Watery Rides in Summery Fort Lauderdale--$50 Vouchers Cool You Off

Fort Lauderdale's tourist board has created a promotion giving you discounts on cooling water parks and hotels for the summer.

By Robert Haru Fisher

Published: Mar 12, 2002

Updated: Oct 11, 2016

Summering in Florida may not be the chic way to see the Sunshine State, but it certainly is the cheap way. If you like it warm, consider spending time in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area for part of their "Ride Our Waters Free" program. If you stay at least two nights in one of 17 participating hotels, you get a $50 voucher redeemable at your choice of 6 different water attractions in the neighborhood. The program is in effect from May 15 through September 30, 2002.

With the voucher in hand, you'll ride free on one of the following: the Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi, a Florida Everglades swamp buggy tour at Billie Swamp Safari or the airboat tours at Sawgrass Recreation Park; an intracoastal and river cruise on the Jungle Queen Riverboat; a SeaEscape cruise or a Glass Bottom boat excursion to the coastal reefs offshore.

You can get a voucher just by phoning 800/22-SUNNY. Then you present the voucher for validation upon hotel check-in and use it at any of the six attractions.

In the area, you can enjoy attractive beaches (certified by the national Clean Beaches Council), explore the nearby Everglades and take in some of the Seminole Indian heritage on display there, or participate in one or more of the special events planned for the season. The latter include Beethoven by the Beach with the Florida Philharmonic in July, the Ninth Annual Hollywood Latin Festival (August 18), the Five-Star Championship Rodeo (June 21-22, July 26-27 and August 24), the Deerfield Beach Superboat Grand Prix (July 12-14) and games of the Florida Marlins baseball team (April through September).

Here are the 17 hotels, with per room/per night prices, the location being Fort Lauderdale (unless otherwise noted):

Days Inn Bahia Cabana Beach resort, tel. 800/323-2244, $59
Ramada Inn, Hollywood, tel. 800/331-8103, $59
Hampton Inn, Fort Lauderdale/Plantation, tel. 800/675-2116, $59
Best Western Oceanside Inn, tel. 800/367-1007, $65
Waterfront Inns, tel. 800/543-2006, $69
Riverside Hotel, tel. 800/325-3280, $79
Marina Marriott, tel. 800/433-2254. $79
Radisson Resort at TPC,Heron Bay Springs, tel. 800/333-3333, $89
Sheraton Yankee Clipper, tel. 800/958-5551, $89
Sheraton Yankee Trader, tel. 800/958-5551, $89
Renaissance Fort Lauderdale, tel. 800/468-3571, $99
Embassy Suites, tel. 954/527-2700, $99
Radisson Bahia Mar Beach Resort, tel. 800/327-8154, $99
Embassy Suites, Deerfield Beach, tel. 954/426-0478, $109
Lago Mar Resort & Club, tel. 800/524-6627, $149
Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa, Hollywood, tel. 888/627-7218, $149
Hyatt Regency Pier 66, tel. 800/327-3796, $179

For more information, contact the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB, 800/22-SUNNY or visit their website, www.sunny.org.

To research other activities in the Fort Lauderdale area, just visit our free online destinations section with content from our Florida 2002 guide here, www.frommers.com/destinations/fortlauderdale.