For couples · Fort Lauderdale · United States
Romantic things to do in Fort Lauderdale
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, Fort Lauderdale · Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Fort Lauderdale's romance is on the water: sunset over the canals, dinner by the yachts and long walks on the beach at dawn. Couples tend to stay in Las Olas and Downtown.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 2
- Area for couples
- Las Olas and Downtown
- Best months
- November
Plan a trip to Fort Lauderdale
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Romantic ideas
1.Sunset Water Taxi
Ride the Water Taxi along the New River in the late afternoon, past mansions and megayachts as the light fades.
2.Gondola on the canals
Small operators run gondola rides through the Las Olas Isles canals in the evening.
3.Dinner on Las Olas
An evening of pavement dining and gallery browsing on East Las Olas Boulevard.
4.Sunrise on the beach
The beach faces east; an early walk at sunrise is quiet and cool.
5.Bonnet House gardens
Wander the orchid house and lagoon paths of the 1920 Bartlett estate.
Sights couples love
Experience · New River and Intracoastal
Water Taxi
Buy a day pass and use it as your transport between the Riverwalk, Las Olas and the beach; sit outside on the upper deck.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Couples
- Kids
- Photo spot
Historic site · Fort Lauderdale Beach
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
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers, shopping and first-timers
Las Olas and Downtown
East Las Olas Boulevard is the city's dining and strolling street, with boutiques, galleries and outdoor tables under the palm trees. A few blocks away, the Riverwalk follows the New River past the Museum of Discovery and Science, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and historic Stranahan House. The Brightline station is downtown.
- Good
- Most restaurants in walking distance; Brightline trains to Miami; Water Taxi stops on the New River
- Watch out
- A short drive or boat ride from the beach; Downtown is quiet away from Las Olas at night
- Nearby
- Las Olas Boulevard, Riverwalk, Stranahan House, Museum of Discovery and Science
Romantic day trips
- Palm Beach and West Palm Beach (About 40 minutes by Brightline; about 1 hour by car) — Palm Beach's Worth Avenue shopping street and the Flagler Museum, Henry Flagler's Gilded Age mansion Whitehall, sit across the lagoon from West Palm Beach, home of the Norton Museum of Art and the Clematis Street dining area.
- Delray Beach and the Morikami Gardens (About 40 minutes by car) — Delray Beach has a walkable main street, Atlantic Avenue, running down to the beach.
- Key Largo and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (About 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours by car) — The first of the Florida Keys has the underwater John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, with snorkel trips, glass-bottom boat tours and diving to the reef and the bronze Christ of the Abyss statue.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Stone crab claws, Grouper or mahi-mahi sandwich and Cuban sandwich. Air conditioning is strong; bring a light layer for indoor dining.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Fort Lauderdale romantic?
Fort Lauderdale's romance is on the water: sunset over the canals, dinner by the yachts and long walks on the beach at dawn.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Fort Lauderdale?
Sunset Water Taxi: Ride the Water Taxi along the New River in the late afternoon, past mansions and megayachts as the light fades.
+Where should couples stay in Fort Lauderdale?
Las Olas and Downtown: Restaurant terraces, galleries and the New River Riverwalk.