Getting around Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is half the fun on a vacation. One of Fort Lauderdale's main drags, the New River, allows visitors to hop on a water taxi and take in the sights.
This South Florida city's extensive system of waterways and reputation for gracious living have made Fort Lauderdale one of the country's largest yachting centers. Restaurants and bars overlook the canals and are accessible by water or from land by taxis and, believe it or not, from rickshaws. Several of the city's special events—including a winter holiday boat parade that draws local, national and international celebrities—revolve around boating and the water.
Fort Lauderdale is also awash in museums, art galleries, restaurants, hotels and chic sidewalk cafes, all appealing to visitors. An elegant beachfront promenade attracts vacationers from all over the world, including the spring-break college crowd.
More sedate than it used to be, but still livelier than Palm Beach, its northern neighbor, Fort Lauderdale has more to offer visitors than most beach towns. The passage of a casino gambling law revitalized this resort town, resulting in multimillion-dollar casinos and entertainment venues attracting more tourists and businesses to the area.
Fort Lauderdale's hotels are nestled along the beaches, on the 17th Street Causeway and near the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. Other hotels are scattered throughout the area (along the interstate, for example), but most visitors prefer those close to the beach. Boutique-style small lodgings on Birch Road and the vicinity are located conveniently a block from the beach and also have water-taxi access. Lauderdale-by-the-Sea also has boutique lodgings directly on the ocean or across the street from the ocean.
Hotel rates rise during high season (late November to April), and rooms are often hard to come by, so book early. You'll find the best values during shoulder seasons: September to mid-November and May to late August.
If you're in Ft. Lauderdale and looking for a unique dining experience, you're in luck because the city boasts a vibrant niche dining scene that caters to every palate. From cozy family-owned Italian restaurants to trendy vegan eateries, there's something for everyone. Start your day at a local brunch spot that serves innovative dishes like avocado toast with smoked salmon or fluffy pancakes with seasonal fruit toppings. For lunch, head to one of the many waterfront seafood shacks for fresh ceviche or buttery lobster rolls, while dinner options range from upscale steak houses with dry-aged cuts to intimate sushi joints offering creative rolls and handcrafted cocktails. Whatever you choose, be sure to save room for dessert at one of the hip artisanal ice cream parlors serving decadent flavors like lavender honey or salted caramel bacon. With such a diverse selection of niche dining spots in Ft. Lauderdale, you're guaranteed an unforgettable culinary adventure.
This 7-mi/11-km public beach has had a big makeover. An attractive, wave-shaped pedestrian promenade decorated with crested gateways and patterned walkways is ideal for beachfront jogging, in-line skating, walking and sightseeing. The beach is lined with outdoor restaurants and bars. Street parking is difficult to find on weekends, but there is a municipal parking lot behind Beach Place.
The Fort Lauderdale area has several gaming options, ranging from megaresorts to casinos offering Thoroughbred, harness and quarter horse racing, and jai alai. Florida gaming regulations prohibit roulette, but slot machines and card games are allowed. The only blackjack tables in the state are operated by the Seminole Tribe. You must be 18 years of age to enter the casino floor.
There is a multitude of other casinos located in close proximity to Fort Lauderdale, including Casino Miami Jai-Alai and Magic City Casino in Miami, Calder Casino in Miami Gardens, Dania Jai-Alai in Dania Beach, Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino in Hallandale Beach, and Isle Casino Pompano Park in Pompano Beach.
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
This colossal 130,000-sq-ft/12,077-sq-m casino pays out US$5 million every day. In addition to its 2,600 gaming machines, it offers blackjack, baccarat and 60 live-action poker tables. There are several restaurants on the property and an adjacent outdoor entertainment complex featuring 22 retail shops, 17 restaurants, and 11 bars and lounges. There is an indoor arena featuring top acts in music and comedy, and a spa is on-site. The complex also includes the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum at Oaklee Village.
Typical tours from Fort Lauderdale range from Everglades airboat tours where passengers are guaranteed sightings of wild alligators and a variety of colorful birds, to the old paddlewheel Jungle Queen for a sightseeing cruise past scores of the biggest waterfront mansions in the country to The Swap Shop, Florida's largest flea market. Tours also go to Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise.
A highlight of Port Everglades Cruise Terminal 18 is the massive work of art that artist Michele Oka Doner created for the center of the entrance hall. Terminal 18 has several built-in features for waiting cruise passengers such as acoustic panels to keep sound levels down, TVs where passengers can watch news and sports, Wi-Fi and a children's play area.
The port, which is about 3 mi/5 km southeast of downtown Fort Lauderdale and even closer to the beaches, is at the southern end of the 17th Street Causeway. Port Everglades is less than 2 mi/3 km from the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, but allow about an hour to make the transfer from the airport to the port. Interstate 595 goes directly into Port Everglades.
The port's Cruise Terminal Four has a high-efficiency air-conditioning system, 50 check-in counters, and two loading bridges to speed passenger check-in.
Secured parking lots are adjacent to the port terminals. Parking is available at both the Northport and Midport Parking Garages (2,500 spaces in each garage) and the 410-space surface parking lot between Terminals 18 and 19. Complimentary shuttle-bus service is provided between the garages and Cruise Terminals 18 and 29. Wheelchair-accessible parking is available.
Free internet access is available at all cruise terminals. There is a cell phone lot where people can wait for passengers to give them a call when the ship is ready for disembarkation. Digital signage provides ship names and cruise terminals on a rotating basis, making it easier for passengers to locate their ship's terminal.
There are plenty of good dive sites in and around Fort Lauderdale. Area dive operators can direct you or take you to the sites. If you want to snorkel or dive off the beach, try Lauderdale-by-the-Sea: It's one of the few places in the area with coral formations and sea life close to shore.
At Hammerhead Reef, just south of Port Everglades, divers and snorkelers may see snapper and moray eels at the front and rays and sharks on the back side.
When it comes to shopping, Beaches Resorts offers a plethora of options that are sure to satisfy even the most discerning shoppers. From trendy boutiques to souvenir shops, there is something for everyone. Whether you're in search of high-end fashion brands or locally-made crafts, you'll find it all at the resort's shopping stores. Indulge in some retail therapy and browse through an array of unique items available in each village. In case you forgot something practical, there are also stores offering necessities like sunscreen and beach toys.