Fort Lauderdale – Your Ultimate Guide to the Golden Coast
Fort Lauderdale is a relaxed version of Miami, a bit north of the bustling downtown. The city blends Miami's sizzling qualities from the south with the (relatively) peaceful atmosphere of the Golden Coast cities towards Palm Beach to the north. The city's main avenue, Las Olas, boasts a vibrant urban vibe with plenty of restaurants, bars, and entertainment spots. Fort Lauderdale Beach is also a great spot for strolling and vacationing, with several interesting sites nearby.
How many days are needed for a trip to Fort Lauderdale?
A half-day trip to Fort Lauderdale is a good idea. You could also spend a lazy day or two in the city lounging around. The ideal time for this is in spring (summer gets really hot).
Fort Lauderdale is a great accommodation option for your trip to Miami and the Gold Coast.
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8 Must-See and Do Things in Fort Lauderdale ????
- Entertainment and shopping on Las Olas Boulevard
- Relaxing on Las Olas Beach
- History at the Stranahan House
- Vibrant modern art at the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale
- The giant gravity clock at the Museum of Discovery and Science
- Gold medal memorabilia at the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- The stunning gardens of Bonnet House
- Tropical greenery and a stunning beach at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
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What is Fort Lauderdale?
- Fort Lauderdale is a large city in the massive Miami metropolitan area, just a half-hour drive from downtown Miami
- The city is the capital of Broward County, which stretches from Hollywood, adjacent to Miami (Dade County), to the border of Boca Raton (located in Palm Beach County)
- The core of the city was the fort established by Major William Lauderdale in 1838 as part of the Second Seminole War
- Lauderdale led a militia called the Tennessee Volunteers, and a few weeks after establishing the settlement, he returned north with his unit. Although the fort was abandoned, it still bore his name
- The city itself was established near the fort (of which almost nothing remains) in the late 19th century
- In 1911, it was declared a city, and like the entire coastline of Florida, it experienced rapid urban development in both scope and size.
- Today, about two hundred thousand people live in Fort Lauderdale, making it the second most important urban center in this part of the Miami metropolitan area.
- Starting in the 1930s, the city became a significant tourist destination, and in the 1950s also a migration hub for sun-seekers—those escaping the cold northern states to settle in the Miami metropolitan area (including many Jewish retirees from New York).
Map of Fort Lauderdale
How to get to Fort Lauderdale?
How to fly to Fort Lauderdale?
Miami International Airport (MIA) – Miami's major international airport is the main gateway to Florida and the southeastern part of the USA. The airport is accessible from almost every corner of the world and the US, including a direct line from Ben Gurion Airport.
For stylish transfers between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, click here…
The massive airport has three terminals and about 130 departure gates. Its largest operator is American Airlines, offering dozens of regular routes within the US, as well as to most of the Caribbean islands and South America. The airport is only a 15-minute drive from downtown Miami and just a half-hour from downtown Fort Lauderdale.
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Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL) – The airport in Fort Lauderdale is a great option to get straight to the city, provided you are coming from airports within the USA. It has four terminals and mainly serves flights of American low-cost airlines. From the airport, there are flights to all major airports in the US and Canada, as well as many destinations in the Caribbean islands. It is located right in the center of the city, just south, a 5-minute drive from Las Olas Boulevard.
Click here for a day trip (departing from Fort Lauderdale Airport) to the Florida Keys…
How to get to Fort Lauderdale by car?
- The I-95 runs along the entire Miami metropolitan area. There are four interchanges that take you directly from the highway into the center of Fort Lauderdale
- US Route 1 and A1A run along the coast from Miami and lead right into the center of Fort Lauderdale
- These are city roads with traffic lights, so they are relatively slow
- Highway 1 is also the Federal Highway, the main avenue of downtown Fort Lauderdale running from south to north and intersecting with Las Olas Boulevard
Click here for a day trip cruise to the Grand Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale…
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How to Plan a Travel Itinerary in Fort Lauderdale?
The travel itinerary in Fort Lauderdale is divided into two:
- A tour in the city center, around the vibrant part of Las Olas Boulevard
- A tour along the coastline of Fort Lauderdale's Barrier Island and the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean
The tour in the center of Fort Lauderdale focuses on the vibrant Las Olas Boulevard. Near the central part of the boulevard, between the 6th Boulevard (Route 1) and the 11th Boulevard, are some of the city's most interesting sites such as the Stranahan House, the NSU Art Museum, and the Museum of Discovery and Science.
The tour at the Fort Lauderdale beach concentrates on Las Olas beach (the beach at the end of the main boulevard), including the Tennis Hall of Fame, Bonnet House, and Hugh Taylor Park.
Click here to purchase online tickets for Flamingo Gardens in Davie…
Everything You Need to Know About Lodging in Fort Lauderdale
Lodging in Fort Lauderdale is divided into several tourist options depending on the nature of the trip. The city has four large clusters of hotels, each with its own distinct character:
- Beach hotels for a seaside vacation in Fort Lauderdale
- Downtown hotels near Las Olas Boulevard
- Motels along Route 1 (6th Avenue) or a bit farther from downtown along I-95
- Hotels at Fort Lauderdale International Airport
Fort Lauderdale's beach hotels are classic Florida vacation spots. These are large hotels with pools and immediate access to the stunning golden sand beach adjacent to them. The beach features many international hotel chains, including the luxury resorts of Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons, as well as 4 and 3-star hotels from Westin, Marriott brands, and IHG brands.
Fort Lauderdale's downtown hotels offer a convenient lodging solution near the bustling entertainment avenue, providing an excellent option for enjoying the nightlife, especially during the summer. The airport hotels and motels are also a great lodging solution, mainly due to their affordable prices.
Click here to find a place to stay in Fort Lauderdale's hotels…
Map of Where to Stay in Fort Lauderdale?
All Attractions in Fort Lauderdale
Las Olas Boulevard
The bustling Las Olas Boulevard is the main urban center of Fort Lauderdale. Like all the Golden Coast north from Miami, the majority of the cities are actually suburban spreads and condominium (condo) homes, with very few islands of main streets. Florida isn't a state for walking, so it's very challenging to find those spots.
Las Olas is a central boulevard packed with local businesses – restaurants, cafes, boutique shops, and small hotels. The interesting stretch of the boulevard runs from the sixth avenue (Highway 1) to the canal on 11th Avenue East. The boulevard is also the most interesting spot in Fort Lauderdale during the evening, as it's bustling with revelers flocking to the boulevard's bars and restaurants.
The eastern section of the boulevard crosses the many artificial islands carved by canals, in the area that gave the city its nickname, the Venice of America. The boulevard ends at the Atlantic Ocean beach, in what is called Las Olas Beach, at the eastern tip of the barrier island.
Stranahan House Historic Museum
Stranahan House is the oldest surviving structure in Fort Lauderdale. While that sounds impressive, it's a mansion built in 1901 where pioneer Frank Stranahan lived with his wife Ivy. Initially built as a post office and bank, it later became the couple's official residence, open to the entire community. The house was the town's center back then, both for its pioneering community and as the place where Stranahan traded with the Seminole Indians. Today, the house can be visited by guided tour only.
Address: SE 6th Ave, Fort Lauderdale
Click here for the house's opening hours and to schedule a visit…
NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale
The psychedelic museum of Fort Lauderdale Art opened in 1986 in a uniquely designed building by architect Edward Larabee Barnes. It is located on Las Olas Boulevard, slightly west of the vibrant area of the boulevard, but just a short walk away.
The museum houses a large collection of postmodern works primarily from the period right after World War II. The collection includes large ceramic works by Pablo Picasso and a variety of other important European artists. The main focus of the collection is on the CoBrA movement artists, an organized group from Copenhagen, Brussels, and Amsterdam (which explains the initials). The colorful and large collection also features many works by Latin American artists, especially modern artists from Cuba.
Address: E Las Olas Blvd. 1, Fort Lauderdale
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The Fort Lauderdale Historical Museum
The Fort Lauderdale Historical Museum is housed in the historic Stranahan House and Trading Post, built in 1905 on the bank of the New River. The River Inn was the first hotel to open in Broward County and kicked off the county's history of tourism and leisure. The museum features a display of historical items belonging to the city, including a small theater where you can watch silent films produced in South Florida at the beginning of the 20th century.
Address: 231 SW 2nd Ave., Fort Lauderdale
Click here for the museum's current hours of operation…
Museum of Discovery and Science
Fort Lauderdale's Museum of Science and Nature is located near the impressive structure of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The museum opened in 1976 and moved to its current location on Second Avenue in 1992. It is considered one of the most attractive places for children in the county. The museum features a large collection of natural items and activities for kids. At the front of the museum is the famous Great Gravity Clock.
Address: 401 SW 2nd St., Fort Lauderdale
For the museum's updated opening hours, click here…
Las Olas Beach and the beaches of Fort Lauderdale
The entire Gold Coast of Florida is packed with stunningly beautiful beaches backed by hotels, promenades, and all the fun Florida offers. Las Olas Beach is one of the most perfect beaches in all of southern Florida. The lengthy Fort Lauderdale beach changes names here and there by sections, but it's the same dreamy and sandy beach stretching from Harbour Isles of Fort Lauderdale in the south, continuing almost seamlessly up to Boca Raton. The Fort Lauderdale section runs from Harbour Isles to Hugh Taylor Park, with dozens of beachfront hotels, often from well-known international chains.
International Swimming Hall of Fame Museum
The Swimming Hall of Fame is a large museum dedicated entirely to the watery sport. It showcases numerous exhibits related to the world's greatest swimmers, featuring items from Johnny Weissmuller, including the gold medals of the Romanian-born swimmer best known as the star of the Tarzan movies. The museum is located near the beachfront hotels in the southern part of Fort Lauderdale Beach.
Address: Hall of Fame Dr. 1, Fort Lauderdale
For current visiting hours of the Hall of Fame, click here…
Bonnet House Museum & Gardens
The Bonnet House, also known as the Bonnet or Bartlett Estate, is a large mansion in the southern part of Hugh Taylor Park near the city's resort district – Central Beach. Visitors can explore the grand mansion and learn about the history of settlement in the city and the early migration of the sun-seekers. The estate also boasts charmingly designed tropical gardens.
Address: N Birch Rd. 900, Fort Lauderdale
For current visiting hours of the mansion, click here…
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
The large beachfront park named after Hugh Taylor is located in the northern part of the great barrier island in Fort Lauderdale. This is a very unique park along the endless coastline between Miami Beach and Palm Beach, a slice of green without beachfront hotels bursting with vacationers. The park's uniqueness lies in its location right on the barrier island, including a magical bathing beach backed by tall green palm trees (still, there are plenty of facilities both on the beach and inland, such as restaurants and bars). The tropical park is a great place to walk before or after enjoying the beach.
