I’m going to be on vacation in Fort Lauderdale this September. Having seen some previous travel suggestion threads on this board, I’m very impressed with the quality/diversity of the advices. So do you have any suggestion or comment on not-to-miss activities/restaurants/attractions in Fort Lauderdale?
If it helps, I’m going to be in Fort Lauderdale for 6 days with my SO, and I’ll be renting a car. So far I figure I should take a tour of the Everglades and perhaps take a boat ride. Any other tip would be greatly appreciated.
Well, I was last there in 1978, so some things might have changed.
There was (maybe still is?) a dolphin show place there, if you’re into that sort of stuff.
They had a dolphin petting pool there in those days. The marine mammal protection laws have tightened up considerably since then (I should know, I worked on a dolphin research project in the 1980’s), and it’s harder for them to do that now. When I was there, I spent a good part of the day just playing with the dolphins at the petting pool.
ETA: There also was (still is?) another dolphin show place called “Flipper’s Sea School” down in the Keys somewhere.
Check the weather to make sure a hurricane isn’t coming your way.
I do recommend a trip to the Everglades. Just go to the Anhinga Trail near the Homestead entrance. You will see lots of gators, turtles, and other animals. Probably the best viewing without getting into a canoe and going out into the middle of the Everglades.
Thanks for the responses, especially the recommendations about the dolphins and Everglades hike. I have a few questions here, if you don’t mind.
How is the public transportation system around that area? If I intend just to travel around Miami and Fort Lauderdale, do I absolutely need a rental car?
If I do rent a car, is it worth the time to drive the 400-mile roundtrip route to Key West?
I lived in south Florida 20 years ago, and public transportation was not very good at all. I do not believe that it has changed.
I do not think the trip to Key West is worth the time. If your trip were to the keys, then I would recommend visiting. One trip that I took friends and family on from the Ft. Lauderdale area was the Everglades park (Anhinga Trail only) then to the upper keys. You could leave in the morning, see the Anhinga Trail before lunch, have lunch somewhere in the keys (outdoors on the waterfront preferable), wander around a bit, get back to Lauderdale in the evening.
The Fontainebleau Hotel (or however the heck you spell it) in Miami Beach is worth a visit. If you are a movie buff, you’ll recognize it from “Goldfinger,” “The Specialist,” “Scarface,” and several other films. The art deco region of South Beach is also very scenic. And I recall having an excellent dinner at Gloria Estefan’s Cuban restaurant.
Key West is cool, as is the drive there, but it’s a long way to go for a day-trip. It’s probably an entire trip in itself.
Thanks for the response, Digital is the new Analog. I’d like to take you up on your offer. I think it may be better to carry on the conversation in this thread since 1) the information may be useful to others some time down the line and 2) this board is searchable.
So what activities/attraction would you recommend in Fort Lauderdale? We are interested mostly in historical/cultural attractions, natural scenery, and good local/exotic cuisines. I considered doing a day trip down to Key West. I could leave in the morning, spend a couple of hours in Key West, and then drive back in the evening. Is that feasible/advisable in Florida traffic? Also, I’d like to try some good Cuban cuisine. Is there any good place in Fort Lauderdale or do I have to go to Miami for that?
Natural scenery - the Everglades is the classic answer. There was a thread about a year ago about what tours make sense to take there. I haven’t been out there for a while.
There are some good places to kayak through the mangroves, if you’re interested in that.
Key West is about 4 hours. It’s doable as a day trip, but it’ll be a long day. And some of the best people watching down there is at night. If you’re interested in the nature part, there are other keys that are a few hours closer.
Cuban cuisine…yeah, we have that. No problem there. Lots of good choices. No need to go to Miami.
We have festivals and art fairs and such every so often. For instance, we have a Jazz Brunch on the New River the first Sunday of each month.
There are a number of historical buildings in downtown Fort Lauderdale. There’s the Bonnet House Museum and Garden, which dates back to very early Fort Lauderdale. And we have a museum of art around here somewhere.
Lots of good seafood places, if you like that. I can suggest a few, depending on your price range.
We have your typical “have to eat there” places that are more about character than food…places like Le Tub and Cap’s Place. If you like ice cream, a trip to Jaxson’s Ice Parlour is a must do.
I’ll give it some more thought and see what else comes to mind.
-D/a
Jaxson’s Ice Cream is a childhood favorite of mine; however, that’s a “bring a crowd” type place, as all the servings are ridiculously huge. In the past year, there’s been some food truck culture building up; my favorites to eat from when I catch them are Ms. Cheezious (gourmet grilled cheese), Jefe’s (Fish Tacos), and Cool Haus (ice cream).
I live a county up from where you’re visiting, but there’s plenty of stuff to see all over the place. If you’re willing to drive 30-40 minutes north, The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens always has something neat on display, and the botanical gardens are fun to walk through. If you’re there on a quiet day, you’ll see iguanas, hares, and the occasional alligator in addition to the turtles, fish and birds.
Best Cuban food I’ve had in the area has been at Little Havana; they have two locations-- one in North Miami (around 130th) and one in Deerfield Beach. Both have relatively cheap prices and amazingly good food. There’s enough in the area to go see that driving down from Fort Lauderdale is not that much of a hassle. If you’re even remotely interested in nudist beaches, Haulover happens to be close to it (near 163rd)
Yes. Find time for this. I’ve heard wonderful things about it, and really need to get there myself. Part of the year they do Sushi & Stroll. I was all set to go at the last one, and had to go out of town instead.
Thanks for the suggestions, Digital is the new Analog and nashiitashii. I’d like to take D/a up on the seafood topic. I love seafood. Can you recommend a few good places in Fort Lauderdale?
If you’re thinking about Ocean World, (and based on the petting pools, it sounds like you are) that closed down about 20 years ago. I think there’s an Art Institute there now. The nearest attraction of that type is the Miami Seaquarium.
If that’s your type of thing, it’s a good choice for a Miami-area jaunt, since it’s located on Biscayne Bay with great views of the Miami skyline. There are all sorts of jetski/waverunner/etc rentals in that general area, as well.
If you’re really into the aquatic thing, and would like to do some snorkeling, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is without a doubt the best place for that in the area.
Blue Moon Fish Company is my favorite. The one on Commercial Blvd. and the Intercoastal. It’s great for dinner or Sunday brunch. Call ahead and make reservations. Tell them you are from out of town, and want to sit by the water.
Ooh…another place to go to is Bourbon on 2nd. I haven’t been there since they opened on 2nd stret, but I’ve been to the last two restaurants run by the head chef. It’s New Orleans style cuisine - Jambalaya, Gumbo, etc. Various seafood and sausage dishes. Good southern cooking. Not local, but it’s worth going to!
Mmm…I’m getting hungry. You know…if you guys want some company for dinner when you’re down here…let me know. I can always use an excuse to go to some of these places!
-D/a
Thanks for the suggestions. These restaurants sound great, and I’ll definitely have to check them out later. I think I have enough suggestions here to build a comprehensive itinerary for the vacation. Thanks everybody.
