Millions of visitors arrive in Greater Fort Lauderdale every year, and they all have their favorite reasons for coming to this beautiful city by the Atlantic Ocean. So how do you make the most of your time here? Being a tourist takes a little bit of insider’s knowledge, to step out of the predictable path and make the most of any destination. And that’s where we can help!
Here is our list of favorite suggestions to having a good time in Fort Lauderdale.
Enjoy the beach
Let’s start with the obvious choice: For Lauderdale has miles of beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, ranging from rowdy party beaches to quiet, secluded stretches of sand. Sebastian Street Beach is the famous spot to drop a towel and check out the views of the ocean (and the other people on the beach), but it is easy to find a quieter spot and relax to the sounds of the waves. Several miles south, Hollywood Beach has a “broadwalk” with little shops and food stands, which is popular with locals.
Tour the Intracoastal in style
The Intracoastal Waterway is 300 miles of winding canals, lined with towering condo buildings, magnificent mansions, charming mid-century bungalows, and incomprehensibly expensive yachts. Touring the Intracoastal can be a lovely journey, aboard a water taxi or a trip on the tourist favorite Jungle Queen.
Private charters are a great option, and they are not particularly expensive: for example, Riverboat Gondola evening tours are only $225 for the entire boat, which seats up to six people. It really is a good deal, just do the math: buying individual tickets for a group of six people on a regular sightseeing cruise would be approximately the same price. The best part is, on private charters, you can bring own nibbles and cocktails and have a party while enjoying the city sights and lights, and that includes unlimited selfie potential because you have your own boat
Partake in the arts
View this post on Instagram
Fort Lauderdale has some of South Florida’s best arts venues, which are energetically supported by the local community. There are art museums and galleries all over the Greater Fort Lauderdale area, and the local theater scene includes traveling musicals at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, as well as small “black box” theaters like Island City Stage, Empire Theater, and Abyss Theater, all of which produce really good shows.
Go to the Everglades
If you rent a car, even for just a day, drive out to the Everglades and go to the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation. There is a very interesting visitors center that teaches about the history of the Seminole Tribe, and how they adapted to living in the Florida swamps. Then buy a ticket for an airboat ride with Billie Swamp Safari, and prepare to hold on for a really fun ride through the twists and turns through the cypress trees in the “river of grass.”
There are other attractions at Billie Swamp Safari as well, including swamp buggy tours and animal shows, but the airboat is the star attraction. There are also other airboat operators in the Everglades, some closer to Fort Lauderdale, but Big Cypress has really good scenery, and their airboat guides make the ride fun.
Party the night away
There is a place for every taste in Fort Lauderdale’s nightlife scene. Most of the bars and clubs are located in Wilton Manors, and popular choices include the crowded dance floor at Ramrod, the see-and-be-seen scene at The Manor, and casual bars like Georgie’s Alibi and Village Pub. Although there is just as much of a scene during the day, at outdoor patios like Rosie’s, where the food is really good. Or just go to the Starbucks at Five Points, where everybody will want to know, who is this new face in town?
