Fort Lauderdale Tours & Things to Do
Discover the best Fort Lauderdale tours and things to do on Florida’s Gold Coast: cruise the "Venice of America" canals past Millionaire’s Row, glide the Everglades on an airboat, hop the water taxi, set sail on a sunset catamaran, and take day trips to Miami, the Keys and the Bahamas. Compare top-rated experiences and plan your perfect Florida getaway.
Explore Fort Lauderdale by interest
Whatever brings you to Fort Lauderdale — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Canal cruises
Venice of America.
ExploreEverglades airboat
Alligator wildlife.
ExploreWatersports
Parasail & jet ski.
ExploreFishing charters
Deep-sea action.
ExploreBahamas cruises
Island day trips.
ExploreMiami & Keys
South Florida.
ExploreBeach & city
Sun & fun.
ExploreSunset sails
Evening cruises.
ExploreTop attractions in Fort Lauderdale
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Venice of America
Scenic canals.
Fort Lauderdale Beach
Golden sands.
Everglades
Airboat wildlife.
Watersports
Parasail & jet ski.
Water Taxi
Hop-on boats.
Key West
Island day trip.
Bahamas
Island cruises.
Las Olas
Dining & shops.
Fort Lauderdale in 3 days
- 1Day 1: canals & beach
- 2Day 2: Everglades
- 3Day 3: Bahamas or Miami
- 4Sunset sail
Fort Lauderdale on the water
- 1Canal cruise
- 2Parasailing
- 3Reef snorkel
- 4Sunset sail
Fort Lauderdale with kids
- 1Water taxi
- 2Everglades airboat
- 3Beach time
- 4Flamingo Gardens
~45 min awayEverglades
Airboat wildlife.
~45 min awayMiami
South Beach & city.
Full day awayKey West
Island escape.
Day cruise awayBimini, Bahamas
Island getaway.
Local awayOffshore Reef
Snorkel & dive.
~30 min awayFlamingo Gardens
Wildlife & botanicals.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Fort Lauderdale visitor asks before booking.
Winter (Dec–Apr)
The best time, with warm, dry, sunny days — peak season for beaches and cruises.
Spring (Mar–May)
Warm and pleasant, with fewer crowds after the winter peak.
Summer (Jun–Sep)
Hot and humid with afternoon storms; great value and warm seas.
Hurricane season
August to October carries the highest storm risk; travel insurance is wise.
Best for fishing
Winter is prime for sailfish, while spring and summer bring mahi-mahi and tuna.
Peak season
December to April is busiest, with the best weather and liveliest atmosphere.
One day
A canal cruise and the beach.
Three days
Add the Everglades and a day trip.
Five days
Add the Keys, Miami and the Bahamas.
Water lovers
Cruises, watersports and fishing.
Nature lovers
The Everglades and Flamingo Gardens.
With kids
Water taxis, airboats and the beach.
Water taxi
The hop-on water taxi is a fun, scenic way to reach waterfront sights and restaurants.
Tours & transfers
Guided tours with pickup are easiest for the Everglades, Miami and the Keys.
Rental car
A car is handy for exploring the wider Gold Coast and day trips.
Beach & Las Olas
The beach promenade and Las Olas Boulevard are pleasant to explore on foot.
Getting there
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is close to the beach and downtown.
Brightline
The Brightline train links Fort Lauderdale with Miami and Orlando quickly and comfortably.
US dollars
Fort Lauderdale uses the US dollar; cards are accepted almost everywhere, with tipping customary.
Book ahead
Everglades airboats, sunset cruises and Bahamas trips fill up in winter — reserve in advance.
Sun protection
The Florida sun is strong — bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and water.
Passport for the Bahamas
For Bahamas day cruises, bring your passport for the international crossing.
Bring a dry bag
A waterproof bag protects valuables on boat, snorkel and watersports tours.
Water taxi pass
An all-day water taxi pass is a great-value, scenic way to get around.
Canal & sunset cruises
Popular sightseeing and sunset cruises sell out — book ahead.
Everglades airboats
Airboat tours fill up in winter — reserve early.
Bahamas cruises
Day cruises to the Bahamas sell out — book ahead.
Fishing charters
Shared and private charters fill up — reserve early.
Key West trips
Long-distance day trips need planning — book ahead.
Winter dates
December to April is busiest — reserve everything well ahead.
Canal cruise
Around $25–45 for a Venice of America sightseeing cruise.
Everglades airboat
About $55–80 for an Everglades airboat tour with transport.
Parasailing
Roughly $50–90 for a parasailing adventure.
Fishing charter
Around $60–120 for a shared deep-sea fishing trip.
Bahamas cruise
About $130–200 for a Bahamas day cruise.
How to save
Use a water taxi pass, join group tours and travel in summer.
Fort Lauderdale through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Beaches & cruises.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Book ahead.
- Best for
- Warm, quieter.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Great time.
- Best for
- Value & warm seas.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Humid, storms.
- Best for
- Quiet, cheap.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Hurricane risk.