When you think of an exotic beach trip, what comes to mind? The white sandy beaches of Mexico? The gorgeous deep blue waters of Hawaii? What deters you from taking those trips? For me, I love Mexico, but hate that I have to stay within a resort to feel safe. And Hawaii? The price alone makes me only dream of such a trip. What if you could visit a place that has amazing beaches, beautiful ocean views, and an incredibly unique city for a price you can actually afford? THEN YOU HAVE TO GO TO FORT LAUDERDALE! I first set my feet on its white sandy beaches back in 2009 and have been obsessed ever since. I actually took TWO trips there in 2019 alone and I’m going to breakdown all the things you must do/see and the things you should probably pass on too!
Where to stay: Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort
Okay, so out of all the times I have visited Fort Lauderdale, I have stayed almost every single time at the Hilton Beach Resort. Here’s why:
- The rooms are affordable and extremely spacious
- We were upgraded to a suite when we visited for our anniversary (how nice right!?)
- Our room included a HUGE balcony
- Their suites include a kitchenette (which was so helpful and an easy way to save money by making our own breakfast/lunch)
- ^^This is why I would always opt for a suite when vacationing!
- The staff is efficient, extremely helpful and *nice about it*
- I cannot tell you how many times I have stayed at a hotel and received poor attitudes from the staff. Hospitality is KEY for me. The staff can really make or break my stay!
- The Hilton’s guest services were always available and QUICK
- When I stayed at The W next door on a girl’s trip this past March, it took their staff at least 30 minutes to bring up necessities missing from our room (this happened multiple times during our stay too..womp womp).
- The POOL!
- Oh my gosh y’all! After staying at The W and also researching other resorts’ pools in the area (The Conrad looked significantly smaller and The Westin’s pool looked like it was due for an update), The Hitlon Beach Resort’s TOPS THEM ALL! There is SO MUCH SPACE and the pool directly overlooks the ocean. AND should you wish to check out the beach, there’s an elevator connected to the pool that will take you there IT’S SO EASY!
- The proximity to shops and restaurants
- I loved how close the hotel was to restaurants and shops! It was such an easy way to save on paying for Ubers! And the view on the walks were AHMAZING
What to do (Well, what the Bambico’s like to do by the beach)
Okay so when the Bambico’s go on a beach vacay, I’ll be honest- we LOVE to just relax by the pool/beach (ESPECIALLY when we’re toddler-free). When we spend our time away from the water, you can catch us devouring all the yummy goodness a city has to offer. With that said, incase you are into more activities, I highly suggest checking out TripAdvisor’s activity recommendations for Fort Lauderdale! BUT here are our FAVE things to do in Fort Lauderdale!
RELAX:
- This is why finding the perfect hotel is so important, most of the hotels by the ocean are resorts and they also include beach chairs/daily bike rentals. I highly recommend capitalizing on the bike rentals and taking them for a spin by the beach!
- GO FOR A PEDICURE! The spas at the hotels are honestly always overpriced, so I recommend checking out Groupon to find the lowest prices.
Go Deep Sea Fishing!
- Deep sea fishing is so much fun and allows you to see the city from a completely different view! We had so much fun catching fish NON-STOP and even got to witness a small boy reel in a HUGE 30 pound fish! We went with Happy Day Today Sportfishing and it was an awesome experience! You WILL NOT be disappointed!
Check out Las Olas Blvd.
Ahhhh Las Olas Boulevard, where you can stroll FOR HOURS in and out of eclectic shops, restaurants, and bars! On the weekends you can usually catch tons of places with live music too! I totally forgot to include pics/videos (blogger foul) from our experiences on Las Olas, but Here’s a link to where you can check out ALL the things! (I highly recommend finding a good spot for happy hour like Louis Bossi’s!)
Visit Fort Lauderdale’s “Urban Oasis” in Wilton Manors
Talk about an “Instagrammer’s Paradise” y’all! From the sprawling greenery dotted with antique furniture to the amazing wall art, “The Yard” at Wilton Manors oozes cool vibes. AND THE FOOD Y’ALL OMG! This location has several spots to grab a bite to eat, but since we visited during brunch time, we HAD to hit up The Alchemist. Self-described as a “Rustic-chic coffee shop for artisanal coffees, breakfast grub & lunch sandwiches, plus garden seats.” You MUST check it out!
EAT AND DRINK ALL THE THINGS!
I know I know, vague right? But there are SO MANY SPOTS to eat and indulge that I actually created a WHOLE SEPARATE post for how to eat and drink like a local. BUT I’ll give you a little “preview” below. Also, we missed out on this, but I’ve heard that Fort Lauderdale has quite the selection of craft breweries! If that floats your boat, check this post out by Greater Fort Lauderdale
LAST BUT NOT LEAST: What NOT to do. (Very subjective, but just our opinion!)
Things you will most certainly not lose sleep over
- Jet Ski rentals. OMG are they expensive here! In Mexico we paid $30 per person for an hour and most places here wanted $80+ for THIRTY MINUTES… lol #hardpass
- The trip to Miami. I KNOW I will hear a loud “boooooooo” from many, but as someone who has done the day trip to Miami, trust me- it’s not worth it. The beaches are nicer in Fort Lauderdale, and Miami is so expensive. Also, you really do get the same experience in Fort Lauderdale for a cheaper price.
- AVOID CHAIN RESTAURANTS. Just do it. You’re in a unique place, stretch your horizons and avoid chain restaurants. They end up serving sub-par experiences with a high price tag.
In closing,
If you made it this far, THANK YOU! I appreciate the love! I really hope that this blog post provided some insight in helping you decide on where to go for your next beach vacation! If you end up using any of the recommendations from this post, please tag #recsbyPharryn so I can check them out!
Much love!
Pharryn 🙂