Things to Do Nearby & Transportation

The nature center opened in 1996 as the largest park in the Broward County park system.  It is comprised of 1501 acres of coastal mangrove wetland, rich in plant and animal life.  There are nature trails, a board walk, observation tower, picnic area, boat dock, fishing and exhibit halls.  

Celebrating over 70 years, the Boca Raton Museum of Art encompasses a creative campus that includes the Museum in Mizner Park and Art School. As the “Official Art Museum of the City of Boca Raton,” the Museum has provided seven decades of cultural and artistic service to the community, and to many visitors from around the world.

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens preserves the unique historic estate of Frederic and Evelyn Bartlett.  Through enjoyable and enriching cultural experiences, the museum connects today’s community to the Bartletts’ architectural, artistic, and environmental legacy.

Ranked among the top ten most-visited theater venues in the world, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts is the destination of choice for entertainment in South Florida. Overlooking the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale, the Center brings Broadway musicals, operas, ballets, concerts, plays, and educational events to South Florida.

 

Free public tours are available on the first Sunday of every month and depart at 11:15 a.m. Please go to the main lobby of the Au-Rene Theater by 11:00 a.m. to sign up for the tour.  

 

Butterfly World encompasses 3 acres of butterfly aviaries, botanical gardens and a working butterfly farm and research center that took years to establish. Since it began, the park has expanded to include 2 additional aviaries for tropical birds and an interactive lorikeet encounter, as well as a skilled aviculture care and research staff to support these endeavors.

The 45-minute tour covering the history and manufacturing of candy at one of the most unique candy stores you've ever seen.  With a live tour guide and video presentations, you'll be introduced to the history of candy and learn how a favorite candy is made and packaged.  You'll view a room full of candy decorations and sample a variety of candies.  The tour ends in the store, where you'll have the opportunity to shop for candy and over 50 flavors of gourmet popcorn with a tour discount.  

This beach side park just south of Port Everglades is the last example of an undeveloped coastal ecosystem in Broward County.  The park is named for Civil Rights Movement leaders who led "wade-in" protests to desegregate South Florida beaches in the 1950s and 1960s.  Now the park is a popular location for swimming, fishing, boating, hiking, bicycling and picnicking, offering a haven where everyone can escape the hectic pace of the metropolis and reconnect with nature.

 

The Everglades is a unique and fascinating ecosystem. When you take an Everglades National Park tour at Shark Valley, you’ll travel in a relaxed setting, learning about the ecology and history of The Everglades from our friendly and knowledgeable Park-trained naturalists. They’ll turn your sightseeing visit into a highly educational tour of the Everglades, and at the halfway point on your adventure, you can walk to the highest accessible point in Everglades National Park, the viewing platform of the Shark Valley Observation Tower.  Reservations recommended.

Assembling and maintaining an outstanding botanical collection has been a fundamental part of the institution’s existence since 1938. Indeed, even before the Garden was created, Robert Montgomery and David Fairchild dedicated themselves to collecting, documenting and studying tropical and subtropical plants from around the world, especially palms and cycads, which are still the most significant Fairchild collections.

When it was completed in 1902, the New York Herald proclaimed that Whitehall, Henry Flagler's Gilded Age estate in Palm Beach, was "more wonderful than any palace in Europe, grander and more magnificent than any other private dwelling in the world." Today, Whitehall is a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public as the Flagler Museum, offering self-guided tours, changing exhibitions, and special programs.  

Flamingo Gardens is a 60 acre Botanical Garden and Everglades Wildlife Sanctuary. The Flamingo Gardens botanical gardens in Fort Lauderdale, (Davie) Florida, features over 3000 species of rare & exotic, tropical, subtropical, and native plants and trees. Flamingo Gardens wildlife sanctuary is home to the largest collection of Florida native wildlife including alligators, bobcats, eagles, otters, panthers, peacock, and of course, flamingos!

The NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale is an art museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Originating in 1958 as the Fort Lauderdale Art Center, the museum is located in a 75,000-square-foot (7,000 m2) modernist building designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes. The current building was constructed in 1986, with a 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) wing added in 2001. The main exhibition area comprises 21,000 square feet (2,000 m2); a sculpture terrace on the second floor adds an additional 2,800 square feet (260 m2) of space.[1] The museum, unlike major museums in nearby Miami, Florida and Palm Beach, Florida, emphasizes contemporary (20th century) projects.

There is a 1.5 mile elevated boardwalk that passes over different marshes, a cypress swamp and Tropical Hardwood, Wet Prairie & Cabbage Palm and Wetland hammocks.  A variety of bird species can be seen throughout the park.

Gulfstream Park is a racetrack and county-approved casino in Hallandale Beach, Florida. During its annual meet, which spans December through October, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in the USA.

Coastal Stewards, formerly Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is a learning center for all ages with two aquariums, a museum, butterfly garden and nature trails.

The Hollywood Broadwalk (yes, it is Broad, not Board) is a 2.2 mile long pedestrian promenade, combined with dramatic coastal views of Hollywood beach. There is a newly reconstructed path for walkers, a bicycle lane and a jogging path. Outdoor cafes from organic farmers market and juice bar, to gourmet meals and ice cream cones line the broadwalk.

Fort Lauderdale's "Central Park" was gifted to the city by Hugh Taylor Birch for whom the urban oasis is named.  You will find gopher tortoises and boat access from the intracoastal waterway here.  Visitors can access the beach via the pedestrian tunnel under A1A. Picnic areas overlook the channel; pavilions with water and electricity are available for rental.  The Terramar Visitor Center features displays regarding the area's natural and cultural history.  Restrictions are in effect at this time because of the Coronavirus.

This newly renovated park features: Boardwalk, canoe/kayak launch, pavilion, picnic areas, and walking paths.  It is at 600 NE 24th Street, Boca Raton, FL 33431.

Entrance is free with a $5 suggested donation for the family friendly "Super Summer Exhibition? and MakerSpace activation.  The exhibit shows the works of character artists, such as Carter Goodrich, the man behind "Finding Nemo", "Shrek and "Despicable Me".  The MakerSpace is where the family can make their own characters with animation software, 3D printers, laser cutters and a puppet making station.  

Florida's only drive-through safari and walk-through amusement park invites you to spend the day on safari with over 900 animals.  It is located on over 600 acres in Loxahatchee, in Palm Beach County, Florida.  Founded in 1967, it claims to be the first "cageless zoo" in the United States.  In 2009, USA Travel Guide named Lion Country Safari the 3rd best zoo in the nation.  Fully open now.

Lockbox's "Online Hybrid" experience includes a private online experience for your party where you can choose from three themes.  The experience lasts between 1 hour and 90 minutes.  The normal price is $49.99.  Check for promo codes.

The museum hosts several exhibitions of Japanese art and artifacts throughout the year.  Featuring different aspects of Japan’s rich and diverse culture, exhibitions showcase items from the museum’s outstanding collection, as well as pieces borrowed from private collectors and other institutions.

Please note daily capacity is limited and advance, timed-ticket reservations are required to help ensure a safe and enjoyable visiting experience for all. Check the website for details.

The Norton Museum of Art is an art museum located in West Palm Beach, Florida. Its collection includes over 7,000 works, with a concentration in European, American, and Chinese art as well as in contemporary art and photography. In 2003, it overtook the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, in Sarasota, and became the largest museum in Florida

The Carrie B runs three daily narrated sightseeing cruises of Fort Lauderdale, departing year-round from downtown Ft Lauderdale’s New River Docks.    We take you along the Intracoastal Waterway and into Port Everglades - home of the world’s busiest cruise ship port.  You will see the elaborate mansions and celebrity homes of Millionaires Row and you’ll get up close to the massive yachts docked outside these homes and at Bahia Mar Marina, Hyatt Pier 66 and the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Grande.  We’ll take you by the ever-changing gallery of the world’s largest cruise ships in the world.  The photo opportunities are endless!

 

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, also known as "The Guitar Hotel", is a casino resort near Hollywood, Florida, United States, located on 100 acres of the Hollywood Reservation of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The property currently has one hotel tower, a 140,000 sq ft casino, large poker room, a 4 acres lagoon-style pool facility with a center bar and many private cabanas, restaurants, shops, spa, bars and nightclubs, and the Hard Rock Event Center.  

Located at 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd in Fort Lauderdale, this museum and library with LGBTQ themes has exhibits, author presentations, films, panel discussions and events.  All of the programming is free. 

Stranahan House is the home of Fort Lauderdale pioneers Frank and Ivy Stranahan. Built in 1901 as a trading post and converted into a residence for the Stranahans in 1906, the house is the oldest surviving structure in Broward County.

This site explores Fort Lauderdale's 23-mile span of golden beaches and the hotels, restaurants, shopping destinations and attractions ready to welcome you.  You will find LauderDeals savings here too.  The site has live beach cams, descriptions of various neighborhoods and an insider's guide to the area.  

Experience Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, a breathtaking Gilded Age estate on Biscayne Bay surrounded by ten acres of formal gardens, a mangrove shoreline and rockland hammock. Be inspired by Vizcaya’s natural beauty, connect with Miami’s past and discover this unique cultural gem. A National Historic Landmark, Vizcaya offers an experience to delight your senses.

Wakodahatchee is a birders' paradise. There is a three-quarter mile long boardwalk that winds its way through pond, marsh and forested areas.

Fort Lauderdale is known as the “Venice of America” because of its many beautiful waterways. One of the best ways to Explore our city is from the water. The Water Taxi is more than just a boat ride. Our Captains and Crew are well versed on the city and the many attractions that can be viewed from the water. As such, they provide a narrated excursion that includes historical information as well as fun and interesting information about the many Mansions and Mega Yachts that line the waterways.  Tickets are available online.

"WMODA (Weiner Museum of Decorative Arts) is a non-profit museum founded in 2014 by Arthur Weiner and his family to inspire appreciation and understanding of ceramics and glass as art forms. This remarkable legacy enables us to celebrate an important aspect of our cultural heritage in an exciting and enjoyable environment."

This culinary tour is only doing small groups of friends and family currently.  However, like it did before the pandemic, the tour takes you to off-the-beaten path restaurants where you can meet chefs, taste dishes and learn about local foods.  The normal price is $69, but you get a $5 discount per person if you use the code "delicious".  

The Wick is a museum housing 1.2 million theatrical costumes, many Broadway originals.  The Wick also includes a 333 seat theater and Tavern at the Wick.  

The Wynwood Art District is a district of the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami, Florida. It is home to over 10 galleries, museums and collections. It is roughly bounded by North 36th Street (US 27) (north), North 20th Street (south), I-95 (west) and Northeast First Avenue (east). It is one of the largest open-air street art installations in the world

Yesteryear Village is one of Palm Beach County’s most unique cultural attractions: A living history park where interpreters share their stories about life prior to 1940.  

Circuit offers on-demand rides around Fort Lauderdale 7 days a week!

Catch a ride to/from Downtown, Las Olas, Beach Hotels, The Galleria, and more!