Accommodations

Fort Lauderdale offers an exciting, fun and sun oriented getaway with a variety of condos, vacation homes, hotels, and resorts. Choose an accommodation near any of Fort Lauderdale's local attractions that offers comfort while making the most of the beautiful beaches and attractions at affordably priced rates.

View our Fort Lauderdale Vacation Rentals or Fort Lauderdale Resorts

Activities

The Art & Culture Center in beautiful downtown Hollywood, Florida is in a Spanish mansion built in 1924 featuring ever-changing exhibits. Nearby Coconut Creek is home to Butterfly World, where thousands of live, rainbow-hued butterflies flutter in ten acres of waterfalls, flowers and tropical gardens that are also home to fish, hummingbirds, lorikeets, and insects. A refreshing change from the malls and chain stores elsewhere in the city, Las Olas Boulevard has numerous individually owned boutiques and restaurants, including sidewalk cafes. Bring the children to the Museum of Discovery and Science, where you can hang out with bats, alligators, turtles, sharks and explore Florida's amazing Everglades. You can also immerse yourself in a five-story giant screen adventure at the Blockbuster® IMAX® Theater.

Events

The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival shows more than 200 films from around the globe, including world and national premiers. Filmmakers and celebrities attend many of the screenings and events over the month long festival in October and November. The Hollywood Beach Latin Festival draws more than 50,000 visitors in mid September to Latin food, live music, entertainment, health court and more. The Baltimore Orioles conduct spring training in the city at Fort Lauderdale Stadium. Thousands of boats and hundreds of thousands of people show up for the annual Fort Lauderdale Air and Sea Show in May.  The Blue Angels usually headline this nationally known air show, as well as the Fort Lauderdale Super Boat Grand Prix. In February, the A1A Marathon and Half Marathon draws about 6000 runners annually.

Water Sports

The Atlantic Coast beaches of Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach and the Gold Coast are perfect for swimming, surfing, or catching up on your tan. You can also find powerboat and sailboat rentals, as well as jetski rentals. The warm Gulf Stream waters are inviting for snorkeling and scuba diving.

Golfing

Take advantage of South Florida's year-round gorgeous weather, tempered by gentle sea breezes. The golf courses are set with a backdrop of white-sand beach and crystal-blue Atlantic waters on beautifully tended courses offering some of the best greens in the country.

History

During the Second Seminole Indian War, a detachment of the Tennessee Volunteers led by Major William Lauderdale built a fort at the fork of the New River, giving the future city its name. Major Lauderdale and the Volunteers left shortly after it was built, and the fort was destroyed twice during the war, but each time it was rebuilt closer to the Atlantic Coast. After the war, southeast Florida remained a wilderness outside of Miami due to a lack of transportation.

In 1892 the Dade County government authorized a rock road to be built between Lantana and Lemon City, with an overnight camp and a ferry crossing established on the New River. A young Ohioan, Frank Stranahan, arrived to take charge of the facilities and soon established a flourishing trading post with the local Seminoles and by 1895 Stranahan’s Trading Post was a South Florida landmark. In 1896, the Florida East Coast Railway was extended south through Fort Lauderdale, providing rapid transportation from all parts of the nation to south Florida