a wide range of houses of worship across faiths and traditions, reflecting the community’s multicultural character.
23. A genuinely multicultural community. Weston’s residents represent dozens of countries and cultures, with Spanish widely spoken alongside English throughout the city.
24. Safety. Weston has been ranked among the top 10 safest cities in the United States.
25. National recognition that keeps coming. Named one of the 25 most affordable suburbs in the U.S. by BusinessWeek in 1996 and one of America’s Best Small Cities by Money Magazine in 2008. More recently, recognized among the best places to live in Florida by U.S. News & World Report.
26. Award-winning city communications. The City of Weston’s communications team recently earned top honors from the Florida Municipal Communicators Association for its Discover Weston campaign aimed at connecting residents and visitors with local businesses.
27. The Weston University Program. An eight-month civic education program for high school students, helping the next generation understand local and state government from the inside.
28. The chamber of commerce. For the last decade, the Weston Florida Chamber of Commerce has connected businesses, advocated for the community, and helped make Weston a place where commerce and quality of life go hand in hand.
29. The people who showed up. Every coach, volunteer, HOA board member, elected official, and neighbor who chose to invest in this city rather than just live in it. Weston works because people make it work.
30. Thirty years in, and still going. The city that started as a developer’s vision and became a community’s story is still writing new chapters. Happy birthday, Weston.
Love what you're reading?
Get the best of Weston delivered to your inbox every month — local stories, events, and good news worth sharing.
Subscribe for Free
