Fort Lauderdale: Discover the Coast, Waterways, and Culture

Fort Lauderdale combines a coastline and an extensive network of inland waterways with parks, historic houses, and museums. If you’re looking for a hotel, the focus of your trip can help you decide where to stay: Would you like to include the coast, explore the city’s history, or visit gardens and exhibitions? The following places show different sides of Fort Lauderdale.

Coast, Waterways, and Riverwalk

Fort Lauderdale has many beaches along 24 miles of coastline. In addition, interconnected rivers and canals provide more than 300 miles of navigable inland waterways in total. These are two different measurements: the length of the coastline on the one hand, and the combined length of the navigable inland waterways on the other. Both offer a concrete point of reference as you consider which aspects of the waterfront landscape you want to shape your trip.

The Water Taxi offers all-day access, narrated sightseeing cruises, and drinks on board. It has more than 30 scheduled stops in Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, and Hollywood. The stop network thus spans three cities. If you’re planning a ride, check the current schedule, as schedules may change.

Riverwalk Park is on the water in downtown Fort Lauderdale and stretches along both banks of the New River. Riverwalk includes Esplanade Park, with interactive exhibits on navigation and meteorology. The topics of these exhibits may change. Riverwalk Park and Esplanade Park thus combine a specific riverside location with an evolving exhibition theme.

History on the New River

The New River Inn houses a history museum. Its exhibits cover archaeology, Seminole culture, fashion, and military history. The topics thus range from archaeological and cultural aspects to fashion and military history.

The Historic Stranahan House Museum offers a different focus: it is Fort Lauderdale’s oldest and most historically significant surviving structure. During a visit, you can explore the exhibit at your own pace; experienced museum guides are available to answer questions. The two historic sites therefore differ in their focus: the New River Inn centers on several exhibit topics, while the Stranahan House also offers the surviving structure itself as a historical point of reference.

Nature and Exhibitions

Bonnet House is a 35-acre tropical refuge and one of the last remaining barrier island habitats in South Florida. The refuge encompasses five distinct ecosystems. Visitors can explore nature trails, visit four themed gardens, and see an orchid collection of more than 3,000 specimens. The five ecosystems describe the natural setting, while the gardens and orchid collection offer their own designed and botanical focuses.

The Museum of Discovery and Science offers more than 20 immersive and interactive permanent and changing exhibits. This sets the museum apart from the historic houses by a different criterion: the focus here is on the scope and interactive design of the exhibits. When planning your visit, you can therefore consider not only an exhibition’s topics but also whether you’re more interested in history, nature trails and gardens, or interactive museum experiences.

Discover more destinations: Deerfield Beach, Davie, Hallandale Beach, Pembroke Pines, Lauderhill, Coconut Creek, Dania Beach, Weston

For the broader travel overview: Broward.