Things To Do | South Florida Attractions
Jungle Queen Cruises and Dinner Shows
The Jungle Queen Riverboat
The Jungle Queen Riverboat | 801 Seabreeze Blvd, Fort Lauderdale | 954 462-5596
The company owns two boats and offers several tours. The daytime sightseeing cruises go up the New River, sailing past Millionaire’s Row, downtown Fort Lauderdale, Port Everglades, and the Intracoastal Waterway, and more. Some cruises include a stopover at the Jungle Queen Tropical Isle where passengers see an alligator show and other native wildlife. The evening dinner cruise heads up the New River as well but also includes an island stopover for an all-you-can-eat dinner of barbecue ribs, chicken, and shrimp, and a quality variety show under the tropical foliage.
Things to Know Before You Go: Reservations are required, so make sure to book in advance. Choose between an evening dinner cruise (four hours) and shorter sightseeing cruises (90 minutes or three hours). For the dinner cruise, vegetarian meals are available upon request but must be arranged at least 24 hours in advance. The boat and Tropical Isle are wheelchair accessible. How to Get There All cruises depart from Bahia Mar Yachting Center, in the heart of Fort Lauderdale. Paid parking is available in the Bahia Mar Hotel lot or a public lot across from the Jungle Queen. Box Office 954 462-5596 |Website: https://www.junglequeen.com/
Hard Rock & Seminole Gaming Casinos
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
Seminole Classic Casino Hollywood
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
CRUISE FROM FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA Royal Caribbean
FLORI-DAZED & CITY-INFUSED
Beachscapes meet city scenes in South Florida, along with some of Royal Caribbean’s biggest and boldest ships. Set sail on your next Caribbean adventure, or dive into the Bahamas and Perfect Day at Cococay.
A cruise out of Fort Lauderdale is one of the most popular ways to experience the best of the Caribbean, but this coastal South Florida city is a worthy destination in and of itself. Port Everglades is the main cruise port near Fort Lauderdale, but just a few miles away you’ll find beautiful white-sand beaches, a lively food and shopping scene, and cerulean blue waterways dotted with impressive yachts and sailboats. Want to discover the best of Fort Lauderdale like a local? Go for an early-morning stroll along the Fort Lauderdale Beach promenade and watch the sunrise over the water. Then grab breakfast beachside at one of the many open-air cafes that line the waterfront. If you’re looking for a wilder way to spend the day, set out on an eco-kayak tour through mangrove forests, calm bays, and emerald-green inlets — Fort Lauderdale is home to more than 300 miles of waterways, which has earned it the nickname, “Venice of America.”
Mai-Kai Restaurant and Polynesian Shows | Reoping Soon
3599 N. Federal Highway (U.S.1), Fort Lauderdale
Reopening Soon
Simply Golf
(at the Publix Sea Ranch Lakes Centre Mall) 4755 North Ocean Drive (A1A) Lauderdale-By-The-Sea| Phone: 954-980-1907 |Prices: $20.00 half-hour, $40.00 1 hour. Hours: 10:00A.M – 8:00 P.M. Mon. thru Saturday | Sunday 12-noon – 6:00 P.M.
Everglades Holiday Park Airboat Tours and Rides
21940 Griffin Rd, Fort Lauderdale 954 434-8111
Everglades Holiday Park is a wildlife preserve and a wildlife park situated on 29 acres of wetlands in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The park is located on the western end of Griffin Road, off U.S. 27, and is always open to the public. Nicknamed the “Gateway to the Everglades”, the park offers narrated airboat rides, live alligator shows, fishing, wildlife viewing, and a campground that is currently under renovation. EHP is also known for hosting several educational and conservation programs and having the only Broward County access to the Everglades. Bass fishing tournaments are hosted on the grounds regularly, with most winners weighing in at over 25 pounds, and duck hunters access the marshes during duck season. Since its founding in 1983, Everglades Holiday Park has provided an educational and entertainment service to visitors of the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States
BIG CYPRESS SEMINOLE RESERVATION, Fla. (April 21, 2020) – While it has been over a month since the Seminole Tribe of Florida closed Billie Swamp Safari out of an abundance of caution due to the COVID-19 virus, a handful of staff members have remained busy caring for all of the animals that call the safari park home.
“Unfortunately, we have not been able to share animal encounters with our guests, but our animals still need our utmost attention,” said Melissa Sherman, Operations Manager. “We have hundreds of animals in our 2,200-acre safari wildlife preserve that need to be fed and looked after on a daily basis.”
Each day, five staff members from the park’s animal care department attend to more than 250 animals on exhibit in enclosures and over 100 more in the safari preserve.
“We have a diverse group of animals in enclosures ranging from birds to mammals to snakes,” said Sherman.
There are over 120 birds on display, including two newly hatched macaws, and lorikeets. Among the many mammals include a Florida panther, timber wolf, Florida black bear, grizzly bear, opossum, and capybara. The 50-plus cold-blooded animals featured include crocodiles, American alligators, and snapping turtles.
“During normal business days when the park is open, guests can typically have a lorikeet feeding encounter,” said Sherman. “To that end, we must continue to condition the lorikeets with interaction from our handlers to prevent stress.”
The wildlife preserve features such animals as zebras, water buffalo, bison, red deer, feral hogs, ostrich, panthers and bears.
“Each one of our animal family deserves the best possible care that we can provide – we love all of them,” said Sherman. “We can’t wait for the day when our guests can return to enjoy these beautiful creatures.”
Water Taxi
954 467-6677 | Website: watertaxi.com
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. The Captains and Crew are well-versed on the city and the many attractions that can be viewed from the water.
About the Water Taxi | Information of Greater Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi CLICK IT
Flamingo Gardens BOTANICAL GARDENS & EVERGLADES WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
3750 South Flamingo Road, Davie | Open 7 days a week, 9:30 am – 5:00 pm. The last entry is at 4 pm. | Phone: 954 473-2955
Flamingo Gardens is a 60-acre (24 ha), not-for-profit wildlife sanctuary, aviary, zoo, and botanical garden located just west of Fort Lauderdale. The Gardens were originally the property of Floyd L. and Jane Wray, who in January 1927 built a home and citrus grove on what was then the edge of the Everglades, where they started a botanical collection of tropical and subtropical fruit trees and shrubs. After decades of delighting the public with their home and gardens, Mr. Wray died in 1969. Mrs. Wray established the Floyd L. Wray Memorial Foundation to honor her late husband and to preserve the property and its gardens for future generations. The Wray Home is now a museum illustrating a country home in the early 1930s. Guided tours are provided daily. Website: flamingogardens.org
Butterfly World
3600 W. Sample Road, Coconut Creek, FL | Phone: 954 977-4434
butterflyworld.com
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday; 11am-5pm Sunday
Admission closes at 4pm daily
About Greater Fort Lauderdale
Greater Fort Lauderdale boasts an average year-round temperature of 77˚F and has 3,000+ hours of annual sunshine and is known as the Venice of America and Yachting Capital of the World. Explore 4,000+ eateries, 300+ miles of navigable waterways, eight distinct beaches, a thriving arts and culture scene, craft breweries, rooftop bars, diving, fishing and other outdoor adventures, world-class shopping and boats, yachts and superyachts moored at the area’s many marinas – all conveniently located in the center of South Florida. Made of up 31 municipalities, the destination boasts more than 35,000 lodging accommodations at a variety of hotels, luxury spa resorts and boutique properties reflecting a cosmopolitan vibe. Upon arrival at FLL Airport (Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport), it is just five minutes to the beach, Port Everglades, the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center and downtown. Find trip planning inspiration at visitlauderdale.com and follow @VisitLauderdale.