Rent a Bus to the Kravis Center: West Palm Beach Performing Arts Guide

If you are organizing a group trip to the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, the question that trips up most organizers is not which show to see — it is where exactly the bus drops everyone off, and what happens to the vehicle once the curtain goes up. The Kravis Center's on-site garage has a 6'10" height clearance, which rules out full-size charter buses and most minibuses from parking inside. That single detail, buried in the fine print, is what separates a group that glides in from one still circling Okeechobee Boulevard at 7:45 PM trying to find the entrance.

This guide answers all of it: the confirmed drop-off approach on Alexander W. Dreyfoos Way, where the bus waits while your group enjoys the performance, which vehicle size fits your party, and what drives the price for a Delray Beach bus rental headed up I-95 to West Palm Beach. We handle this route regularly — for school groups heading to student matinees, for date-night parties of 20 booking Broadway, and for senior groups on the Adults at Leisure series — so the advice below is the same thing we tell our clients before they book.

What Is the Kravis Center — and Why Does It Draw Groups From Across Palm Beach County?

The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts opened on September 19, 1992, on the former site of Connie Mack Field in downtown West Palm Beach — the spring-training home of the Kansas City Athletics until 1962. Named in honor of Raymond F. Kravis after a landmark donation that grew to $10 million by opening night, it has become the premier performing arts destination in South Florida north of Miami's Adrienne Arsht Center. The grand opening featured Burt Reynolds, Ella Fitzgerald, and Lily Tomlin; thirty-plus years later, the Kravis Center brings the same caliber of production to the stage every season.

The building houses three distinct performance spaces. Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. Concert Hall — the main stage — seats 2,195 in a purpose-built concert hall spanning 90,000 square feet. Marshall E. Rinker Sr. Playhouse is a 305-seat black box theater opened in October 1994, ideal for intimate productions and touring shows that don't need a 2,000-seat house.

Helen K. Persson Hall seats 291 and serves as the recital hall for chamber performances, lecture series, and smaller events. The center also includes the Cohen Pavilion with the Gimelstob Ballroom for 800, used for galas and events. Total seating across all venues: 2,791.

That scale — combined with a 2025–2026 calendar that includes Broadway blockbusters, touring dance companies, the Kravis On Broadway series, and the Adults at Leisure series — makes it a year-round destination for groups coming up from Delray Beach, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, and beyond.

Bus Drop-Off at the Kravis Center: Exactly How It Works

Here is the detail most transportation guides skip entirely. The Kravis Center's parking garage sits on-site and offers 1,187 spaces across five levels — but the height clearance is 6'10". Full-size charter buses, most minibuses, and any vehicle over that height cannot enter the garage.

For groups arriving by charter bus, the procedure is different, and it is published in the center's own visitor documentation.

According to the Kravis Center's transportation guidelines for group visits, all buses should arrive on Alexander W. Dreyfoos Way (the street that runs along the back of the building, formerly called Iris Street), where Kravis Center staff will direct buses to appropriate unloading and check-in areas. For school and organized groups, the center sends a "Know Before You Go" document two days before your performance date that includes a venue sign — labeled D for Dreyfoos, P for Persson, or R for Rinker — to place in the bus window so staff can direct you to the correct entrance without delay.

The Kravis Center's group sales team confirms that buses have "easy access for drop off and pick up located at the entrance to the main theater" — meaning this is a coordinated process, not improvised street parking. For organized groups booking through the group sales line (561-651-4438), the arrival protocol is confirmed as part of the booking. We recommend verifying the current drop-off zone with your group coordinator when you book, as the Kravis Center occasionally adjusts traffic flow for large-scale productions.

You can also review the official Kravis Center parking and visitor page before your trip.

Where the Bus Waits During the Show

Once your group is unloaded on Alexander W. Dreyfoos Way, the bus needs somewhere to wait during a two- or three-hour performance. The on-site garage is off-limits at full coach height. Street parking on Dreyfoos Way and South Sapodilla Avenue accommodates smaller vehicles.

For full-size charter buses, wait spots typically include on-street commercial zones on Okeechobee Boulevard, the Banyan Boulevard city lots nearby in downtown West Palm Beach, or the Palm Beach County Courthouse parking areas — all within reasonable distance for a post-show return pickup. When you book a Delray Beach bus rental through us, we confirm the waiting plan for your specific vehicle size before the evening begins, so there is no scramble after curtain call.

The Drive From Delray Beach: Distance, Route, and What to Expect

The Kravis Center sits about 21 miles north of downtown Delray Beach, and under clear conditions the drive via I-95 North to Exit 70 (Okeechobee Boulevard) runs 25 to 35 minutes. Exit 70 puts you half a mile west of the venue; a left onto Tamarind Avenue or a right onto Alexander W. Dreyfoos Way gets your bus to the drop zone.

That 25-to-35-minute estimate is the off-peak number. On evenings when Dreyfoos Hall's 2,195 seats are full — think a touring Broadway production, a sold-out Cirque du Soleil run, or a marquee concert weekend — the I-95 approach and the Okeechobee Boulevard corridor back up noticeably. Okeechobee between I-95 and the venue becomes a one-lane funnel of rideshares, Ubers, and individual cars all hunting for the same 1,187 garage spots.

Build in 45 to 60 minutes from Delray Beach on heavy show nights, particularly for Friday and Saturday performances during the Kravis On Broadway season.

Lobby doors at Dreyfoos Hall open 90 minutes before curtain; at Rinker Playhouse and Persson Hall, doors open 60 minutes before curtain. Theater doors open 30 minutes before the start. The Kravis Center recommends arriving early and traveling light — and a bus rental makes that easy, because your group departs together, arrives together, and nobody is hunting for a parking spot at 7:55 PM when curtain is at 8:00.

Which Vehicle Fits Your Group?

The right vehicle depends on headcount, how far you are traveling, and whether your group wants the transportation itself to be part of the evening. Here is how our fleet lines up for a Kravis Center run.

For most performing arts outings — a Broadway touring production, a ballet evening, a comedy night — a minibus or a full-size charter bus is the right pick. The ride there and back is part of the experience, but the theater itself is the main event. A 15- to 35-passenger minibus handles a mid-size group beautifully with powerful A/C and plush reclining seats, and it maneuvers easily into the drop-off lane on Dreyfoos Way.

For large school groups heading to a student matinee — the Kravis Center has served over 2 million school children since opening — a 56-passenger charter bus keeps the entire grade level together in one vehicle, with undercarriage bays for backpacks (which are not permitted inside the Kravis Center buildings, so they stay on the bus anyway).

If the pre-show dinner and the ride itself are as much a part of the evening as the curtain, a party bus turns the transportation into its own venue — arrive at the Kravis Center already in the spirit of the night. Call 728-232-1310 and we will match the right vehicle to your headcount and your itinerary.

What's On: The Kravis Center 2025–2026 Season

The Kravis Center's 2025–2026 season is anchored by its Kravis On Broadway series — the 17th season of Broadway touring productions on the Dreyfoos Hall stage. The lineup that fills buses from Palm Beach County every season includes productions like The Wiz (October 21–26, 2025), Kimberly Akimbo (November 11–16), 'Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil (November 20–30 — a holiday acrobatics spectacular that draws group bookings from schools, corporate parties, and families across the county), The Choir of Man (December 22–28), Some Like It Hot (January 6–11, 2026), and MJ: The Musical (February 10–15, 2026), which is already one of the most-requested shows for group bookings in the spring calendar. A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical closes the Broadway run April 7–12.

Beyond Broadway, the center runs a full calendar of concerts, dance performances, the Adults at Leisure Series (six shows of musical nostalgia covering rock, jazz, Motown, and the Great American Songbook — a natural fit for senior center group outings), and educational programming. The Rinker Playhouse hosts a rotating roster of intimate productions that frequently sell out, where a group of 20 fills a meaningful share of the house.

The high-demand dates to plan around — and to book your bus well before — are the holiday Cirque du Soleil run in November and the MJ: The Musical run in February. Both consistently sell out individual seats early and get groups booking buses from as far south as Fort Lauderdale. If your group is planning for either of those runs, locking in your bus rental at the same time you lock in your show tickets is the right move.

Call 728-232-1310 to confirm availability for your date.

Why a Bus Makes Sense for a Kravis Center Night

The Kravis Center's parking garage is fine for individual cars. For groups, the math changes fast. The garage offers 1,187 spaces at $10.40 per car for evening arrivals (entry after 3:30 PM), with a height clearance of 6'10" and three entrance ramps — off Tamarind Avenue, off Alexander W. Dreyfoos Way, and off Okeechobee Boulevard.

The street-level paid parking on Dreyfoos Way and South Sapodilla Avenue fills by 7:00 PM for popular shows. Valet is available at the South Sapodilla Avenue entrance for $25 flat, but closes 45 minutes after the performance ends — which creates a post-show rush that regularly backs up Sapodilla at 10:15 PM.

Now picture a group of 40 arriving in separate cars: 40 people hunting for spots across five garage levels, 40 people paying $10.40 each, 40 people trying to text each other where they parked, and 40 people trying to find their cars at the same moment that 2,000 other audience members are doing the same thing. Compare that to one bus dropping everyone at the Dreyfoos Way entrance simultaneously, the group walking in together, and the bus returning to a prearranged pickup spot after curtain call. That is the whole argument, and it is usually the moment a group organizer stops debating and calls to book.

For senior groups on fixed schedules or school groups with tight chaperone ratios, there is a further benefit: everyone boards together and no one gets separated. Nobody is waiting on Okeechobee Boulevard at 10:30 PM for a rideshare that is showing an 18-minute ETA because 2,195 people just requested one at the same time. A Delray Beach charter bus rental keeps the group intact from pickup to drop-off, and the post-show conversation happens on the bus, not scattered across three Lyfts.

Trip Types We Cover to the Kravis Center

The groups we move to the Kravis Center look different every week, but the logistics question is always the same: how does the bus get there, where does it drop, and where does it wait. Here are the most common trips we coordinate.

• Broadway group outings. Offices, book clubs, and friend groups booking 10–40 seats for a Kravis On Broadway production. A minibus handles the pre-show dinner in Clematis Street or CityPlace and drops the group at the Dreyfoos Way entrance with time to spare.
• Senior center and Adults at Leisure runs. Monthly or seasonal outings for 20–56 passengers, often including a meal stop in downtown West Palm Beach. A full-size charter bus with reclining seats, strong A/C, and an onboard restroom makes a two-hour round trip from Delray Beach or Boynton Beach comfortable for every passenger.
• School matinees and student performances. The Kravis Center's education programs have served over 2 million school children. A 56-passenger charter bus keeps the class together, carries backpacks in the undercarriage bays (backpacks are not permitted inside the Kravis Center buildings, per venue policy), and returns the group directly to school.
• Corporate cultural outings. Companies booking a night of theater for their team, often pairing the performance with dinner reservations nearby. A minibus handles 15–30 employees with WiFi and power outlets for anyone finishing up before curtain.
• Milestone celebration nights. Birthdays, anniversaries, bachelorette parties whose honoree happens to love theater. A party bus with LED lighting and a sound system turns the ride up I-95 into the first act of the evening, and the Kravis Center handles the second.

Is There a Train or Public Transit Option?

Yes — and for some groups, it is worth knowing about so you can offer it as an alternative or a hybrid plan.

The Brightline West Palm Beach station at 501 Evernia Street is approximately a 10-to-13-minute walk from the Kravis Center, running north on Tamarind Avenue through downtown. Brightline trains serve West Palm Beach from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Aventura, which puts it within range for groups based in Broward County who want a different arrival experience. For a Palm Beach County group based in Delray Beach, though, there is no Brightline stop — the nearest is Boca Raton — so a round-trip train-plus-walk adds logistical complexity rather than removing it.

Tri-Rail also services the West Palm Beach station, which connects to Brightline's platform via shuttle.

The rideWPB bus service operates near the Kravis Center, per the venue's own transportation notes. For a group of 20 or 40 managing post-show transit in the dark with a curtain time of 8:00 PM, a prearranged private bus return is the reliable choice. The honest read: Brightline is a strong option for individuals commuting up from Broward; a private bus is the right call for any group that wants to arrive and leave together on their own schedule.

What Does a Bus to the Kravis Center Cost?

There is no single number because the quote depends on vehicle size, the number of hours the bus is reserved, your pickup location, and the date. What you can do is understand what drives the price so the quote you receive makes sense.

• Vehicle size — a 14-passenger Sprinter limo and a 56-passenger charter bus are different rates.
• Total hours — most Kravis Center runs are booked as 4–5 hour blocks, covering the round trip from Delray Beach plus the show itself (typically 2–3 hours including intermission).
• Date and demand — weekend performances during the Broadway run (especially MJ: The Musical and the Cirque holiday shows) book earlier and run higher than Tuesday matinees.
• Pickup location and route — picking up from a single address in Delray Beach is simpler and typically cheaper than a multi-stop sweep through Boynton Beach and Lake Worth before heading north.

For real ranges: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $170–$344/hour; 15–35 passenger minibuses run $150–$300/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day. Split across a group, the per-person math often compares well to coordinating separate rideshares — particularly after a sold-out show, when post-curtain surge pricing pushes individual rides to $25–$40 per person each way. One bus, one flat quote, no surprises at 10:30 PM.

Party Bus Rental Delray Beach provides all-inclusive pricing in under 30 seconds — you will know the exact price before you ever book. Call 728-232-1310 any time for a free quote, or use the online tool for instant availability.

Tips for Your Kravis Center Group Visit

• Lobby doors open 90 minutes before curtain for Dreyfoos Hall. For Rinker Playhouse and Persson Hall, it is 60 minutes. Theater doors open 30 minutes before the performance. Plan your bus departure from Delray Beach accordingly — you want to be walking in the lobby with time to find your seats and visit the box office, not sprinting from the drop-off zone at 7:59 PM.
• Backpacks are not permitted inside any Kravis Center building. For school groups, this is the rule that catches chaperones off guard. Backpacks stay on the bus, which is another reason having the bus on-site and waiting nearby matters — students can retrieve items at intermission or after the show without hunting for a coat check.
• No outside food or beverages. The Kravis Center has its own concessions inside Dreyfoos Hall and the lobby areas. Plan your pre-show dinner before arrival rather than packing food for the performance.
• All bags are subject to inspection. The center recommends arriving early and keeping personal items minimal. A clear tote is the easiest approach for anyone in your group carrying essentials.
• Group tickets start at 10 people. Groups of 10–39 receive a 10% discount; groups of 40 or more receive 15%. A $2.00 handling fee per ticket applies. Contact the group sales line at 561-651-4438 or email groupsales@kravis.org to book. Seating can be adjusted up to 45 days before the performance.
• For school groups: watch for the "Know Before You Go" email from the Kravis Center, which arrives two days before your performance and includes a bus sign (D, P, or R for your venue) to place in the window. This is how staff identify your bus and direct you to the right entrance.
• Accessible parking in the garage is on the second, third, and fourth levels. ADA-accessible vehicles in our fleet are always available with advance notice — mention your needs when you call so we can match the right vehicle.

A Sample Kravis Center Evening From Delray Beach

To put the logistics in sequence, here is how a typical MJ: The Musical night might flow for a group of 35 booking a minibus from downtown Delray Beach.

• 5:45 PM — Bus picks up group at a centrally agreed spot in Delray Beach.
• 6:15 PM — Arrive at a pre-dinner reservation on Clematis Street or CityPlace in West Palm Beach. Bus waits nearby while the group dines.
• 7:15 PM — Bus loops to Alexander W. Dreyfoos Way. Staff direct to the drop-off zone. Group walks directly into the Kravis Center lobby for an 8:00 PM curtain.
• 8:00 PM – 10:30 PM — Performance (MJ: The Musical runs approximately 2 hours 30 minutes including intermission).
• 10:35 PM — Bus returns to the prearranged pickup spot on Dreyfoos Way or Sapodilla Avenue. Group loads and heads south on I-95.
• 11:10 PM — Back in Delray Beach.

That is a 5-to-5.5-hour block for the bus. For a group of 35 splitting the cost, the per-person math typically comes out ahead of individual rideshares when you factor in the post-show surge — and nobody navigates downtown West Palm Beach at midnight on their own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does a charter bus drop off at the Kravis Center?

Buses arrive on Alexander W. Dreyfoos Way, the street that runs along the back of the building (formerly Iris Street), where Kravis Center staff direct them to appropriate unloading zones at the entrance to the main theater. The on-site parking garage has a 6'10" height clearance, so full-size charter buses and most minibuses cannot enter — the Dreyfoos Way drop-off is the coordinated approach for all group bus arrivals.

Can a charter bus park in the Kravis Center garage?

No. The on-site garage height clearance is 6'10", which excludes standard charter buses and most minibuses. The garage is designed for passenger cars. Charter buses wait off-site — on nearby city streets, in downtown West Palm Beach municipal lots on Banyan Boulevard or near the Palm Beach County Courthouse, or on Okeechobee Boulevard commercial zones — and return to pick up the group after the performance.

We confirm the waiting spot based on your vehicle size when you book.

How far is the Kravis Center from Delray Beach?

About 21 miles via I-95 North to Exit 70 (Okeechobee Boulevard East), typically 25 to 35 minutes in normal conditions. On heavy show nights — particularly weekend Broadway performances — the Okeechobee Boulevard approach into downtown West Palm Beach backs up. Plan 45 to 60 minutes from Delray Beach on those evenings.

How much does a bus to the Kravis Center cost from Delray Beach?

The quote depends on vehicle size, total hours, and date. A typical Kravis Center round trip from Delray Beach is a 4-to-5-hour block. Minibuses (15–35 passengers) run $150–$300/hour; full-size charter buses (40–56 passengers) run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day.

All-inclusive pricing is available in under 30 seconds — call 728-232-1310 with your group size, date, and show time for an exact quote.

When should we book a bus for a Kravis Center Broadway show?

For general-run shows, 3–4 weeks in advance is workable. For the high-demand runs — 'Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil (November), MJ: The Musical (February), and any end-of-season closing week — book your bus at the same time you purchase your group tickets. Vehicles sell out for those weekends.

Waiting until two weeks out during peak Broadway season routinely means higher rates or unavailability.

Are backpacks allowed inside the Kravis Center?

No. Backpacks are not permitted inside any building at the Kravis Center. For school groups, this is official policy — backpacks stay on the bus. All items are subject to inspection at entry, and the venue recommends arriving light.

Outside food and beverages are also not permitted inside.

Do you have ADA-accessible vehicles?

Yes — ADA-accessible vehicles are always available. Let us know your group's specific needs when you request a quote and we will arrange the right vehicle. The Kravis Center has accessible parking on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th garage levels for passenger cars, and the drop-off approach on Dreyfoos Way accommodates accessible vehicle unloading.

Can the bus do a multi-stop pickup across Palm Beach County?

Absolutely. We regularly sweep multiple stops — a hotel in Lake Worth, a retirement community in Boynton Beach, an office in Boca Raton — before heading north to the Kravis Center. Multi-stop itineraries are built into the quote based on total mileage and hours.

Tell us all your stops when you call and we will build the route.

Does the Kravis Center have group discounts on tickets?

Yes. Groups of 10 or more qualify for discounted pricing: 10% off for 10–39 tickets, 15% off for 40 or more. A $2.00 handling fee per ticket applies.

Contact the Kravis Center group sales team directly at 561-651-4438 or groupsales@kravis.org to book seating. Group transportation and group tickets are separate arrangements — we handle the bus, the Kravis Center handles the seats.

Book Your Kravis Center Bus From Delray Beach Today

The show is the easy part. Getting 20, 35, or 56 people from Delray Beach to the Alexander W. Dreyfoos Way drop-off on time, without anyone circling the Okeechobee Boulevard garage at 7:50 PM — that is the part we take care of. Party Bus Rental Delray Beach has a fleet of 14-passenger Sprinter limos, Sprinter vans, party buses, minibuses, and 56-passenger charter buses ready to move your group from Palm Beach County to the Kravis Center and back. Give us a call any time at 728-232-1310 for an all-inclusive price quote in under 30 seconds — or use the online tool for instant availability.

Let's get your group to the curtain on time.