If you are looking for an unforgettable vacation filled with sun and fun, then Fort Lauderdale is a great place to go. In the Fort Lauderdale area, there are 24 miles of sandy beaches waiting to welcome you.
Visitors can spend their days surfing, jet skiing, swimming, diving, and snorkeling in the coral reef off the coast of Fort Lauderdale. A cruise on the Intercoastal Waterway is an excellent way to tour the Fort Lauderdale area.
If you are lucky enough to be in Fort Lauderdale from March 1 to October 31, you might have a chance to witness loggerhead sea turtles coming to shore to lay their eggs. Loggerhead turtles are the most common species in greater Fort Lauderdale, but smaller numbers of leatherback and green turtles come here to nest as well.
Here are our top picks for the best beaches in Fort Lauderdale:
1) Dania Beach
Dania Beach is one of the best beaches in Fort Lauderdale to enjoy a meal with a spectacular view over the water. The Dania Beach pier stretches 964 feet over the Atlantic Ocean.
Visitors pay $1.50 to access the pier, where you can walk to the end, enjoy the view and take a few Instagram pictures. There are benches where you can enjoy a picnic or have dinner at the popular Quarterdeck restaurant. The Quarterdeck is on Dania Beach, directly next to the pier.
Dania’s lovely sandy beach is great for relaxing, swimming, and enjoying Fort Lauderdale’s sunshine. There is a convenient parking lot close to the beach, but make sure you pay to park at the kiosk. The lot is frequently checked, and cars that have not paid will be ticketed with a heavy fine.
Fort Lauderdale Beaches By Party Boat
Take a private or public cruise through the Intercoastal Waterway to see some of the beaches in Fort Lauderdale!
The fantastic team at Lagerhead Cycleboats offers two great ways to see the Fort Lauderdale area from the water:
- Take a private tour on a plush pontoon boat for just you, your friends, and your family. Your entertaining captain knows just where to go in Fort Lauderdale. Stop at a popular sandbar to explore and take a quick swim. The pontoon party boat will stop for food and a few cocktails along the way. You are also welcome to bring your own beverages to keep the party going onboard.
- Lagerhead Cycleboats also offers a public or private cycleboat cruise for the most fun you’ll ever have on a bar crawl in Fort Lauderdale! The public cruise is an excellent way to explore the intercoastal, enjoy a few beverages and make some new friends. With a private cycleboat cruise, you can bring up to 15 of your friends and family for a party on the water!
Peddling on the cycleboat is optional; the boat has a gas-powered engine that can do the legwork for you. Bringing your choice of beverages with you is encouraged on both the pontoon boat and the cycleboat.
2) Deerfield Beach
Deerfield Beach is one of the six beaches in Fort Lauderdale to earn the Blue Wave award from the Clean Beach Council. The Blue Wave designation is granted to the best beaches near Fort Lauderdale based on these criteria:
- Outstanding water quality
- Excellent beach conditions
- Exceptional habitat conservation
- Safety and public information services
Deerfield Beach is one of the best beaches in Fort Lauderdale for an adventure. This is where you’ll find the Ski Rixen USA cable park. At Ski Rixen, guests can learn to kneeboard, waterski, slalom ski, and wakeboard from a cable extended over the water. Adults and children of any skill level can join in the fun.
If water sports are not your thing, Deerfield is still a great place to hang out on the white sand and swim in the crystal blue ocean. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, and cafes in the area, plus shopping in the quaint boutique shops.
3) Pompano Beach And Lauderdale-By-The-Sea
Pompano Beach is another of the greater Fort Lauderdale beaches to earn the Blue Waves certification for excellent beach conditions, water quality, habitat conservation, and public services. Jetting out over the ocean is one of the newest attractions at Pompano Beach, the Fisher Family Pier, named after Broward County Mayor Lamar Fisher. The pier is just under 900 feet long, with the shape of a Pompano fish at the end.
The pier is available for site seeing and fishing. There is a bait shop selling food, drinks, and bait. Fishing rod rentals are available as well. There is no charge to walk out on the pier, take pictures and enjoy the view. Look down into the water and see if you can spot any fish swimming by. If you will be dropping a line in the water to try your luck, there is a daily fishing rate of $6.00.
Some of the best snorkeling and from-shore diving in South Florida is only three miles south in Lauderdale by the Sea. Stepping into the ocean, you’ll be able to reach the coral reefs just 100 yards from shore. Take one of the local snorkel and dive charters so you can visit the shipwreck of the 1900 SS Copenhagen steamship. The ship rests on a reef ledge less than one nautical mile off the coast at Lauderdale by the Sea.
4) Las Olas Beach
For beaches in Fort Lauderdale with great entertainment, none can compare with Las Olas Beach. Las Olas is part of the LOOP, an entertainment district that includes Las Olas Oceanside Park, Las Olas Intracoastal Waterway Promenade Park, the Sunset Terrace at the Las Olas Garage, and DC Alexander Park. The LOOP offers an ongoing schedule of fitness activities, yoga, weekend farmers markets, and live music.
The beach is at the end of the popular Las Olas Boulevard. This small beach attracts a crowd on the weekends, so come early to stake your spot. Metered parking and public restrooms are available. There are beach chairs and water sports equipment rentals available.
Las Olas is only one mile south of Fort Lauderdale Beach. If the beach gets too crowded for your liking, head to Fort Lauderdale Beach, where there is more room to spread out.
5) Fort Lauderdale Beach Park
Fort Lauderdale Beach is four miles long, and another beach to earn a Blue Waves certification. The convenient location has easy access to plenty of hotels, resorts, restaurants, cafes, and bars. Fort Lauderdale is perfect if you want to walk from your hotel to the sand and spend the day in a beach chair.
Amenities that are available at Fort Lauderdale Beach include:
- Beach chair rentals
- Picnic tables
- Barbecue grills
- Outdoor showers
- Public restrooms
- Children’s playground
- Volleyball and basketball courts
Often travelers want to avoid the crowds and find a quiet beach, which is understandable. However, the busy beach in Fort Lauderdale offers many amenities that add to the fun. Especially if you are traveling with a family, the beach at Fort Lauderdale is an excellent choice.
6) North Ocean Park
North Ocean Park offers a wide stretch of soft sand and an impressive ocean view, yet somehow the crowds have not found this hidden gem. From the beach, there is a full view of the iconic Hillsboro Lighthouse to the north.
Kite surfing is a popular activity at North Ocean Park; whether you are a kite surfer or not, watching them is a lot of fun! Amenities here include public restrooms, showers, barbecue grills, and picnic shelters. Parking is available in the metered lot nearby. However, there are only 35 spaces so you might need to park further away and walk.
7) Hillsboro Beach
Hillsboro Beach sits on a peninsula between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. At the tip of the peninsula is the black and white Hillsboro lighthouse.
Hillsboro Beach is three miles long and 900 feet wide, with more of a rugged feel to it. Few people make the trek out here to spend a day, and the beach is primarily used by guests staying nearby.
If you are in Fort Lauderdale from March 1 to October 31 and hoping to spot a nesting sea turtle, you should trek out here. Hillsboro Beach is one of the most popular spots for nesting sea turtles in the Fort Lauderdale area.
8) Hollywood Beach
Hollywood Beach is a picture of what the beaches of Fort Lauderdale were like many years ago. The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk is 2.5 miles and attracts people who like to walk, skate, bike ride, or pedal a red and white buggy alongside the turquoise waters of the Atlantic.
There are plenty of hotels, resorts, boutique shops, and bars for an evening of fun. Restaurants offer fresh seafood and Latin-inspired cuisine. Kids can enjoy a splash pad and playground at Charnow Park. Free live music plays at the Hollywood Theater on the beach. The concerts play five nights a week, Wednesday through Sunday, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Beaches Of Greater Fort Lauderdale
9) Hallandale Beach
The biggest draw to Hallandale is the Gulfstream Park horse track and casino. Thoroughbred races are scheduled year-round and draw an international crowd. If horse race betting is not your game, then there is also a massive 19,500-square-foot casino with Las Vegas-style gambling. After a night of fun, you can spend a day on the beach, only 2.5 miles away.
10) South City Beach Park
South City Beach is a family favorite in Fort Lauderdale. Parking is easy in the lot that is mere steps from the beach. There is plenty of room to stretch out on the sand without the crowds. Amenities at South City Beach include public restrooms, a large children’s playground, sand volleyball courts, and two bocce ball courts. From December through April, there is live music playing every Sunday.
11) North City Beach Park
Home of the colorful Hallandale Beach Ball Water Tower. You’ve seen your friends post smiling pictures of their family with the water tower behind them, and now it’s your turn. North City Beach amenities include public restrooms, outdoor showers, and sand volleyball courts. Paid parking is available on Ocean Drive.
Fort Lauderdale Beaches Are Sure To Make Your Vacation One You Won’t Forget!
Whether you’re looking for a place to unwind or have an adventure on the water, there are many different beaches to choose from around Fort Lauderdale. You can enjoy swimming, snorkeling, surfing, or doing nothing, but being on the water is one of the most fun things you can do in this tropical paradise! Book our Fort Lauderdale Paty Boat, and let’s explore the best beaches near Fort Lauderdale to have fun and recharge!
