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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Southwest Ranches
Treat Southwest Ranches as a stop, not a base: Everglades Holiday Park and a resort night. How long the park visit takes is unconfirmed — check hours and tour length first.
Southwest Ranches is a low-density town in Broward County, west of Fort Lauderdale, with one headline stop — Everglades Holiday Park at the end of Griffin Road — plus resort and golf stays. A car is the practical way in; a single night covers it unless you are using it as a base for the wider county.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- check
- Avoid
- check
- Stay
- 1 night
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 $70–$120 excl. bed · Mid $120–$200 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 at a café | $2–$4 |
| Fast-food meal | $6–$10 |
| Ride-share (5 mi) | $12–$18 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- FLL · Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International
- Drive time and route to Southwest Ranches: check
Typical fares
- FLL → Southwest Ranches (rental car)
- about $40 per day; drive time check
- Everglades Holiday Park airboat
- about $45 per person (check schedule and price)
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 the practical option; rental desks at FLL are the usual pickup (check current agencies and rates). Local bus coverage is limited — check Broward County Transit routes before relying on it. Rideshare works but fares vary.
See and do
Known for
- Everglades Holiday Park
- Resort and golf stays
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | Drive north; route and time: check | check |
| Hollywood, Florida | Drive north; route and time: check | check |
| Weston, Florida | Drive west; route and time: check | check |
| Pompano Beach | Drive north-east; route and time: check | check |
Sleep
- Resort and golf stays around Pines Boulevard and 155th Ave SW
- Availability and 2026 rates: check. Most visitors sleep in Fort Lauderdale or Pembroke Pines instead.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpedis-kul-pe |
| Thank you | Graciasgra-see-as |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?kwan-to kwes-ta |
| Where is the restroom? | ¿Dónde está el baño?don-de es-ta el ba-nyo |
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
- Public transport is sparse — plan a car.
- Alligator sightings are common in the park; follow guide instructions.
- Park hours, tour times and prices: check before you drive out.
Southwest Ranches is a low-crime residential town; the practical risks are highway traffic and wildlife near the park. Follow guide instructions around water and alligators.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Southwest Ranches yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Everglades Holiday Park
- Resort and golf stays
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Southwest Ranches, revision 4517438 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4517438
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Southwest Ranches
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / Fire / Ambulance911
US consulate in Miami (check address); other nations have consulates in Fort Lauderdale.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/southwest-ranches). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.