Outdoors · Fort Lauderdale · United States
8 best outdoor things to do in Fort Lauderdale
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Flamingo Gardens, Fort Lauderdale · Photo: Dtobias, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Fort Lauderdale Beach and the A1A promenade, Bonnet House Museum and Gardens and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 18–22 hours across 5 areas; 1 is free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 18–22 hours
- Areas
- Fort Lauderdale Beach, Las Olas and Downtown and Dania Beach
Plan a trip to Fort Lauderdale
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Outdoors in Fort Lauderdale
Beach · Fort Lauderdale Beach
1.Fort Lauderdale Beach and the A1A promenade
Head north towards Sunrise Boulevard and beyond for more space; the stretch near Las Olas is the busiest.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
Historic site · Fort Lauderdale Beach
2.Bonnet House Museum and Gardens
Take the guided house tour, then walk the nature trails; it is a cool, shaded break from the beach across the road.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Nature
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
Park · Fort Lauderdale Beach
3.Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
Paddle the park's freshwater lagoon by kayak or canoe for gopher tortoises, herons and iguanas.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Active
Waterfront · Las Olas and Downtown
4.Riverwalk and Stranahan House
Time your walk for a drawbridge opening, when megayachts squeeze up the narrow river.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Outdoors
- Free
- Views
Museum · Las Olas and Downtown
5.Museum of Discovery and Science
Use it as your rainy-afternoon or hottest-hour plan; it is on the Riverwalk next to a Water Taxi stop.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Beach · Dania Beach
6.Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park
Come in the late afternoon at weekends to watch cruise ships sail out through the inlet.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
7.Lauderdale-by-the-Sea snorkelling
Go on a calm morning with little wind; always tow a dive flag, as required by Florida law when snorkelling away from the shore.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Active
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Western Broward County
8.Everglades airboat ride
Book a morning ride, when the wildlife is more active and before afternoon storms; bring ear protection for small children.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Kids
- Active
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale Beach | Fort Lauderdale Beach and the A1A promenade, Bonnet House Museum and Gardens and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park | Half a day + 2 hours + 2 hours |
| Las Olas and Downtown | Riverwalk and Stranahan House and Museum of Discovery and Science | 1.5 hours + 2–3 hours |
| Dania Beach | Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park | 2–3 hours |
| Lauderdale-by-the-Sea | Lauderdale-by-the-Sea snorkelling | 2 hours |
| Western Broward County | Everglades airboat ride | Half a day |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 1 free, 4 low cost, 3 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Fort Lauderdale Beach and the A1A promenade; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Fort Lauderdale Beach): Fort Lauderdale Beach and the A1A promenade, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Fort Lauderdale Beach): Bonnet House Museum and Gardens → Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Las Olas and Downtown): Riverwalk and Stranahan House → Museum of Discovery and Science, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Dania Beach and Lauderdale-by-the-Sea): Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park → Lauderdale-by-the-Sea snorkelling, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Western Broward County): Everglades airboat ride, at least 3 hours.
The best months to be outside
- February: highs of 25°C (77°F), about 6 rainy days, very busy crowds. One of the most reliable months for sunshine; prices are high and weekends busy.
- January: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 7 rainy days, very busy crowds. Peak season: mild, sunny and dry, with occasional cool fronts.
- March: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 7 rainy days, very busy crowds. Warm and sunny with college spring break, though the city is far calmer than in its 1980s heyday.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Fort Lauderdale Beach — Oceanfront hotels, beach bars and the wave-wall promenade along A1A
- Las Olas and Downtown — Restaurant terraces, galleries and the New River Riverwalk
- Lauderdale-by-the-Sea — Low-rise beach town with a fishing pier and a reef close to shore
- Galt Ocean Mile — Residential condo towers on a quieter stretch of north beach
More of Fort Lauderdale
All things to do in Fort Lauderdale · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Fort Lauderdale?
Fort Lauderdale Beach and the A1A promenade. The city's main beach runs for several kilometres along A1A, with lifeguard towers, showers and a promenade behind a curving white wave wall.
+Which of these are free in Fort Lauderdale?
Fort Lauderdale Beach and the A1A promenade.