If you’re one of the 110,000 people going to the big Fort Lauderdale boat show starting Oct. 30, or if you’re just going to Lauderdale at any other time, do yourself a favor and stay for a while. Lauderdale, in my opinion, is one of the most relaxed, enjoyable cities on the cruising boat circuit. The fact that it’s also a major boating center, virtually filled with marinas, boatyards and boating service operations, is just extra filling in the cake.
There’s a reason that Fort Lauderdale is called the Venice of America. It has 165 miles of canals, often lined with luxurious homes on the Intracoastal Waterway or one of the many inlets or rivers. And then, via Port Everglades, there’s the Atlantic Ocean, with West End in the Bahamas just 71 nm away.
Number one on my personal things-to-do in-Lauderdale list is head for the beach. The city has 23 miles of beaches, and the beautiful Fort Lauderdale Beach Park is directly across the street from the Bahia Mar, the center of the boat show. It’s wide and sandy, great for walking or swimming, and has volleyball and basketball courts, a playground, picnic area with tables and grills, and outdoor showers.
When it’s time to eat, Coconuts is my favorite, even when there isn’t a boat show. It’s at 429 Seabreeze Blvd., just north of the Bahia Mar and the Swimming Hall of Fame, overlooking the Waterway. It seems that half the boat show goes there, and for good reason. The vibes are good, the outdoor seating is fun, and the food is a treat.
If you missed any of your boating friends at Coconuts, you’ll probably find them at the Boatyard, officially known as the Bimini Boatyard Bar & Grill, at 1555 SE 17th Street. The large indoor dining room has a New England-boathouse theme, with oak floors and portal-style windows. The outdoor bar overlooks the water. The fresh seafood is great; yellowfin tuna and grouper piccata are favorites.
The 15th Street Fisheries restaurant is across the Waterway from the show at the Lauderdale Marina, and its name tells what to expect – except that it’s all fresh and delicious. The Blue Moon Fish Company is the north side of the Commercial Bridge, at 4405 W. Tradewinds Avenue, and it’s worth the drive. It too is on the Waterway, and the special Sunday brunch, served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., offers great quantities of food and unlimited mimosas, Bloody Marys and champagne. Hard to go wrong.
When you’re done eating, relax with a stroll through the Riverwalk Arts and Entertainment District, stretching along the Tarpon River downtown for 22 blocks. It’s filled with restaurants, shops, movie theaters and green space; you can stroll or sit on a bench with a cup of coffee. You can make life easy for yourself and hop on the free Riverwalk Water Trolly, which makes eight different stops on the river’s north and south banks.
The Broward Center for the Performing Arts is on the north side of the river, for an evening of culture. Kids, and many grownups, will like the Museum of Discovery and Science nearby at 401 SW 2d Street, where they can see river otters, take a simulated airboat ride through the Everglades, or climb into the cockpit of a Second World War fighter plane.
The Las Olas district, on Las Olas Blvd., is next to Riverwalk, and it has its own appeal for strolling, dining and shopping. It has 10 international art galleries, outdoor cafes, and a vibrant nightlife.
If you want to drive a bit, Flamingo Gardens is 17 miles west of town, and it’s a tropical oasis of 60 acres with peacocks, Florida wildlife and more than 3,000 plant species. And Sawgrass Recreation Park, 24 miles west, offers airboat tours of the Everglades, with closeups of alligators, reptiles and other creatures. Read more:
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https://travel.usnews.com/Fort_Lauderdale_FL/Things_To_Do/
