Welcome to Greater Fort Lauderdale, the Venice of America! With average temperatures of 25˚C, take advantage of the 23 miles of the white sandy beaches and explore a destination that boasts an impressive art scene, world class restaurants and bars, shopping, and the Everglades on its doorstep.
Start by admiring colour-pop street art in Downtown Hollywood, a curated collection of 24 bold murals, handily positioned near cafés, bars, restaurants and shops. Or, over in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, visit F.A.T. Village: a buzzing creative enclave. Artists, cool-hunters, hipsters and techies have gravitated towards this historic warehouse district, settling here to work and play. Join an art walk on the last Saturday of the month (except December) and discover open galleries, local artists and artisans selling gifts and goods, plus plenty of food and entertainment. There are three art warehouse spaces to explore, too.
If you want to get outdoors, then Greater Fort Lauderdale has plenty of options. With the Everglades on its doorstep, an airboat trip zipping across the water looking for alligators is only 40 minutes way. Closer to home head to Hugh Taylor Birch State Park or the Anne Kolb Nature Centre to kayak or hike and feel a million miles away but still be right in the heart of the action. Home to 23 miles of beautiful white sandy, blue-wave certified beaches, Greater Fort Lauderdale is also the diving capital of south Florida with over 75 dive sites for the uninitiated right up to the advanced. Pick up new skills like jet skiing, surfing and paddleboarding here as well. If, after all that hard work, you’d prefer to take a back seat then jump on the Jungle Queen Riverboat for a tour of the canals making up the Venice of America, sailing past Millionaire’s Row and learning all there is to know about Greater Fort Lauderdale.
Luckily, after working up an appetite with all of those activities, you can pick from over 4,000 restaurants in the area as well as the Greater Fort Lauderdale Ale Trail to quench your thirst and try the local craft beer. From street food to Floribbean fine dining, this destination has your every culinary whim covered.
Other amazing activities include heading to Bonnet House Museum & Gardens filled with an eclectic collection of art and personal treasures; experiencing Sawgrass Mills, the largest designer outlet mall in North America; visiting Flamingo Gardens, a sanctuary for all sorts of weird and wonderful Florida wildlife; Riptide and Tortuga Music Festivals, both taking place on Fort Lauderdale Beach in December and April, respectively; and hitting the BB&T Centre to witness the Florida Panthers ice hockey team!
Easily accessible with direct flights with British Airways from London Gatwick or Aer Lingus from Dublin into Miami (a mere 40 minutes away), Greater Fort Lauderdale is closer than ever. Once here, why not use the Brightline train service, connecting West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami to experience more of what the Sunshine State has on offer!
