Nightlife

What’s there to see and do in the evenings and wee hours of the morning in Greater Fort Lauderdale?

Quite a bit. Scattered around the city—particularly in Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale—are bars, pubs, and lounges that range from chic to dive, from beer to wine, and from quiet to deafening. Those who like to dance can get their fix at posh dance clubs that play club and salsa.

If you prefer to kick back and listen to some live music, check out one of the city’s many live music venues; clusters of beachy and casual places line Fort Lauderdale Beach and Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. The primary area to go drinking in, however, is Himmarshee, located along 2nd Street in downtown Fort Lauderdale. We’ve listed a few of the best places here, but frankly, most bars spill out onto the sidewalks on weekends, and the streets turn into one large party pen. Do be careful though—police patrol this area voraciously, so don’t assume you can wander across the street in a drunken stupor and not be picked up for being drunk and disorderly. Many local restaurants also feature a lounge atmosphere and, in some cases, live music.

If this appeals to you, take a closer look at the areas along or around Las Olas. Most of the spots are true restaurants, but later at night the entire area feels more “loungey.”

Overview

There are far too many bars, clubs, and music venues to list here, so this chapter offers up some of the city’s most popular nightlife options. Before you head out, take note: Most of the bars and clubs in this chapter require guests to be 21 or older, with a valid ID. The legal drinking age in Florida is 21, and most clubs and bars don’t let in anyone who is younger. Often Greater Fort Lauderdale clubs and bars charge a cover of anywhere from a couple dollars up to $10 or even $20. This does not include drinks or food; it merely gets you in the door. Bars often have higher cover charges on weekends and for special events. Many bars offer happy hour specials, although the hours, days, and discounts vary. For live music venues, it’s always a good idea to purchase your tickets early. Many events—especially over holiday weekends—sell out. Tickets can be purchased at the location, on the venue’s website, or by phone, unless indicated otherwise. Bars, lounges, and pubs in Greater Fort Lauderdale typically close by 3 or 4 a.m. on the weekends and earlier during the week. Hours and days do change sometimes, though, so it’s a good idea to call ahead.

Nightlife - Performing Arts

If you can say it, sing it, perform it, act it, express it, show it, hum it, dance it, joke about it, mime it, play it, or otherwise perform it, you’ll find it—whatever “it” is—in Greater Fort Lauderdale. Particularly during the High Season, this area hums with an artistic vibe that’s matched by only a few other places in America. There’s a nonstop parade of world-famous actors, singers, dancers, musicians, and comedians. There’s a nonstop parade, as well, of actors, singers, dancers, musicians, and comedians who will one day be world-famous. And there’s a huge vein of local talent that’s mined here as well.

The places where all these performances take place are as varied as the performances themselves. One night you may be sitting front-row orchestra at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, one of America’s performing-arts showpieces. The next night you may be sitting at an outdoor fountain, watching a wonderfully creative mime. And the next night . . . who knows?

People who haven’t been here for awhile are always amazed at what they find in the new Greater Fort Lauderdale. This is a town, don’t forget, that, until 20 years ago, was known mostly for its rowdy Spring Breaks. These days, however, you’ll find so many performances you’ll want to attend that you simply won’t be able to attend them all. Theater here now ranges from Shakespeare to avant-garde. Musical performances range from country-and-western to opera, and everything in between. Dance performances—and local companies—run the gamut from classical ballet to modern interpretive. And singing performances range from Broadway to gospel.

Overview

The main proof of a growing arts area has always been in the number and vitality of its local organizations, and in the talents of their performers. And, if that’s the case, what was once a center for spring breakers is now a center of ground-breaking entertainment.

Broward County residents appreciate the performance arts. Many of them, if not most, moved here some years back from places up north where the arts were a regular part of their lives. And many of them have gotten involved, through their hard work and their hard-earned financial contributions, in creating the vibrant performing-arts atmosphere that now characterizes Greater Fort Lauderdale. And now you can enjoy the fruits of their labors, in venues from state-of-the-art facilities hosting internationally renowned luminaries to cozy little theaters hosting homegrown talent.