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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Fort Lauderdale
Give Fort Lauderdale 2–3 nights: beach and canals in winter, one day for Las Olas and the Riverwalk, one for an airboat or a day trip.
Fort Lauderdale is a beach-and-boat city on a canal grid, about 40 km north of Miami. Two to three nights covers the beach, Las Olas and the Riverwalk; add a day for an Everglades airboat or a cruise out of Port Everglades. Winter (Dec–Apr) is dry and warm; summer is hot, humid and wet, with hurricanes from late July to early November. Stay at the beach for sand, downtown for food and rail links. Budget about $150–250 a day per person, more in winter.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Dec–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (heat, humidity, afternoon storms); hurricane season late Jul–early Nov
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $90–150 excl. bed · Mid $150–250 excl. bed · High $250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $4–6 |
| Beach-bar lunch (burger or tacos) | $15–25 |
| Sit-down dinner, main course | $20–40 |
| Draught beer at a bar | $7–10 |
| Rideshare, downtown to the beach | $12–20 |
| Water taxi day pass | $35–40 |
| Museum entry (Bonnet House, Museum of Discovery and Science) | $15–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- FLL · Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International
- About 3 km (1.9 mi) south of downtown; the closest and most convenient airport, with heavy low-cost and domestic service plus Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean routes.About 1.9 mi (3 km) south of downtown; the closest and most convenient airport, with heavy low-cost and domestic service plus Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean routes.
- MIA · Miami International
- About 40 km (25 mi) south; the region's main long-haul gateway. Tri-Rail or a 40-min drive north, longer at rush hour.About 25 mi (40 km) south; the region's main long-haul gateway. Tri-Rail or a 40-min drive north, longer at rush hour.
- PBI · Palm Beach International
- About 70 km (43 mi) north; least convenient, but Tri-Rail links it to Fort Lauderdale.About 43 mi (70 km) north; least convenient, but Tri-Rail links it to Fort Lauderdale.
Typical fares
- Rideshare FLL → beach
- $25–40, about 15–25 min (check)
- Tri-Rail, Fort Lauderdale → Miami Airport
- about $5–7, about 50 min (check)
- Brightline, Fort Lauderdale → Miami
- from about $15–30, 30–40 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
A car is easiest: the city is on a grid but the canals mean you cross only at bridges, so a map saves backtracking. Downtown to the beach is about 3 km (1.9 mi). Broward County Transit buses are slow; taxis and rideshares are plentiful. Brightline and Tri-Rail link Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach; the Brightline station is separate from the Amtrak/Tri-Rail station. The city runs free LauderGO shuttles downtown and in some districts (check the map and hours).A car is easiest: the city is on a grid but the canals mean you cross only at bridges, so a map saves backtracking. Downtown to the beach is about 1.9 mi (3 km). Broward County Transit buses are slow; taxis and rideshares are plentiful. Brightline and Tri-Rail link Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach; the Brightline station is separate from the Amtrak/Tri-Rail station. The city runs free LauderGO shuttles downtown and in some districts (check the map and hours).
See and do
Known for
- Fort Lauderdale Beach
- Canal network (the "Venice of America")
- Las Olas Boulevard
- Port Everglades cruises
- Everglades airboat rides
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Miami | Brightline from Fort Lauderdale station, about 30–40 min; or I-95 by car | About 1 h |
| Everglades airboat and Sawgrass | Car or tour van west on I-595/SR-84, about 30–45 min | About 1 h |
| Hollywood, Florida | Tri-Rail or I-95 south, about 20–30 min | About 45 min |
| Pompano Beach | I-95 or A1A north, about 20–30 min | About 45 min |
| Deerfield Beach | Tri-Rail to Deerfield Beach station, then a short ride; or I-95 | About 1 h |
| West Palm Beach | Brightline or Tri-Rail north, about 45–60 min | About 1.25 h |
Sleep
- Fort Lauderdale Beach / A1A
- Sand, bars and ocean-view hotels; walkable strip, 10–15 min by car or bus from downtown.
- Downtown / Las Olas
- Restaurants, Riverwalk and the Brightline station; 3 km (1.9 mi) from the beach, best for rail and nightlife.Restaurants, Riverwalk and the Brightline station; 1.9 mi (3 km) from the beach, best for rail and nightlife.
- 17th Street Causeway / Port Everglades
- Closest to the cruise terminals and the airport; chain hotels, few sights.
- Hollywood / Dania Beach
- Cheaper beds south of the city, near FLL and the Tri-Rail line.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Excuse me | Excuse me |
| The check, please | The check, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the restroom? | Where is the restroom? |
| Is this seat taken? | Is this seat taken? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer is hot and humid with afternoon thunderstorms; hurricane season runs late Jul–early Nov.
- The US 1 does not meet Las Olas Boulevard — it runs in a tunnel under the river and resurfaces at Broward Boulevard. Many maps get this wrong.
- Parking at the beach is expensive and fills early on weekends.
- Prices are shown before sales tax; tipping is expected (18–22% at sit-down restaurants).
Central tourist areas are busy and generally safe by day; use normal city sense at night, especially around the beach bars. The real risks are heat, rip currents (swim near lifeguards), afternoon lightning and hurricane-season storms.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Fort Lauderdale yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fort Lauderdale Beach
- Canal network (the "Venice of America")
- Las Olas Boulevard
- Port Everglades cruises
- Everglades airboat rides
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of Fort Lauderdale: www.fortlauderdale.gov
- Visit Lauderdale (Broward County tourism): www.sunny.org
- Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport: www.broward.org/airport
- Tri-Rail: www.tri-rail.com
- Brightline: gobrightline.com
- Wikivoyage: Fort Lauderdale, revision 5307179 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5307179
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Fort Lauderdale
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies in Fort Lauderdale; most countries keep consulates in Miami (check your country's list).
Sales tax is added at the till; tipping 18–22% is expected at sit-down restaurants.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/fort-lauderdale). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.