My bro and I took a trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in December. You know, during that limbo between Christmas and New Year’s’ Eve? Well, we escaped from the Northeast and had three days in the sun. There’s a lot to do in Greater Fort Lauderdale, and we really packed it in, including a spontaneous trip to Miami – they are only about 45 minutes apart. That post shall come later on. But first…lovely Lauderdale.

If you book a trip to Fort Lauderdale, here are my top 5 fun things you can’t miss:

1.  Water Taxi

 

The Water Taxi is for the use of locals as well as visitors. Let me tell you, I could totally get used to it – sure beats the NYC Subway. It’s a sizable ferry with a top deck full of seats. Up there, a tour guide lets you in on what you’re seeing as you snake through the canals. You can see why Fort Lauderdale is called the “Venice of America.” We rode the entire round trip taxi route, snacking on free popcorn throughout the 1.5 hour ride.

2. Da Beach

 

Fort Lauderdale Beach was like something out of South America…maybe Brazil, or what I would imagine the beaches of Brazil look like. This is where we met up with my Aunt and Uncle, chilled on the beach and got our share of sun. This beach is seriously picturesque, very clean and HUGE.

3. Sunset Catamaran Cruise

 

Spirit of Lauderdale is a charter boat company that’s only a short walk from the beach. We ended up there for a Sunset Catamaran Cruise.  The cruise went out just before sunset, snaked through the canals again, and also went out to sea. The sunset was majestic, the drinks were plentiful, and there was even a champagne toast. Very cute. Tip: Get there early, and get on the boat first so you can sit on the netted area in the front of the boat. Only three people are allowed on at once.

4. Catch a Hockey Game

 

It is hilarious seeing a hockey game in flip-flops. The BB&T Center is a great place to see a game, and pretty cheap as well (I’m used to the pricey Bruins and Rangers tickets). I’ve been to a lot of hockey rinks and this one has to be one of the kindest…maybe it’s because I’m from the Northeast, but people were so polite, the food lines were civil and the Panthers fans were altogether NICE. WHAT IS THAT ABOUT? The rink is about 20 minutes from downtown Fort Lauderdale – we took an Uber.

5. Shop & Eat on Las Olas Boulevard

 

Las Olas is the main street for shopping and dining in Fort Lauderdale. We stopped to have lunch at Grill Republic, mostly because the cows hanging from the ceiling were intriguing. We sat in the outside space, watching passersby and whizzing trolleys. Afterward, we walked all the way down the boulevard to the beach (took about an hour, but totally worth it because we got to see all the sights).

 

 

 

Fort Lauderdale was a fab place to meet up with family, spend some quality time with my
brother and get that sunny respite that’s SO needed for us New Yorkers.

*The Water Taxi and Catamaran Cruise were complimentary via the Fort Lauderdale CVB