{"id":34892,"date":"2020-01-14T16:04:51","date_gmt":"2020-01-14T16:04:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/?p=34892"},"modified":"2021-10-12T15:32:50","modified_gmt":"2021-10-12T15:32:50","slug":"fort-lauderdale-bucket-list-14-things-you-cant-miss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/fort-lauderdale-bucket-list-14-things-you-cant-miss\/","title":{"rendered":"Greater Fort Lauderdale bucket list: 14 things you can’t miss"},"content":{"rendered":"

Note:<\/strong> All travel is subject to frequently-changing governmental restrictions\u2014please check federal, state, and local advisories before scheduling trips.<\/em><\/p>\n

You may have passed through Fort Lauderdale on your way to catch a cruise, flown in to FLL as a cheaper alternative to Miami\u2019s sprawling airport, or even spent a few days here in your younger years on spring break. And while the Greater Fort Lauderdale<\/a> area is admittedly a great jumping off point for other adventures, there’s plenty here that calls for a full week of exploration\u2014or more (because there really is no limit to how many beach days are enough beach days). If it\u2019s been a while, or if you\u2019ve never visited, these are some of the top experiences you will not want to miss in the canal-lined South Florida city dubbed the Venice of America, and its neighboring towns.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 12 photos that will have you packing for Fort Lauderdale right now<\/a><\/p>\n

A close-up peek into celebrities’ backyards<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Views of mansions on Millionaires Row, as seen from the Water Taxi<\/p><\/div>\n

Think of the Water Taxi<\/strong><\/a> not as a means of getting from A to B but as more of a very informative (and entertaining!) look at the lifestyles of the rich and famous. The open-sided boat makes eight stops (including Stranahan House and Las Olas\u2014see below) as it takes you down the New River past mansions and yachts currently or formerly owned by the likes of actors Farrah Fawcett and Lee Majors, sausage king Oscar Mayer, and Hollywood director Steven Spielberg. Along the way, your guide clues you in to interesting anecdotes about area residents, their homes and other bits of gossip.<\/p>\n

A pioneering artist’s estate<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Bonnet House<\/p><\/div>\n

There are historic homes, formal and staid, and then there’s Bonnet House<\/strong>, bursting with color and creativity, decorated with an eclectic collection of carousel animals standing guard at every turn. The artist’s estate was built in 1920 by Chicago-born painter Frederic Clay Bartlett and his wife, Helen Louise Birch. When Helen died of breast cancer in 1931, Frederic married Evelyn Fortune Lilly, of the Eli Lilly pharmaceutical fortune. She continued to spend winters at Bonnet House until 1995. Today, you can tour the museum house, its artwork and striking decor, as well as the surrounding estate, which includes five different eco systems.<\/p>\n

Waterfront festivals<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade<\/p><\/div>\n

Fort Lauderdale and surrounding towns really make the most of their waterfront space, with awesome festivals like the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade<\/strong>, which features local yachts dolled up in their holiday finest parading down the New River. Touted as the \u201cGreatest Show on H2O,\u201d the festive event typically happens mid-December. Tip: Spring for the Grand Stand tickets, which get you waterfront bleacher seating and access to the accompanying festival, where you\u2019ll find food and drink vendors, games and more. If you\u2019re not visiting in December, there are plenty of other festivals going on throughout the year, including big beachfront music fests like Riptide Festival<\/strong> (featuring big names like The Killers and The 1975) and Tortuga Fest<\/strong> (which brings in acts like Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert and Pitbull).<\/p>\n

FATVillage<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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FATVillage<\/p><\/div>\n

Time your visit to this edgy, arty downtown neighborhood’s ArtWalk, where you can explore open studios, meet artists, check out some of their latest work and browse a maker\u2019s market. The FATVillage ArtWalk<\/strong> happens the last Saturday of the month, but if that doesn\u2019t jibe with your travel schedule come any time to take a look at the striking murals and hit up our favorite new coffee shop, BREW Urban Cafe. This design-forward little space is lined with bookshelves and dotted with couches, plus it serves up some of the richest, most heavenly cups of joe we\u2019ve ever sipped. Also, keep an eye out for Sistrunk Market & Brewery<\/a>, Fort Lauderdale’s first food hall, which also includes a brewery, distillery, and art and music space.<\/p>\n

Las Olas Boulevard<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Las Olas Boulevard<\/p><\/div>\n

For boutique shopping, galleries and teeming sidewalk cafes, head to palm-lined Las Olas Boulevard<\/strong>. The upscale neighborhood is home to restaurants offering every kind of international cuisine, from Brazilian to Thai to Italian and beyond.<\/p>\n

The Yard & Eucalyptus Gardens<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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The Yard & Eucalyptus Garden<\/p><\/div>\n

The Yard & Eucalyptus Garden<\/strong> in Fort Lauderdale\u2019s Wilton Manors neighborhood is kind of a hidden gem\u2014literally. You\u2019ll think your map is taking you off course as you turn down a small residential street, until you see the open gates where the street elbows. Beyond the gates, you\u2019ll discover a bohemian-vibed urban oasis thick with rainbow eucalyptus trees, colorful murals, and delightful restaurant patios and shops. Caffeinate at The Alchemist, indulge in authentic French crepes at Chateau D’vine Wine or browse locally crafted gifts at Lola\u2019s Market, just to name a few.<\/p>\n

Stranahan House<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Stranahan House<\/p><\/div>\n

Right along the New River, wedged between the soaring condos and offices of downtown Fort Lauderdale, you’ll find Broward County’s oldest home, Stranahan House<\/strong>. Ohio native Frank Stranahan, who’s considered Fort Lauderdale’s founding father, built the house in 1906, and through the years it served as a trading post for business with the Seminole people, a post office and town hall. The home was added to the National Historic Registry in 1974, and is now open as a museum offering daily tours.<\/p>\n

Mermaid shows at the Wreck Bar<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Wreck Bar’s mermaid show at B Ocean Resort<\/p><\/div>\n

This is Old Florida at its best. B Ocean Resort, a 1956 beachfront property that once hosted the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio, regularly hosts mermaid shows<\/strong> with both family-friendly and adults-only burlesque versions (check the hotel\u2019s web site<\/a> to make sure you book the right one!). If you book a table for the all-ages brunch, you\u2019ll enjoy dining amid the shipwreck ambience of the bar as mermaids float by the windows that look out below the hotel pool\u2019s surface. Heads up: The portions here are generous, so come hungry!<\/p>\n

Mai Kai tiki bar Polynesian show<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Mai Kai Polynesian show<\/p><\/div>\n

For fans of tiki and other retro fun, the Mai Kai<\/strong> is a well-known pilgrimage point. The bar and restaurant date back to mid-century heyday of Polynesian chic, with a tropical\/nautical tiki theme that includes countless statuettes, masks and a lush garden with waterfalls out back. Stop in for their excellent happy hour, or reserve a table for the dinner show that includes traditional Polynesian music and dance, and even a little fire twirling!<\/p>\n

Holiday Park Everglades Tour<\/strong><\/h2>\n