Things to do in Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale sits about 30 miles north of Miami, a separate city rather than a suburb, reachable by Brightline in roughly 30-35 minutes or by car in 45 minutes to over an hour depending on traffic. Its own airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (FLL), is often cheaper to fly into than Miami International.

The city's defining feature is its canal network, over 165 miles of waterways, with water taxis running set routes between downtown, Las Olas Boulevard and the beach as a genuine transport option, not just a scenic ride. Port Everglades, one of the busiest cruise terminals in the world, sits at the edge of downtown.

A one-way Miami to Fort Lauderdale car trip without traffic runs about 45 minutes; expect an hour or more at peak times.