Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Fort Lauderdale?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Fort Lauderdale?
Most visitors spend three to seven days in Fort Lauderdale when visiting. The high energy coastal city offers so many things to see and explore, so you'll want to take full advantage of the limited time you have. Highlights include the beaches, the food, the nightlife, and the beautiful scenery.
Fort Lauderdale, on the southeastern side of Florida, has beautiful beaches and charming boat canals. This is one of the most walkable beach communities in Florida and there's a promenade that runs along the coastline. The city also has many ritzy hotels and it attracts its share of luxury vacationers. Couples, families, and anyone looking for a relaxing holiday will appreciate this beach area.
Do you have one or two days to visit Fort Lauderdale? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Fort Lauderdale?
One day is generally not enough time to experience the beach and other activities of Fort Lauderdale. A shorter schedule may leave you with a sense of urgency to enjoy the most popular activities such as the beaches, the food, the nightlife, and the beautiful scenery. To genuinely appreciate the high energy coastal city, a longer visit is recommended so that you can have more time to relax at the beach. Many tourists opt for at least 3 or as many as 7 days here, after all. After all, As a popular and famous coastal city, Fort Lauderdale offers a large number of activities and attractions for visitors. However, if you're working with limited time, we have some great ideas for making the most of your stay below.
How to spend a day in Fort Lauderdale
When visiting Fort Lauderdale, you can't miss the Local Beaches as it's one of the most famous places in the world. Make sure you give yourself enough time to enjoy it.
You'll absolutely want to spend some time enjoying the food scene in this coastal city, so make sure you spend time at one of the local restaurants where you can taste the delicious cuisine for a meal or two. Seafood is the obvious option with popular dishes being fish tacos, sea bass, and scallop risotto. There are many waterfront restaurants or you could head to Las Olas Boulevard, which has many bistros, cafes, and restaurants.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Immersive Sushi Cooking Class in Fort Lauderdale ($75)
- Atlantic Village Walking Food Tour ($109)
- Hollywood Beach Walking Food Tour ($139)
Fort Lauderdale is a very walkable city. With only a day in the coastal city, you'll have no trouble exploring the local sights. It is one of the most walkable Florida communities with a boardwalk and several pedestrian areas that are fun to wander around.
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Fort Lauderdale?
Fort Lauderdale offers plenty of activities and attractions and remains a top choice for tourists. Given only a weekend, you will likely be rushed to lounge on the beach, taste delicious cuisine, enjoy the evening activities, and admire the wonderful scenery. To truly savor all that the coastal city offers along with the beach, a more generous amount of time is usually needed. Many travelers opt for three to seven days to relax and explore here. However, if your schedule is tight, we have a handful of recommendations for making the most of your visit.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
How to spend 2 days in Fort Lauderdale
If you have more than a weekend (two to three days) in Fort Lauderdale, you'll appreciate the added time for everything the coastal city has to offer.
The beautiful beaches await you in Fort Lauderdale, so spend the day (or several, if you can) relaxing on the sand or swimming in the water. With seven miles of beautiful sandy beaches, a fun boardwalk, and impressive views, the beaches here are among the best in the area. They are surprisingly walkable and, while there can be crowds, there's still a laid-back and relaxing atmosphere.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Air Boat Tour of Palm Beach in The Swamp Monster ($150)
- Seven Isles of Fort Lauderdale Kayak Tour ($79)
- Airboat Rides Florida Everglades Captain Wayne ($99)
This coastal city is very popular for nightlife. After the sun goes down, head out to one of the many popular venues around town. Trendy and upscale partying is the name of the game in this Florida city. Most people head to the beach, Las Olas Blvd, River Front and The New Hard Rock Seminole Hotel Complex for the best bars and clubs. You'll find the most activity around the weekends, but there really is something going on any night of the week.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Ft Lauderdale Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl ($36)
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Fort Lauderdale, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
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