Florida · United States
Where to stay in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is a city in Florida, United States, home to about 183,000 people.
- Best months
- December to March
- Nearest airport
- FLL7 km · Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/New York
- Language
- Carolinian, Chamorro, Hawaiian
About
About Fort Lauderdale
The first inhabitants of the land were Seminole Indians who arrived in the 18th century. During the Second Seminole War, Major William Lauderdale led his Tennessee Volunteers into the area and raised New River Fort on the site of the modern city in 1838. In 1893, a young Ohioan named Frank Stranahan arrived and built a house that served as the first trading post, post office, bank and town hall of the area. The house was built near the site of the New River Fort and still stands today as a museum, Stranahan House.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Fort Lauderdale
See
- Beach Place
- Bonnet House
- Broward Center for the Performing Arts
- Las Olas Boulevard
- NSU Art Museum
- Museum of Discovery and Science
- Old Fort Lauderdale Village & Museum
- Stranahan House
- Antique Car Museum
- African American Research Library and Cultural Center
- Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
- Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park
Do
- The beach
- Boating
- SW 2nd Street
- Central Broward Regional Park
- Gulfstream Park
- Jungle Queen
- Carrie B
- Everglades Holiday Park
- Flamingo Fishing
- Lagerhead Cycleboats
- Soflo Tiki
- Cruisin' Tikis
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Fort Lauderdale
18 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| New River Inn | 1.9 km | |
| Conrad Fort Lauderdale | 2016 | 3.8 km |
| Beach House Fort Lauderdale, A Hilton Resort | 3.9 km | |
| Fort Lauderdale Grand Hotel | 5.9 km | |
| Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa | 4.8 km | |
| Galleryone - a DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel | 3.3 km | |
| Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina | 4.3 km | |
| Marriott's Beach Place Towers | 4.0 km | |
| North Beach Hotel | 3.7 km | |
| Pelican Grand Beach Resort, a Noble House Resort | 4.6 km | |
| Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel | 4.2 km | |
| Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach | 3.6 km | |
| The Atlantic Hotel & Spa | 3.8 km | |
| The Lago Mar Beach Resort and Club | 5.3 km | |
| The Pillars Hotel | 3.9 km | |
| The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale | 4.0 km | |
| The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort | 3.9 km | |
| W Fort Lauderdale | 3.9 km |
All 18 hotels in Fort Lauderdale, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Fort Lauderdale
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Fort Lauderdale are December to March. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; June is the wettest, with about 245 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Fort Lauderdale: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL), about 7.1 km from the city centre in a straight line; Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport (OPF, 29 km) and Miami International Airport (MIA, 41 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
The east side of Fort Lauderdale, between down town and the beach, is criss crossed with canals. It doesn't matter if you are in a car, on bicycles, or on foot, you have to cross the canals where the bridges are. This is one town where a good map can save you a lot of backtracking. Surprisingly the best road map of the East side of town is the 'Dolphus Waterway Map". The US 1 does not intersect with Las Olas Boulevard. Your map is wrong if it says otherwise. The US 1 passes under the river in a tunnel and goes under Las Olas too, re-emerging only at Broward Blvd. to the north.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
FLL · Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport
OPF · Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport
MIA · Miami International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Fort Lauderdale
Eat
Fort Lauderdale has countless dining options. Among the most popular areas are Las Olas Blvd, Olde Town Fort Lauderdale, and the Beach.
Drink
Fort Lauderdale's former reputation was built by Spring Break, and the city still does not disappoint. There are countless places to have a drink from little 'hole in the walls' to the ultra chic. Numerous bars are on Las Olas Blvd, from American Social to the Palm Room, along with various restaurant bars. Farther west in the arts & entertainment district (Himmarshee) there is another cluster.
Stay safe
Fort Lauderdale can be very safe but there are some parts of town you should probably avoid if you are on foot at night. Like all cities, you should ask advice on what areas are safe and what to avoid. The areas likely to be frequented by the tourists, along the beach, shopping along Las Olas and down town are safe. This would be the NE and SE parts of the city. You should use more caution if the address is on the West side of the city NW or SW. The intersection of Andrews Ave and Broward Blvd designates the NW NE SW SE sections of the city. Avoid the NW and SW areas, especially at night.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Fort Lauderdale: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Fort Lauderdale?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Fort Lauderdale are December to March. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; June is the wettest, with about 245 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Fort Lauderdale?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL), about 7.1 km from the city centre in a straight line; Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport (OPF, 29 km) and Miami International Airport (MIA, 41 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Fort Lauderdale?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near Fort Lauderdale
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.