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Things To Do in Fort Lauderdale
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Fort Lauderdale Attractions
The Water Taxi (tel. 954/467-6677) is one of the greatest innovations for water lovers since waterproof smart phones. Especially in a city like Fort Lauderdale’s which has 300 miles of scenic waterways tA trusty fleet of older port boats serves the dual purpose of transporting and entertaining visitors as they cruise through the “Venice of America.” Because of its popularity, the water taxi fleet has welcomed several sleek, 70-passenger “water buses” (featuring indoor and outdoor seating with an atrium-like roof).
Taxis operate on demand and also along a fairly regular route, carrying from 19 to 200 passengers, depending on the size of the vessel, to 20 stops. If you’re staying at a hotel on the route, you can be picked up there, usually within 15 minutes of calling, and then be shuttled to any of the dozens of restaurants, bars, and attractions on or near the waterfront. If you aren’t sure where you want to go, ask one of the personable captains, who can point out historic and fun spots along the way.
Boats operate daily from 10am to 10pm, depending on the weather. The cost is $40 for an all-day pass with unlimited stops on and off, $35 for seniors, $20 for children 5 to 11, and $25 for adults and seniors and $20 for children 5 to 11 if you board after 5pm.
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- Tour
Billie Swamp Safari
Billie Swamp Safari is an up-close-and-personal view of the Seminole Indians' 2,200-acre Big Cypress Reservation. There are daily tours into reservation wetlands, hardwood hammocks, and areas where wildlife (seemingly strategically placed deer, water buffalo, bison, wild hogs, ornery… - Historic Site
Bonnet House
Little do most beachgoers suspect what lies behind the fence and wall of greenery a few yards away. This 35-acre spread named after the Bonnet lily is a trip back in time to 1921, when artist and collector Frederic Clay Bartlett built a gracious two-story manse in a kind of Caribbean… - Zoo/Aquarium
Butterfly World
After moving to Florida from Illinois in 1968, electrical engineer Ronald Boender decided to actively pursue his passion, raising local butterflies at his home and recording data on each. After realizing there was a need for farmed butterflies, Boender set up a company in 1984 and… - Landmark
Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse
Completed in 1907, the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse, which rises 136 feet above water and marks the northern end of the Florida Reef, isn't just any lighthouse. It contains a 5,500,000-candlepower light and is the most powerful light on the east coast of the United States. And there's… - Natural Attraction
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
A block in from the beach, this is a rare and worthy spot of greenery, set amid the waterways, the sands, and the sprawl. Its preserves a peaceful patch of hammock (subtropical hardwood forest) in which you’re welcome to hike, bike, skate, kayak, fish, or canoe in the park’s coastal… - Museum
Museum of Discovery and Science
A swell example of a science museum that successfully leverages high tech and interactivity to make science fun for kids—and just as engaging for grownups—starting with a funky, 52-foot “kinetic-energy” sculpture out front called the “Great Gravity Clock.” One of the highlights here… - Museum
NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale
It’s a surprise to some to find the largest collection of works by William Glackens here, the seminal American Realist painter who was one of the founding members of the Ashcan School of Art, but there you have it. This regional powerhouse owns some 7,500 important works, including… - Historic Site
Stranahan House
Granted, Fort Lauderdale doesn’t exactly ooze history, but it’s here if you look for it. A case in point is the city’s oldest remaining edifice, tucked away alongside downtown’s New River. It dates back to 1901, when the eponymous Frank Stranahan built it as a trading post when this…
Fort Lauderdale Shopping
It’s all about malls in Broward County with a few exceptions.
Dania is known as a place for antiques because within 1 square mile of Federal Highway, the city has more than two dozen dealers selling everything from small collectibles to historic furnishings. Alas, the number of shops has dwindled in recent years, but there’s still enough here to appeal to shoppers. The website Antiques.com has a good listing of stores, including addresses and websites, so you can get an idea of what they carry before heading over.
If you're looking for unusual boutiques, especially art galleries, head to quaint Las Olas Boulevard, located west of A1A and a block east of Federal Highway/U.S. 1, off SE Eighth Street, where there are hundreds of shops with alluring window decorations and intriguing merchandise such as mural-size oil paintings.
Malls in Broward County include the Galleria, at Sunrise Boulevard near the Fort Lauderdale Beach, and Broward Mall, west of I-95 on Broward Boulevard, in Plantation. Both are, well, like most malls these days, meh.
Right near the Fort Lauderdale International Airport is a brand-new outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, Dania Pointe, 139 S. Compass way, (tel. 833/800-4343), featuring stores like H&M and a Nike Outlet, plus a movie theater and numerous chain restaurants.
For bargains, there’s no better place than Sawgrass Mills, 12801 W. Sunrise Blvd. (tel. 954/846-0179), which has more than 350 name-brand outlets from Gucci, Boss, Louboutin, and Prada to the more accessible Ann Taylor, Adidas, Banana Republic, etc. There’s a hotel right on site (AC Hotel For Lauderdale Sawgrass Mills/Sunrise) for those who literally want to shop and drop.
Dania is known as a place for antiques because within 1 square mile of Federal Highway, the city has more than two dozen dealers selling everything from small collectibles to historic furnishings. Alas, the number of shops has dwindled in recent years, but there’s still enough here to appeal to shoppers. The website Antiques.com has a good listing of stores, including addresses and websites, so you can get an idea of what they carry before heading over.
If you're looking for unusual boutiques, especially art galleries, head to quaint Las Olas Boulevard, located west of A1A and a block east of Federal Highway/U.S. 1, off SE Eighth Street, where there are hundreds of shops with alluring window decorations and intriguing merchandise such as mural-size oil paintings.
Malls in Broward County include the Galleria, at Sunrise Boulevard near the Fort Lauderdale Beach, and Broward Mall, west of I-95 on Broward Boulevard, in Plantation. Both are, well, like most malls these days, meh.
Right near the Fort Lauderdale International Airport is a brand-new outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, Dania Pointe, 139 S. Compass way, (tel. 833/800-4343), featuring stores like H&M and a Nike Outlet, plus a movie theater and numerous chain restaurants.
For bargains, there’s no better place than Sawgrass Mills, 12801 W. Sunrise Blvd. (tel. 954/846-0179), which has more than 350 name-brand outlets from Gucci, Boss, Louboutin, and Prada to the more accessible Ann Taylor, Adidas, Banana Republic, etc. There’s a hotel right on site (AC Hotel For Lauderdale Sawgrass Mills/Sunrise) for those who literally want to shop and drop.
Fort Lauderdale Nightlife
While Lauderdale is no Miami, it has vastly improved the quality of its nightlife by welcoming places that wouldn't dare host wet-T-shirt or beer-chugging contests. It also lacks that city’s attitude, which is part of the attraction.
In recent years, a crop of posh places to go for a spritzer or an espresso martini has emerged. The best is No Man’s Land, 666 N. Federal Hwy., (tel. 954/280-6291), a strip-mall speakeasy (not an oxymoron) that has some of the some of the tastiest tipples in town. While mixology is the MO here—check out the various tinctures on the bar and ask the bartender to craft you a customized spirit that matches your mood—the food is not to be sniffed at like a mug of Pappy. Oyster shooters with Bloody Mary hot sauce, and Los Magos Sotol (mezcal’s grassy cousin) are the bar nosh of choice, sided by a plate of deviled eggs with caviar.
Another speakasyesque spot is The Wilder, 701 E. Broward Blvd. (tel. 954/918-7212) which, despite its name, is more sultry than wild serves “elevated bites” and handcrafted cocktails in a very cool, dimly lit 3-room lounge and leafy terrace.
And, for the coolest, and most legit speakeasy, check out Rm. 901, a swank cocktail lounge in an actual guestroom at the Hyatt Centric, 100 E. Las Olas Blvd. It’s open 5:30 to 11:30pm Wednesday through Sunday and serves serious cocktails with a small menu of fancy fare (think: caviar and wagyu beef katsu on Japanese milk bread) for a very well heeled crowd. It’s tough to get into, so book in advance, and there are rules and time limits since it’s so small.
If those scene are too posh, consider Yot Bar & Kitchen, 2015 SW 20th St. (tel. 954/953-9000), tucked away in an actual boatyard and featuring live music, good food, and great cocktails. You may see some familiar faces from Bravo’s “Below Deck” here.
For beer lovers, the Funky Buddha Brewery, 1201 NE 38th St. (tel. 954-440-0046), has locally brewed suds, a taproom, games, and entertainment. If you prefer wine, Vino’s, 901 E. Las Olas Blvd. (tel. 954/765-6730), is a dimly lit oneophile’s dream, hidden off the main drag and featuring cozy seating, lively bar, and excellent wines by the glass.
It has some fun restaurants with serious bar scenes like Georgie’s Alibi, 2266 Wilton Dr. (tel. 954/565-2526), Pub on the Drive, 2283 Wilton Dr. (tel. 754/200-5244), Rosie’s Bar & Grill, 2449 Wilton Dr. (tel. 954/563-0123), Voo La Voo Café, 2430 NE 13th Ave. (tel. 754/200-5285), La Mexicana Taco Bar, 2430 NE 12th Ave. (tel. 754/701-5977), and Thai Me Up, 2389 Wilton Dr. (tel. 954/202-0000).
Wilton Manors is home to the annual Stonewall Pride Festival and Parade, which attracts some 30,000 people yearly, and the expanded Stonewall National Museum, 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd. (tel. 954/763-8565), featuring an impressive collection of items documenting LGBTQ+ political, cultural and social history. It contains more than 6 million pages of materials and archives of the plight and the fight of the community, which has never been more important—especially in Florida—than it is today.
In recent years, a crop of posh places to go for a spritzer or an espresso martini has emerged. The best is No Man’s Land, 666 N. Federal Hwy., (tel. 954/280-6291), a strip-mall speakeasy (not an oxymoron) that has some of the some of the tastiest tipples in town. While mixology is the MO here—check out the various tinctures on the bar and ask the bartender to craft you a customized spirit that matches your mood—the food is not to be sniffed at like a mug of Pappy. Oyster shooters with Bloody Mary hot sauce, and Los Magos Sotol (mezcal’s grassy cousin) are the bar nosh of choice, sided by a plate of deviled eggs with caviar.
Another speakasyesque spot is The Wilder, 701 E. Broward Blvd. (tel. 954/918-7212) which, despite its name, is more sultry than wild serves “elevated bites” and handcrafted cocktails in a very cool, dimly lit 3-room lounge and leafy terrace.
And, for the coolest, and most legit speakeasy, check out Rm. 901, a swank cocktail lounge in an actual guestroom at the Hyatt Centric, 100 E. Las Olas Blvd. It’s open 5:30 to 11:30pm Wednesday through Sunday and serves serious cocktails with a small menu of fancy fare (think: caviar and wagyu beef katsu on Japanese milk bread) for a very well heeled crowd. It’s tough to get into, so book in advance, and there are rules and time limits since it’s so small.
If those scene are too posh, consider Yot Bar & Kitchen, 2015 SW 20th St. (tel. 954/953-9000), tucked away in an actual boatyard and featuring live music, good food, and great cocktails. You may see some familiar faces from Bravo’s “Below Deck” here.
For beer lovers, the Funky Buddha Brewery, 1201 NE 38th St. (tel. 954-440-0046), has locally brewed suds, a taproom, games, and entertainment. If you prefer wine, Vino’s, 901 E. Las Olas Blvd. (tel. 954/765-6730), is a dimly lit oneophile’s dream, hidden off the main drag and featuring cozy seating, lively bar, and excellent wines by the glass.
LBTQIA+ Nightlife and Culture in Fort Lauderdale
With politics turning Florida’s LBGTQ+ community into a persecuted one, forcing Equality Florida to issue a travel warning to the community in 2023, the Fort Lauderdale hamlet of Wilton Manors has remained a safe haven for the community. It refers to itself as the area’s most fabulous “gayborhood” —and rightly so. The heart of the ‘hood is on Wilton Drive, described as the “epicenter of the gay community in South Florida, where bars, clubs, restaurants, and shops wave their pride flags and welcome everyone into their businesses with open arms and maybe even a cocktail".It has some fun restaurants with serious bar scenes like Georgie’s Alibi, 2266 Wilton Dr. (tel. 954/565-2526), Pub on the Drive, 2283 Wilton Dr. (tel. 754/200-5244), Rosie’s Bar & Grill, 2449 Wilton Dr. (tel. 954/563-0123), Voo La Voo Café, 2430 NE 13th Ave. (tel. 754/200-5285), La Mexicana Taco Bar, 2430 NE 12th Ave. (tel. 754/701-5977), and Thai Me Up, 2389 Wilton Dr. (tel. 954/202-0000).
Wilton Manors is home to the annual Stonewall Pride Festival and Parade, which attracts some 30,000 people yearly, and the expanded Stonewall National Museum, 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd. (tel. 954/763-8565), featuring an impressive collection of items documenting LGBTQ+ political, cultural and social history. It contains more than 6 million pages of materials and archives of the plight and the fight of the community, which has never been more important—especially in Florida—than it is today.
