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Old 06-08-2016, 11:14 AM
 
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Hi everyone! As the title says, I will be coming down to Fort Lauderdale with a group of friends next month. I've vacationed here many times before, but I spent the majority of my time at the beach and in the A1A/Las Olas area. On this trip, I would like to see some more parts of the city and really get the full experience. Can anyone recommend some "must see" places for us to visit? We will be staying at the Villas on Las Olas for a week at the end of July. I will be driving down with a group of 5 people, ages 25-35. We're looking for some great bars, restaurants, seafood and things to do in the area. If there's time we may drive down to South Beach too. Budget isn't too tight so any suggestions are welcome
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Old 06-08-2016, 11:23 AM
 
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There isn't much to see in Fort Lauderdale away from the A1A/Las Olas area. The surrounding cities of Broward County are mostly boring, subdued suburbs of endless residential communities and strip malls that span 20 miles west, south, and north. There are also lots of areas with high crime as you go 1-2 miles west of the ocean. Some of the other coastal cities, such as Hollywood, are mildly interesting to explore. There is the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in western Hollywood that is good for nightlife. If you like shopping, Sawgrass Mills and Aventura Mall are the 6th and 5th largest malls in America, respectively.

There is far more to see and do in Miami. Take a day trip to South Beach and perhaps spend one night there in a hotel. Go early to beat the traffic and stay late. Inland, exploring Brickell, Coral Gables, and Coconut Grove are interesting. You could do an Everglades airboat ride which will require about 1/2 a day to drive out there and do a tour. The FL Keys are very interesting.

Too bad you already booked your trip because I would have advised staying in South Beach 1-2 nights and Key West 1-2 nights instead of just Fort Lauderdale the entire time. Las Olas is a good area to stay though.
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Old 06-08-2016, 03:41 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by windycity91 View Post
Hi everyone! As the title says, I will be coming down to Fort Lauderdale with a group of friends next month. I've vacationed here many times before, but I spent the majority of my time at the beach and in the A1A/Las Olas area. On this trip, I would like to see some more parts of the city and really get the full experience. Can anyone recommend some "must see" places for us to visit? We will be staying at the Villas on Las Olas for a week at the end of July. I will be driving down with a group of 5 people, ages 25-35. We're looking for some great bars, restaurants, seafood and things to do in the area. If there's time we may drive down to South Beach too. Budget isn't too tight so any suggestions are welcome
If you want a little taste of the Southside of Chicago then stop along Sistrunk Avenue!

Want insanity meets tacky?.......hit the Swap Shop!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uolTBNGxDGo
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Old 06-08-2016, 04:31 PM
 
Location: Davie, FL
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Fort Lauderdale is great, you'll have a nice time. As City Guy pointed out, there isn't much else to see in Fort Lauderdale as far as touristy/must see kind of things. There is a TON here, but not anything you would go out of your way here as a tourist to do or see.

The only things I can really think of would be the Hollywood Broadwalk - have lunch at Land Shark Grill overlooking the water (I'd skip downtown Hollywood) and the Seminole Hard Rock, if you haven't been there, definitely hit that up. They tons of restaurants, clubs, gambling, etc. It's a destination in and of itself. Quarterdeck restaurant on the Dania Beach Pier is a very cool seafood bar/grill, too. Another idea would be renting a boat for the day down in the Haulover area (North Miami), bring drinks, food, and hit up the Haulover sand bar and also many of the spoil islands. You can pull your boat right up and have a beach party on a little private island in the bay. I do this all the time

That said, you mentioned wanting to get a more full experience, and all 3 examples you gave were food I know that feeling, that's like my trips to major cities, too. We aren't a destination place for food like say, Chicago, but definitely some interesting spots.

I'll throw one out there, the original Cafe Martorano on Oakland Park and A1A I'm sure some others maybe can chime in with some cool local/interesting type places.

Otherwise, make a day out of visiting South Beach.
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Old 06-09-2016, 07:42 AM
 
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Two I would suggest...

Jaxsons Icecream

and

Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale

I haven't visited myself, but there is the new Margaritaville complex on the Hollywood Broadwalk if you make your way over there.

If you want to see some of the Everglades and do an airboat tour, the closest place is probably Holiday Park, which is in west Broward (not the one by downtown Ft. Lauderdale). There are better places for this type of thing, but they are a much farther drive. Holiday Park is also the home of the alligator rescue program from the television show "Gator Boys", if that is of any interest to you.
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Old 06-09-2016, 08:25 AM
 
Location: Florida & Cebu, Philippines
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Some restaurants the wife and I like,
Shin Ju Japanese Buffet in Boca Raton, Coral Springs, Davie, Pembroke Pines and Miami Florida the one in Pembroke Pines is the best, followed by the one in Davie
https://www.outback.com/locations-group/directory there is one off 17th street causeway
LongHorn Steakhouse - Steak Restaurant
Ruth's Chris Steak House
| J. Alexander's Holdings
El Tamarindo
http://www.labamba123.com/
Lesters diner
The Chimney House Restaurant
Fort Lauderdale Steakhouse Restaurant | Morton's The Steakhouse Fort Lauderdale
Las Olas Restaurant & Bar | American Social Ft Lauderdale
a lot of them on and around Las Olas Best Las olas restaurants in Fort Lauderdale, FL
The Cheesecake Factory Locations
It would be very hard to go hungry in that area.

Things to do Las Olas https://lasolasboulevard.com/
https://www.gogobot.com/fort-lauderd...y-things-to-do
Things to do in Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale: Neighborhood Travel Guide by 10Best
Jungle Queen | Dinner and sightseeing cruises along Fort Lauderdale's New River is neat to see some of the waterways and the free water taxi off Las Olas that you can pick up near Cheesecake factory Las Olas

If you like nature then look up airboat rides, it is always neat to see the everglades but it is a long ride from Las Olas Everglade Tours, Airboat Rides - Sawgrass Recreation Park
Enjoy!

I forgot about breakfast, so Lesters and http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/phloc_fl.html are two

Last edited by Mr. Lee; 06-09-2016 at 08:36 AM.. Reason: add
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Old 06-09-2016, 08:54 AM
 
Location: Davie, FL
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Lol. Did you really just recommend Outback, Longhorn, and Cheesecake Factory as destination restaurants to check out in Fort Lauderdale? Oh lord.
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Old 06-09-2016, 10:17 AM
 
Location: Florida & Cebu, Philippines
2,805 posts, read 3,253,631 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BNBR View Post
Lol. Did you really just recommend Outback, Longhorn, and Cheesecake Factory as destination restaurants to check out in Fort Lauderdale? Oh lord.
Yes, the wife and I eat there all the time, different strokes for different folks with different degrees of pockets.
The Longhorn Outlaw ribeye is one of my favorite steaks in the price range. Outback is off 17th and while I am not always happy with some of their steaks, the prime rib has always been good for us and the wife likes the Filet Mignon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AK3QeoXuKY

Then there is Runions http://runyonsofcoralsprings.com/85045.html but a long ride.
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Old 06-09-2016, 10:29 AM
 
Location: Davie, FL
2,747 posts, read 2,632,919 times
Reputation: 2461
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Lee View Post
Yes, the wife and I eat there all the time, different strokes for different folks with different degrees of pockets.
The Longhorn Outlaw ribeye is one of my favorite steaks in the price range. Outback is off 17th and while I am not always happy with some of their steaks, the prime rib has always been good for us and the wife likes the Filet Mignon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AK3QeoXuKY

Then there is Runions http://runyonsofcoralsprings.com/85045.html but a long ride.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying these places, but when someone is visiting from out of town and wants to get a feel for the area, you really think Outback Steakhouse, a major national chain, is a good recommendation? It would be like visiting Rome and suggesting McDonalds or Pizza Hut.
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Old 06-09-2016, 01:27 PM
 
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Stop in at Southport Raw Bar 2 blks off the 17th street causeway (1536 Cordova Road).

Southport Raw Bar- Waterfront Restaurant Fort Lauderdale | Florida
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