Fort Lauderdale Complete Travel Guide!
Fort Laudedale
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Fort Lauderdale is a popular tourist destination with good reason! It is a fun, active, vibrant city. We’ve put together the best places to visit in the city to make the planning easier for you, so you can enjoy your lovely getaway and create lasting memories. So let’s dive in!
8 most popular Things to Do in fort lauderdale
airboat rides through the Everglades
learn about the ecosystem as the captain looks out for birds, crocodiles, and more.
fish with boat rental
primitive camp for $20 per night with reservation.
longest-running tourist attraction in Fort Lauderdale
sightseeing cruise past multimillion-dollar homes, Americas Venice and mega yachts
all you can eat dinner and a show cruise
11 stops throughout Fort Lauderdale
hop on and off to explore the city
stay on board for a 3 hour tour of the city
unique, fun way to get around the city
botanical gardens and wildlife sanctuary
sits on 60 acres
meet Josh the 600 pound bear
river otters, flamingos, panthers and more
Historic Stranahan House Museum
Fort Lauderdale’s oldest and most historically significant surviving structure
built in 1901
has served as a trading post, post office, town hall, and home
sits along the riverwalk surrounded by skyscrapers
beautiful historic home and gardens
construction began in 1920
Five distinct ecosystems can be found on the property including the Atlantic Ocean beach and primary dune, a freshwater slough, the secondary dune which includes the house site, mangrove wetlands, and a maritime forest.
Museum of Discovery and Science
more than 200 dynamic hands-on exhibits
five-story IMAX 3D Theater
great for families and rainy days
Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale
linear park that stretches over a mile
benches, picnic tables, bathrooms
starts at the Stranahan House
home to restaurants, bars, and more
Where to stay
Fort Lauderdale is divided into two distinct regions with outlying neighborhoods.
Lauderdale by the Sea - family friendly, quieter, north of downtown
Downtown - Las Olas - vibrant, bars, restaurants, night clubs, museums and shopping
Fort Lauderdale Beach
Fort Lauderdale Video
State Parks
80 acres of subtropical coastal habitat land
2 mile paved loop for biking, walking and skating
1 mile freshwater coastal dune lake
canoe, kayak, pedal boat, and stand-up paddle board (rentals available)
Open daily. Entry fee required.
Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park
310 acres of undeveloped coastal land sitting on the Intracoastal Waterway
2.5 miles of Atlantic beachfront
biking, boating, fishing, scuba diving, paddle boarding, and more!
Open daily. Entry fee required.
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Fort Lauderdale Beaches
Fort Lauderdale has 26 miles of sandy beaches.
Fort Lauderdale Beach - most crowded, largest public beach, public bathrooms, volleyball, basketball picnic tables, & grills
Lauderdale by the Sea - family centric, quaint, restaurants, coffee shop, turtle sightings
Loggerhead Park - small park, 1.5 acres, nestled in a neighborhood, quiet, turtle sightings
Lauderdale by the Sea
Just outside fort lauderdale
Hollywood Mural Project
over 30 murals
walking tour
free guided tours are offered 6 pm third Saturdays at Downtown Hollywood ArtWalk at 20th Avenue & Harrison Street
Yellow Green Farmers Market
outdoor venue with local producers and artisans
you will find food, artisanal crafts, live music, yoga, art, dance classes and more
open Saturdays & Sundays only
Intracoastal Waterway
The city has over 300 miles of waterways with 165 miles designated residential. You will see everything from boats, jets, yachts, and gondolas all travel these canals daily, traveling through the waterways. But don’t worry you won’t need a boat to enjoy this city.
Mega Yachts in Fort Lauderdale
Is Fort Lauderdale Expensive?
You might be surprised to find how that Fort Lauderdale can be rather expensive.
cost of living is 20% higher than the state average
21% higher than the national average
housing is 51% higher than the national average
But don’t worry! There is plenty of fun to be had at reasonable prices! You just need to plan ahead.
America’s Venice
Where to Park
Public parking is metered in Fort Lauderdale, and it is not cheap! It averages $4 per hour, and some meters have a minimum of hours 2-4 hours.
While downtown, I recommend parking in one spot and using the water taxi to move around the city (info below). Choose a lot near a water taxi stop close to the city's edge. This will get you the cheapest rate.
Fort Lauderdale currently uses the PayByPhone parking app. Surrounding cities such as Hollywood also charge for parking using an app but the rates are much cheaper.
Where to eat! (recommended by locals)
925 Nuevo’s Cubanos – window-serve Cuban cuisine with outdoor seating, and live salsa music
Piazza Italia - sit outside for a great spot to people watch, We had the flat bread and it was delicious
Kaluz - modern, friendly, waterfront dining, relaxing outdoor lounge
Louie Bossi’s Italian Ristorante – vibrant eatery with a beautiful outdoor terrace dishing out wood fire pizza and weekend brunch.
Blue Moon Fishing Co - foodie favorite, outdoor deck, on the water, epic Sunday brunch
Tacos El Papi – authentic street-style tacos
15th Street Fisheries – award-winning seafood restaurant fine-dining and casual fare.
Sea Watch On the Ocean – upscale seafood restaurant with ocean views
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Author: Stacy
About the Author: Meet Stacy! Stacy and her husband, Phil, are a wanderlust couple who have been roaming the great USA for an epic 5 years! They ditched the daily grind to embark on thrilling adventures and inspire fellow dreamers to chase their travel dreams. Curious about how they do it? Check out their awesome youtube channel, Today is Someday, where they're spilling all the secrets to living a life on the move. Get ready to pack your bags and join them on this incredible journey.