Fort Lauderdale, Florida
A guide to Fort Lauderdale: how to get there and where to stay, what to see and where to sunbathe. The most interesting in Fort Lauderdale: fresh reviews and photos, places to see, branded entertainment and beaches.
According to toppharmacyschools, Fort Lauderdale is a city of great beaches, arts and culture. The eastern seaside part literally stands on the water, which is why it is sometimes called the Venice of America. To be fair, the Florida canals and gondolas are the only resemblance to an Italian gem. Fort Lauderdale is a modern city with high-rise residential complexes, shopping malls and stylish waterfronts. A significant part of its guests are passengers of cruise ships mooring here. But if you are suddenly lucky enough to be somewhere in the vicinity of Miami, you should not leave the less popular Lauderdale without attention. And then, where else can you ride a real gondola while drinking coffee from Starbucks? Definitely not in Venice.
How to get to Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale has its own airport, but for many tourists from Europe it is more convenient to fly to the more popular Miami – it is only 40 km away. Aeroflot flies here 4 times a week, in the air – almost 13 hours. There are commuter trains from Miami Airport to Fort Lauderdale every half an hour. You can find the schedule and ticket prices at the office. carrier’s website (in English). You can also leave by shuttle or taxi – in the second case, the trip will cost 80-100 USD.
You can’t get directly to Fort Lauderdale without transfers. But the choice of transit cities is quite large: Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Paris, Barcelona, New York. Aeroflot flies to all these cities from the capital, and from there – mainly the Norwegian Air Shuttle. The Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Airport is only 5 miles from the downtown area, which can be covered in 20 minutes on the Broward County Transit bus number 1. Taxi will cost 20 USD.
Transport
As elsewhere in America ( New York does not count), Fort Lauderdale is most conveniently traveled by car. You can rent a car at the airport or in the city. Alternatively, taxis and water taxis are available. A trip within the city costs 5-7 USD. Parking in the city is paid and quite expensive.
Public transport – Broward County Transit buses with air conditioning and Wi-Fi on board, plying between the city’s districts and its suburbs. Frequency of flights: 15-30 minutes, but the operating time needs to be specified: some routes are served until 19:00, others almost until the morning. There are also tourist red and yellow Sun Trolley buses, some of which are free to travel. It is also convenient to move around the city on bicycles – Fort Lauderdale has a wide network of bike paths and rental stations.
Fort Lauderdale Hotels
The 200,000th American city by the ocean, by definition, cannot experience any problems with hotels. The most popular are located near Central Beach and in the Harbordale area. The cost of a double room on a high floor in the “five” with an ocean view is about 200 USD with breakfast per day. “Treshka” on the coast can be found for 70 USD.
Almost all hotels have their own swimming pools, and those that are closer to the sea also have a beach area.
Hostels are located in the heart of the city, but mostly within walking distance from the embankment, a bed costs 40 USD per night. An apartment for a day will cost 80-130 USD, depending on the location.
Beaches
Fort Lauderdale Beach is the city’s main beach (GPS coordinates: 26.133758, −80.103100). As expected, it is always crowded here, especially on weekends. There is a promenade along the beach, which is crowded with joggers in the evenings. The beach is clean, but there is practically no infrastructure, so do not forget a towel, glasses and sunscreen.
A little further south is Fort Lauderdale Beach Park (1100 Seabreeze Boulevard). Here on it with better beach facilities. There is a children’s play area, volleyball courts, barbecue areas, free toilets. There is also a rental of umbrellas and sun loungers ( 20 USD per day).
Cuisine and Restaurants in East Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale’s cuisine is influenced by its proximity to the ocean and its large Hispanic population. Therefore, a significant part of the restaurants specialize in fish and seafood dishes (boiled lobsters, grilled mackerel) and no less – in Cuban cuisine with its “lejon” (baked pork with a crust), “caldosa” (chicken stew with potatoes, ham, onions, carrots) and corn soup. In general, it is not a problem to find establishments with Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, German and other cuisines that are not the most expected in this part of the world.
There are also fashionable restaurants, where the bill for dinner for two can easily reach 500 USD, and simple homemade eateries (most often Cuban), where it’s not a problem to eat a hearty meal for 15-20 USD for one.
From the variety of fast food, too, ripples in the eyes. From fast food, we definitely try the Cubano sandwich with ham, fried pork, mustard and pickles for 6-8 USD.
Attractions
There are few attractions in Fort Lauderdale. There are a few historical sites here, such as the Bonnet Museum and the Stranahan House, but these will only be of interest to American history buffs. In fact, the main must-see places are beaches, streets and embankments.
Las Olas Boulevard stretching from the center to the coast is considered to be the center of resort life. This is the place of numerous shops, cafes, souvenir shops, bars and galleries. Especially pleasant atmosphere reigns here in the evening, when the heat subsides. Closer to the ocean, the boulevard is surrounded by picturesque canals with endless marinas.
The Vintage Car Museum (1527 First Avenue) is one of the museums that will definitely touch your heart. It exhibits Packard cars produced since 1900, as well as a variety of accessories and antique gizmos on automotive topics: gas stations, lighters, lamps, old magazine files, photographs. The museum is non-profit, but they ask for a charitable contribution: 10 USD, children – 5 USD, up to 5 years – free of charge. Opening hours: Monday-Saturday: 10:00-16:00, Sunday is a day off.