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30 Great Things to Do in Fort Lauderdale Florida

Sherianne Higgins·
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Top Things to Do in Fort Lauderdale Florida

Fort Lauderdale Florida has been named the “Venice of America” due to its 300 miles of inland waterways. The city is known for its white-sand beaches, palm trees, warm turquoise water, yachts, boutiques, and beachfront bars. Be sure to try Cuban coffee, conch fritters, jerk, rock shrimp, and rum runners while visiting. If you are planning a trip to Fort Lauderdale and looking for the best things to do, see, and eat while visiting, you are in the right place.   Browse the list of must-see attractions, off-the-beaten-path experiences, outdoor activities, and museums to create your personal Fort Lauderdale bucket list. Then, plan the itinerary for your Fort Lauderdale trip with these top things to do, see, and eat. Enjoy your time out of the office!

READ Top Things to Do in Miami Florida

Fort Lauderdale Beach Florida
Fort Lauderdale A1A

Things to Do in and Around Fort Lauderdale Florida

Cruise past million-dollar homes on a canal cruise

Ride the free Sun Trolley to Las Olas Boulevard and shop until you drop

Stroll down the Lauderdale Beach Promenade

Explore New River on the Riverwalk Water Trolley

Browse the vendors at the Thunderbird Drive-in Swap Shop

Visit Flamingo Gardens

Watch a Jai-Ali match

Spend the last Saturday of the month at the FATVillage Art Walk

Have lunch at the 15th Street Fisheries

Enjoy dinner and a Polynesian show at Mai-Kai Restaurant

Grab a coffee and a selfie at Ann’s Florist and Coffee Bar

Stop at Jaxson’s for ice cream, order the kitchen sink

Taste your way through the Ft Lauderdale Ale Trail

Check out the shoreline and canals from above in a seaplane

Party on a cycle boat or floating tiki bar

Kayak the Venetian Isles and mangroves

Take a surfing lesson

Cruise the Intercoastal Waterway on a pirate ship

Fort Lauderdale Beach Florida
Fort Lauderdale Canals

Fish for blackfin tuna, kingfish, bonitos, and mackerel off the Dania Beach Pier

Take a sunset sail

Climb the observation tour and learn about mangroves at the Anne Kolb Nature Center

Feel the force of hurricane winds at the Museum of Discovery and Science

Spend a rainy day browsing exhibits at NSU Art Museum

Tour the historic Bonnet House Museum and Gardens

Learn the city’s history at the History of Ft Lauderdale Museum

Tour the Stranahan House Museum, Ft Lauderdale’s oldest surviving structure

Check out the Ft Lauderdale Antique Car Museum

Visit the Fire and Safety Museum

Cycle through Hugh Taylor Birch State Park or hike the Coastal Hammock Trail

Ride through the Everglades in an airboat

Scuba dive a shipwreck

Spend a day at Miami Beach

Check the Ft Lauderdale Florida Board of Tourism for upcoming festivals, special events, and what’s happening during your stay.

Bookmark and Pin Things to Do in Fort Lauderdale Florida

Bucket list of 30 things to do in Fort Lauderdale Florida while enjoying the white-sand beaches, palm trees, warm turquoise water, yachts, boutiques, and beachfront bars.
Bucket list of 30 things to do in Fort Lauderdale Florida while enjoying the white-sand beaches, palm trees, warm turquoise water, yachts, boutiques, and beachfront bars.

My Favorite Booking Resources

  • Discover Cars Search, compare and save on car rentals.
  • Trainline Explore effortlessly by train and bus.
  • Booking.com Search Booking.com to find the perfect property.
  • Hostelworld Hostelworld has great inexpensive options.
  • Get Your Guide Don’t chance it, the best attractions sell out.
  • Tiqets Get your tickets now, relax when you arrive.
  • Big Bus Tours Hop-on Hop-off at all the iconic landmarks.
  • Go City Card Save up to 50% on attractions, tours and activities.
  • Welcome Pickups Airport and port transfers.
  • Visitors Coverage Pick the right travel insurance for you.
  • Use code SAVE10 to pick up a travel guide from Lonely Planet to browse on the plane.
  • Shop my Amazon travel essentials and have them delivered to your home. 

Have a great vacation!

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10 Responses

  1. Wow this is such a comprehensive list that I am saving for our trip next year. Florida is in our plans and this would be of great help. Saves me the trouble of researching. Thanks for making my life easier.

  2. Great to see the list of things to do. A sunset sail would be top of my list, but first I would like to visit the gardens, a coffee shop and the NSU art museum.

  3. Wow I did not know that Fort Lauderdale Florida had many inland water channels. It surely looks beautiful. And I like the fact that there are plenty of adventurous things to do in the city. I will definitely go for surfing lessons and kayak between the mangroves.

  4. Sign me up for that surf class and I definitely am planning the saturday at FATVillage Art Walk. The swap in Thunderbird place sound intriguing – I would love to know more on that. I even, liked the idea of a cruise on a pirate ship – har har!
    On the whole, there seems plenty to do and not enough time 😀

  5. Florida is a traveller’s paradise. I have a desire to visit Florida and would stay there for at least a month to enjoy Cuban coffee, slow beach walk and cherish the slow travel. The 30 things you mentioned to not to miss I would love to try all of them for sure. Great Post.

  6. I can’t remember the last time I was in Fort Lauderdale. And I had no recollection of the number of canals. So we would definitely plan to do a canal cruise. It would also be cool to check them out from above on a seaplane. Any way we could get on the water would work for us – kayak or pirate boat!

  7. I’ve been to miami but not ft lauderdale, yet it sounds like there’s so much to do. I’d love the water cruises to see the sunset and mansions, but the nature and history museum sounds interesting too. Will add to my itinerary when next in Flordia.

  8. I could easily spent one week in Fort Lauderdale, I guess. Exploring the mangroves by kayak, reading a nice book at the beach and taking in some art museums. Are there any flamingos at the flamingo gardens?

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