Where to stay · Fort Lauderdale · United States
Where to stay in Fort Lauderdale
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Museum of Discovery and Science, Fort Lauderdale · Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Fort Lauderdale Beach. Oceanfront hotels, beach bars and the wave-wall promenade along A1A. Best alternatives — budget: Flagler Village.
Key facts
- First visit
- Fort Lauderdale Beach
- Families
- Fort Lauderdale Beach
- Budget
- Flagler Village
- Nightlife
- Fort Lauderdale Beach
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Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Fort Lauderdale Beach | Oceanfront hotels, beach bars and the wave-wall promenade along A1A |
| Families | Fort Lauderdale Beach | Oceanfront hotels, beach bars and the wave-wall promenade along A1A |
| Couples | Las Olas and Downtown | Restaurant terraces, galleries and the New River Riverwalk |
| Budget | Flagler Village | Murals, breweries and new apartment towers just north of downtown |
| Nightlife | Fort Lauderdale Beach | Oceanfront hotels, beach bars and the wave-wall promenade along A1A |
| Food lovers | Las Olas and Downtown | Restaurant terraces, galleries and the New River Riverwalk |
| Solo travellers | Flagler Village | Murals, breweries and new apartment towers just north of downtown |
| Shopping | Las Olas and Downtown | Restaurant terraces, galleries and the New River Riverwalk |
| Quiet stays | Lauderdale-by-the-Sea | Low-rise beach town with a fishing pier and a reef close to shore |
| Beach | Fort Lauderdale Beach | Oceanfront hotels, beach bars and the wave-wall promenade along A1A |
Fort Lauderdale neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for beach, first-timers, families and nightlife
Fort Lauderdale Beach
The strip of A1A between Sunrise Boulevard and Las Olas is the city's main beach base, with high-rise resorts, smaller motels on the side streets and beach bars facing the sand. The promenade behind the white wave wall is busy with cyclists and walkers, and the Intracoastal Waterway and Water Taxi stops are a block or two inland.
- Good
- Walk straight onto the beach; Plenty of hotels at every level; Bars and restaurants on the strip
- Watch out
- Expensive in winter and spring; Busy traffic on A1A and around Las Olas
- Nearby
- Las Olas Beach, Bonnet House, Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, Water Taxi stops
$$$ · 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
$$ · Best for solo travellers, food lovers and budget
Flagler Village
Flagler Village, along the railway north of Broward Boulevard, has turned from warehouses into one of the city's fastest-changing neighbourhoods. It holds the FAT Village arts district, street murals, breweries and casual restaurants, and is walkable to the Brightline station.
- Good
- Lower prices than the beach; Young, creative feel; Near the train
- Watch out
- Construction sites in places; Not a beach base
- Nearby
- FAT Village, Brightline station, Las Olas Boulevard
$$ · Best for nightlife, couples and solo travellers
Wilton Manors
Wilton Manors, surrounded by the forks of the Middle River just north of Fort Lauderdale, centres on Wilton Drive and its bars, cabarets, restaurants and guesthouses. It is the focus of the area's LGBTQ+ life and hosts Pride events, and the beach is a 15-minute drive away.
- Good
- Walkable bar and restaurant street; Friendly guesthouses; Lower prices than the beach
- Watch out
- You need a car or rideshare for the beach; Few large hotels
- Nearby
- Wilton Drive, Sebastian Street Beach
$$ · Best for quiet stays, families, beach and couples
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
This small town north of Fort Lauderdale caps building heights, so it keeps low-rise motels, beach cafés and a relaxed feel around Anglin's Fishing Pier. A reef lies a short swim offshore, making it one of the few places in South Florida where you can snorkel straight from the beach on calm days.
- Good
- Calm, small-town atmosphere; Snorkelling from shore; Walkable village centre
- Watch out
- Limited nightlife; About 20 minutes from Las Olas
- Nearby
- Anglin's Fishing Pier, Commercial Boulevard, Pompano Beach
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, families and beach
Galt Ocean Mile
North of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, Galt Ocean Mile is a line of condominium towers and a few hotels facing a less crowded beach. It suits longer stays, families renting apartments and visitors who want the ocean without the main strip's bars.
- Good
- Quieter beach; Apartment rentals with kitchens; Easy access to the state park
- Watch out
- Few restaurants in walking distance; Little nightlife
- Nearby
- Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Galt Ocean Mile Reef
$$ · Best for families, budget and beach
Hollywood Beach
About 20 minutes south, Hollywood's beach is fronted by the Broadwalk, a promenade of about 4 km lined with casual cafés, ice-cream shops and older motels as well as a few resorts. It is popular with French-Canadian winter visitors and families, and close to both FLL airport and Port Everglades.
- Good
- Lively, walkable beachfront; Often better value than Fort Lauderdale Beach; Close to the airport
- Watch out
- Older hotel stock; Crowded at weekends
- Nearby
- Hollywood Beach Broadwalk, Dania Beach, Port Everglades
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale Beach | $$$ | Las Olas Beach, Bonnet House, Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, Water Taxi stops |
| Las Olas and Downtown | $$$ | Las Olas Boulevard, Riverwalk, Stranahan House, Museum of Discovery and Science |
| Flagler Village | $$ | FAT Village, Brightline station, Las Olas Boulevard |
| Wilton Manors | $$ | Wilton Drive, Sebastian Street Beach |
| Lauderdale-by-the-Sea | $$ | Anglin's Fishing Pier, Commercial Boulevard, Pompano Beach |
| Galt Ocean Mile | $$$ | Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Galt Ocean Mile Reef |
| Hollywood Beach | $$ | Hollywood Beach Broadwalk, Dania Beach, Port Everglades |
Getting to your hotel
Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International (FLL) is about 5 km south of downtown, roughly 15 minutes by car to Las Olas or the beach, and close to Port Everglades. Miami International (MIA) is about 45 minutes away, and President Donald J. Trump International (DJT, formerly Palm Beach International) about an hour, both often worth checking for flights.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Fort Lauderdale for first-time visitors?
Fort Lauderdale Beach. The strip of A1A between Sunrise Boulevard and Las Olas is the city's main beach base, with high-rise resorts, smaller motels on the side streets and beach bars facing the sand.
+Where should families stay in Fort Lauderdale?
Fort Lauderdale Beach: Walk straight onto the beach.
+Which area of Fort Lauderdale is best for a budget stay?
Flagler Village ($$): Murals, breweries and new apartment towers just north of downtown.