Fort Lauderdale

Whether you are in town for a day, a week or an indefinite amount of time, there is always fun and a good time to be had in Fort Lauderdale and beyond! In South Florida you will find things to do for everybody whether it be shopping malls, concerts, museums, nature walks, dive- and fishing trips, world class golf courses, great restaurants and nightlife and not to forget the beaches, always perfect for people watching and a stroll along the sea.

Fort Lauderdale is also located very conveniently for those, who would like to explore beyond the city, in particular on weekends or days off. In a relatively short time you can hang out with Mickey Mouse in Disney World or the beautiful people on South Beach, watch a live space launch at the Kennedy Space Center, go for a dive in the Florida Keys, jump on an airboat tour of The Everglades or swim with manatees in the Crystal River. In fact, you are spoiled with options to choose between!

DRIVING TIMES

Roughly, count on the following approximate drive times from Fort Lauderdale (all depending on traffic);

West Palm Beach – 45 mins

Orlando – 3h 15 mins (DisneyWorld, Universal Studios, Sea World, Kennedy Space Center etc.)

Miami – 45 mins

Key Largo – 1h 40 mins

Key West – 4 hours

Everglades City – 1h 30 mins

Naples – 1h 40 mins

Tampa – 4h

Watch out for the Highway Patrol speed radars, in particular in the Florida Keys!!

In this section we have compiled 2 lists of things to do;

• The top 10 things to do in Fort Lauderdale
• The top 10 things to do in South Florida

THINGS TO DO IN FORT LAUDERDALE & SOUTH FLORIDA

• Evening Off:
  • Escapology, Fort Lauderdale. 6 escape rooms and 6 different missions – do you have what it takes to escape?

• Day Off:

• Weekend Off:

• Long Weekend:
• Road Trip:

• ACTION & SPORTS:
  • Bowling
    • Manor Lanes, Fort Lauderdale. Try the glow ball bowling on Friday and Saturday nights, karaoke or pool in the Sports Den Pub featuring more than 40 different craft beers and 17 HD flatscreens and a 9-foot video wall
    • Bowlero, Davie. 32 lanes, Arcade, Beer Pong, Corn Hole, Giant Jenga
    • Bowlero, Dania Beach. 30 lanes, Arcade and Sports Bar
    • AMF Pembroke Pine Lanes, Pembroke Pines. 32 lanes, Arcade, Billiards/Pool, On-site Pro shop, Sports Bar
  • Nexus Shooting – the world’s most advanced indoor shooting range
  • Extreme Action Park -largest indoor entertainment venue in Florida!
    • Go Kart Racing
    • Bowling Lanes
    • Ropes Course Adventure
    • Trampoline Park
    • Roller Skating Rink
    • Escape Rooms
    • Laser Tag
    • Virtual Reality Games
    • VR Escape Rooms
    • Arcade Game Room
    • Food & Sports Bar
    • Events & Team Building
  • K1 Indoor Carting and arcade center, Fort Lauderdale and Miami
  • Skeet Shooting at OK Corral in Okeechobee
  • Skydiving
    • IFLY indoor skydiving, Fort Lauderdale
    • Skydiving over Lake Okeechobee with Skydive Palm Beach or get certified with Skydive Spaceland
    • Skydiving over Homestead with Skydive Miami
  • Golf
    • Find and book awesome tee time deals at the best golf courses in Florida with Golf Now – why pay the full green-fee, when you can play a full round for a fraction of the price…
    • Aqua Golf Driving Range, Hallandale/Hollywood – voted the best driving range in South Florida
    • AllGolf, Pembroke Pines – driving range, practice green/sand bunker, putting green, 2 x 18 holes mini-golf courses and batting cages
    • Broward Golf Center, Coconut Creek – fully lit driving range and short game facility
    • Plantation Preserve Golf Course is a public course offering an 18-holes course, driving range, putting green and bunker practice
    • Pompano Beach Municipal Course – 2 x 18-holes
    • Top Golf Drive Shack – West Palm Beach
  • Shark Diving with Shark Addicts in Jupiter

• Water Sports- and Activities:
  • Swimming: You can do laps in these 7 public community pools operated by the City of Fort Lauderdale
  • Explore the water ways around Fort Lauderdale by kayak, paddle board or mini-powerboat with Las Olas Paddle Boards
  • Glow Night Kayak on the New River, Downtown Fort Lauderdale
  • New River Tours:
    • Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi. Hop on and off while exploring the waterways of Fort Lauderdale.
    • Jungle Queen Riverboat. Enjoy a relaxing 90-mins cruise on the Jungle Queen down the New River. Also an excellent choice for an alternative crew dinner with show!
    • Riverfront Gondola Tours. Relax and take in the beauty of the waterway, aka. “The Venice of America” on a quiet electric gondola. Dinner cruises are also available.
  • Day sail or sunset sail with Tropical Sailing or Staying Afloat Party Boat
  • Fishing:
    • Family Jewell Fishing Charters
    • Fishing Headquarters
  • Ski Rixen USA Cable Park in Deerfield Beach, Miami Watersports Complex in Hialeah and Shark Park 561 in West Palm Beach;
    • Waterski
    • Wakeboard
    • Kneeboard
    • Aquapark
  • Shark Diving with Shark Addicts in Jupiter
  • Kayak or canoe the “River of Grass” – and camp in the Shark Valley, Everglades National Park
  • Clear kayak bioluminescent tours from Kiwanis Island Park near Cocoa Beach and the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge near Kennedy Space Center (North East Florida)
  • Kayak, swim or dive with Manatees in the Crystal River with the Crystal River Kayak Company (North West Florida)
  • Experience the Ginnie Springs by inner tube, kayak, paddle board or canoe with Ginnie Springs Outdoors (North West Florida)
  • Cave diving in the Ginnie Springs – fresh water springs so clearJacques Cousteau described his experience as “visibility forever!!”. (North West Florida)

• ACTIVITIES INVOLVING ANIMALS & NATURE:
  • Flamengo Gardens, Davie. Indulge yourself in 60 acres of natural beauty in these gardens, where you can experience close to 3000 species of plants and trees including the largest tree in Florida! The wildlife sanctuary is home to Florida native wildlife such as alligators, bobcats, black bears, eagles, otters, panthers, peacock and flamingos. The butterfly and Hummingbird Garden and the Bird of Pry Center are also well worth the visit!
  • Birdwatching in The Everglades National Park – whether you are into nature photography or you are a seasoned ornithologist with more than 300 species to discover this barely gets any better!! Check out the trails here
  • Bird- and wildlife watching in the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
  • Lion Country Safari, Loxahatchee. 4 miles of drive-through wildlife viewing and home to more than 900 animals!
  • Butterfly World, Pompano Beach. Explore 3 acres of butterfly- and tropical bird aviaries, botanical gardens and the working butterfly farm and research center
  • Monkey Jungle, Miami. Explore and experience up close animal encounters in this natural 30-acre Jungle park
  • Shark Diving with Shark Addicts in Jupiter
  • Clear kayak bioluminescent tours from Kiwanis Island Park near Cocoa Beach and the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge near Kennedy Space Center (North East Florida)
  • Kayak, swim or dive with Manatees in the Crystal River with the Crystal River Kayak Company (North West Florida)
  • Experience the Ginnie Springs by inner tube, kayak, paddle board or canoe with Ginnie Springs Outdoors (North West Florida)
  • Cave diving in the Ginnie Springs – fresh water springs so clearJacques Cousteau described his experience as “visibility forever!!”. (North West Florida)
  • Zoo Miami. View up towards 3,000 animals in lush, tropical, open-air exhibits. Activities include feedings, animal encounters and meeting the zoo keepers.
  • Airboat tour of The Everglades National Park. Spot alligators, birds and other wildlife while enjoying the beauty of this water wilderness. Price, length and standards of the tours will vary between tour operators. Check recent reviews here
  • Gator tours, The Everglades National Park. With an estimated 1.3 million gators living in The Everglades, gator tours and gator farm visits are high on any visitor’s list of things to do in South Florida. You can learn more about where to see alligators here . Some crew has recommended the Miccosukee Reservation from where you will also be able to do airboat tours of the Everglades
  • Hike or bike the plethora of nature trails in The Everglades National Park
  • Try Kayaking or canoeing the “River of Grass” – and camp in the wild in the Shark Valley, Everglades National Park
  • Camp or rent a houseboat in The Everglades National Park with Flamingo Adventures

• CULTURAL SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES:
  • NSU Art Museum, Fort Lauderdale
  • Lowe Art Museum, Coral Gables. Visit this well diversified art museum located on the grounds of University of Miami
  • Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. This historical 35-acre estate has been recommended by a significant amount of Florida based yachties and is well worth a visit on a day off for those with an interest in history, arts and nature.
  • Museum of Discovery & Science, Fort Lauderdale. Spend a day learning about the human body, space, local flora and fauna through interactive exhibits. The museum also hosts the Fort Lauderdale IMAX theatre
  • The Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum. 30,000 square feet full of some of the finest antique cars and memorabilia you can possibly imagine.
  • Yellow Green Farmers Market, Hollywood. Visit the many artisan and food stands on this weekend market, which also includes live music, yoga and dance classes
  • SWAP Shop, Fort Lauderdale
    • 88 acre fleemarket
    • Ferrari museum
    • Drive-in movie theatre (gate opens at 6pm. Movies start at 7pm)

• SPECTATOR SPORTS:
  • Baseball; Florida Marlins, loanDepot Park, Miami
  • Basketball; Miami Heat, FTX Arena, Miami
  • Football; Miami Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
  • Golf;
  • Ice-Hockey; Florida Panthers, BB&T Center, Sunrise
  • Rodeo, Davie. Cowboys and Cowgirls compete for National Championship points at the Davie Pro Rodeo, one of the nation’s top rodeo venues. Check out the upcoming dates here
  • Soccer; Inter Miami, DRV PNK Stadium, Fort Lauderdale
  • Tennis;
  • Wrestling;

It always pays to book your tickets well in advance as some of these events will attract fans from all over the country if not from throughout the world. Tickets can be booked on Ticketmaster or via team/event web portals.

PARKS:

What does yacht crew do with their free time on days off in South Florida? It is not far from the truth to say that there is an option for each day of the year, yet crew often end up doing the exact same thing; either hanging out on board or going for drink somewhere along the beach. Admittedly, it is a bit of a generalisation, but most will probably agree that only a very small percentage of crew explore the many parks found in or around Broward County. Considering the many experiences there are to be had along with the opportunity to enjoy the local nature trails, this little mini-guide is meant to promote healthy and fun activities as well as to expand your knowledge of Fort Lauderdale and beyond.

Among others you will find activities such as

• Camping
• Nature Trails
• Birding and wildlife viewing / photography
• Fishing
• Boating
• Sports including;
  • water skiing / wake boarding
  • Kayaking
  • Canoeing
  • Golf
  • Tennis
  • Baseball
  • Softball
  • Football
  • Soccer
  • Basketball
  • Volleyball
  • Cricket
  • Disc Golf
  • Rollerblading
  • Equestrian Trails
  • Jogging Paths
  • Walking Paths
  • Bike Trails
• Picnic Areas
• Astronomy observatory (Markham Park)
• R/C Crawler course (Markham Park)
• Butterfly Gardens (Deerfield Island Park and Secret Woods Nature Centre)

You can read more about the parks and their facilities in the links below;

– ALL CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE PARKS

– ALL CITY AND STATE PARKS IN BROWARD COUNTRY

including;

• D Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park, Dania Beach, FL
• Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Markham Park, Sunrise, FL
• Tradewinds Parks & Stables – Coconut Creek
• Quiet Waters Park, Deerfield Beach
• Deerfield Island Park, Deerfield Beach
• Plantation Heritage Park, Plantation, FL
• Secret Woods Nature Centre, W.State Rd. 84, Dania Beach
• Anne Kolb Nature Center, Hollywood
• Tree Tops Park, Davie, FL

– ALL COUNTY PARKS IN BROWARD COUNTY

• – THINGS TO DO IN BROWARD PARKS

– EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK

– ALL STATE PARKS IN FLORIDA

TOURIST INFORMATION

• Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau – Fort Lauderdale tourist information – packed with useful info!
• Visit Florida – Things to do in Florida
• Visit Florida – Things to do in Southeast Florida and The Florida Keys

OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION:

A number of private websites are loaded with useful information. It is also recommended to follow their Facebook and Instagram pages. These three are among the most popular:

• New Times – Best of Miami – Best restaurants, clubs, bars, shopping, arts & entertainment, sports & recreation – you name it!
• New Times – Best Bars Miami – Fort Lauderdale
• New Times – Best Restaurants Miami – Fort Lauderdale

Read more about things to do, restaurants, hotels etc.;

• Time Out – Fort Lauderdale.
• Time Out – Miami
• Time Out – West Palm Beach
• What’s On – Fort Lauderdale
• What’s On – Miami
• What’s On – Miami Beach
• What’s On – West Palm Beach
• Songkick – Concerts in Fort Lauderdale
• Songkick – Concerts in Miami
• Concertful – Concerts in West Palm Beach

ACTIVITIES

• Diving
• Kiteboarding
• Windsurfing
• Fishing
• Paddle Boarding
• Shooting Range
• Golf
• Bowling
• Exploring by Car
• Yoga
• Fitness Training
• Rental bikes, scooters and cars
• Hiking & Nature Walks
• Tennis
• Swimming