One Day in Ft Launderdale—what to do?

[disneyochem]

Hello, we will be arriving in FLL on a Monday night for a cruise departing on a Wednesday in January 2022.  We will have one full day to experience the area.  What would you suggest for an activity?  We are not big beach fans—a bout of skin cancer has put an end to soaking up the sun on a white sandy beach!  I’m thinking about either just doing a water taxi tour (get off and experience what we want) or a more formal tour of the Everglades.  We’re fairly active so a hike/visit to a nature park would be fun.  Also interested in history and historical places.

 

I have booked a room at two different places (need to make a final decision by December 2021)—Hyatt Place and Snooze Inn.   Am open to changing if there is another place that will enhance our stay. 

 

This will be our first visit to this area.  Have been to the Orlando and Clearwater areas a couple of times but have never been this far south.  We won’t have a car.  Arriving on Amtrak from the Philadelphia region and will just take a taxi/Uber to hotel.  
 

Any and all suggestions welcomed!

 

TIA!

[phabric]

I stay at Best Western Oceanside, Sea Breeze Blvd, FLL. The hotel is 100 yards from the ocean, hot free breakfast, bar with food, Sun Trolley and regular bus outside the door, water taxi within walking distance, small refrigerator, microwave, $ washer/dryer, $ bikes, clean rooms, friendly staff.  No shuttle from airport (taxi about $30, Uber cheaper), they can arrange $ shuttle to Port Everglades.

 

I have taken the water taxi.  What we have done, walked to the water taxi stop near the Best Western Oceanside, this boat has  many stops to Hilton Marina hotel stop, switch boats to another boat (this boat has no stops, at the end maybe a 15 minutes break before return), at the Hilton Marina switch boats and go back to our original stop.   Usually stop somewhere for dinner.  We make it all day tour.

Some Everglades tour companies, might pick you up from your hotel.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

As in all things it depends on what interests you. The Bonnet House and Stanahan House are glimpses of a bygone era in Fl. Carrie B does nice tours of the waterfront mansions and luxury yachts. Air-boat tours in the Everglades are fun and unique.

[Ashland]

Air-boat everglades tour...see if your hotel can arrange this or uber/lyft on your own.

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, disneyochem said:

Arriving on Amtrak from the Philadelphia region and will just take a taxi/Uber to hotel.  

 

I have taken Amtrak to Fort Lauderdale.  Have the phone number of a taxi company stored in your phone or on your person in case there are few/no taxis at the station when you arrive.  I anticipated the need for such and was glad that I had done so.  I can recommend Yellow Cab in Fort Lauderdale.

 

Other posters have provided very good suggestions as to how to spend your day.  

 

There are many restaurants in Fort Lauderdale; I suggest once you decide for certain on a hotel, check out those establishments near you for one that might provide an excellent dinner on the night before your cruise.  

[capriccio]

The website www.sunny.org is a great resource on all things Fort Lauderdale and Broward County.

[fireofficer5]

If you are feeling froggy and have a rental, Shark Valley. 15 mile path in the everglades.

 

Plus you might get up close and personal with alligators.

Edited June 7, 2021 by fireofficer5
added

[capriccio]

5 minutes ago, fireofficer5 said:

If you are feeling froggy and have a rental, Shark Valley. 15 mile path in the everglades.

Great suggestion with one caveat:  don't go in the summer/rainy season!  January would be perfect since the best time to see wildlife and not be eaten up by bugs is the dry season (December - April).

 

They have bike rentals and a guided tram ride.  The latter has been a highlight for every visitor we've ever taken to Shark Valley.  https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/svdirections.htm

[disneyochem]

On 6/5/2021 at 8:58 AM, phabric said:

I stay at Best Western Oceanside, Sea Breeze Blvd, FLL. The hotel is 100 yards from the ocean, hot free breakfast, bar with food, Sun Trolley and regular bus outside the door, water taxi within walking distance, small refrigerator, microwave, $ washer/dryer, $ bikes, clean rooms, friendly staff.  No shuttle from airport (taxi about $30, Uber cheaper), they can arrange $ shuttle to Port Everglades.

 

I have taken the water taxi.  What we have done, walked to the water taxi stop near the Best Western Oceanside, this boat has  many stops to Hilton Marina hotel stop, switch boats to another boat (this boat has no stops, at the end maybe a 15 minutes break before return), at the Hilton Marina switch boats and go back to our original stop.   Usually stop somewhere for dinner.  We make it all day tour.

Some Everglades tour companies, might pick you up from your hotel.

Thanks!  This looks like we were liking of doing.  I’ll take a look at this hotel.

[disneyochem]

On 6/5/2021 at 1:12 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

I have taken Amtrak to Fort Lauderdale.  Have the phone number of a taxi company stored in your phone or on your person in case there are few/no taxis at the station when you arrive.  I anticipated the need for such and was glad that I had done so.  I can recommend Yellow Cab in Fort Lauderdale.

 

Other posters have provided very good suggestions as to how to spend your day.  

 

There are many restaurants in Fort Lauderdale; I suggest once you decide for certain on a hotel, check out those establishments near you for one that might provide an excellent dinner on the night before your cruise.  

Thanks for the tip about the taxi!  We love to travel on Amtrak so always like to be prepared.

[disneyochem]

1 hour ago, capriccio said:

Great suggestion with one caveat:  don't go in the summer/rainy season!  January would be perfect since the best time to see wildlife and not be eaten up by bugs is the dry season (December - April).

 

They have bike rentals and a guided tram ride.  The latter has been a highlight for every visitor we've ever taken to Shark Valley.  https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/svdirections.htm

This is exactly the sort of excursion we like to do but I don’t think we want to rent a car on this trip.  Since we’re arriving on Amtrak, don’t want to hassle of getting a rental.

 

I’ll see if there is a company that will take us there.  If not, it’ll go in the ‘next time’ file!