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Ft. Lauderdale Beach
Category: Active Life Beaches Beaches [Edit]
240 S Fort Lauderdale Beach BlvdFort Lauderdale, FL 33346
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
43 reviews for Ft. Lauderdale Beach
43 reviews in English
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Review from danny n.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
11/20/2011 1 photo
This is a great beach, You have your occasional wierdos but this is South Florida. Home of the Brave... Well, you get what I mean.. This is the party capitol where partying comes natural. An occasional BUM is normal...
Now to the beach... Out of all my experiences at a beach, I do find this one to have the right balance of people, and space for yourself when you just want to bake and be unbothered. But, that is if you go on a weekday during work hours. Because ANY HOLIDAYS or national Off-work days expect this place to be pack-ED! So I have been seeing alot of reviews with the term "people gazing" and I just want to point out its fun when your the one looking right?????? lol OK, moving on..
Great beach to run at, Strong sun, I particularly come here to work out and go for a light jog. The basketball courts are right next to the Pull-up and Sit up area, Balance beams and all.. The volleyball court is further south than the basketball courts. On the sand about half a mile if that.
Dont fret, for all you who want to party they have Bars here too. Throughout the A1A stretch, there are a few Bars that have live music, greek, spanish and rock for instance the Elbow Room which at night is a bit of a club.
The bodega type shops that charge a leg for gatorades and suntan oils are by the dozens.. Plenty of pizza shops but I would suggest going to Primanti bros on Sunrise for the real deal.. Plenty of Tattoo shop, henna or real. Bubba gump is a hella place to eat at when your in the mood for... ummmm... delishish..I mean coconut shrimp. They have there handful of bars and restaurants and fancy eateries like trina or steak 954. The Swimming Hall of Fame where swimming takes place is right in this area near the 7eleven.
Construction was/is being/been done to this place and in some areas its complete, which has made this walls look all the more better. Nice sand and the water does not normally come up to your toes. Theres so to speak a fine line between where you should and shouldnt sit; the seaweed marks it! And last pay attention to the colors, if its dangerous creature season it means that there are little jellyfish that sting, also tentacles tend to fall off the jellyfish so you can still be stung by floating tentacles.. IJS! But it is like that for here or S.B
This beach is a little more chill than South beach. Not so many models walking around if your planning a trip with the kiddos or just want peace.
Parking is definitely easier than in South Beach. Plenty of parking lots just be sure to pay your ticket and leave it face up on the dash...
Occasionally Marathons takes place here.. Just a real lovely place..
PS. This is a P.S.A for all of you uninformed, if it is or isnt your thing, the gay community thrives near Sunrise
That Just about does it, Now go to the beach! :) -
Review from Quinlan F.
Los Angeles, CA
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Feel the breeze beaches!!!
Ft. Lauderdale Beach is nice and relaxing. I would say its good for almost anything. I was here when the ocean was nice and cold, and the breeze was light and sweet.
Not too crowded here. I like having space and being able to feel the breeze. -
Review from Ethan T.
Miami-Dade, FL
1/23/2012
This is a phenomenal beach with beautiful sand and beautiful shallow water.
I come here often when I escape Miami, and have found the actual beach to be quieter and more relaxing than a day down on south beach, but with the same level of fun.
I always am able to find parking at a meter within a couple blocks of the water, and on my way to the beach there are always shops to stop into and plenty of decent bars and restaurants to have lunch at, or pick up a frozen drink to take over to the beach.
The area of sand is fairly narrow, but there is still plenty of room to lay out, play catch with a football, or as my friends and I have started doing recently, hit a volleyball around. The beach sand area is really clean as well. I am hard pressed to think of a time when I saw litter floating around while I was there.
Another nice thing about the beach here is A1A running for a few miles right up the coast with unabated views of the water, nice for a car or motorcycle ride, but even better when the half marathon takes this course and there is an incredible view to distract from the run.
I think I am going to head up here this weekend, as I sit here writing this I want to go lie on the edge of the water. -
Review from Matt V.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Perfect sand. Perfect sun and no Miami types to make me feel fat. :)
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Review from Marqus R.
It's a terrific beach, one that has withstood the tests of time as well as a host of changes from the days of "Where The Boys Are" until now. The best part is that it really isn't "a" beach. Though it is one beach there are distinctly different areas to it. There are areas where the frolicking young congregate, areas purely of tourists, areas mostly occupied by seniors, areas populated by tanning gays, one for the beach volley ball set, and the list goes on and on. So as birds of a feather are known to flock together, my bet would be that there is an area of your feather too.
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Review from Erica C.
10/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here two days in a row. The beach is clean and lovely. The soft sand, the ebb and flow of the tides, and the blue sky create a calming experience.
That was.... until the seagulls came. They are fearless of humans and will hover 1 foot above your head if you carry anything that remotely looks like food. Hide your food when they fly around. To make matters more hilarious, one of the girls I was traveling with had a fear of seagulls which was over the top. She'd scream and push the other girl into the sand as if any of this would make the seagulls go away. That was my entertainment for the afternoon.
After that fiasco, I went back to enjoying the beach. -
Review from Rat a tat R.
San Francisco, CA
10/6/2011
Not very busy (ok, it was the off season, but so what), super warm water, and no one notices if you take your clothes off at night, leave them at your water's edge, and go wherever the flow of the night takes you.
easy 5 stars! -
Review from Jessica T.
Ellicott City, MD
10/15/2011
Home sweet home. I grew up in Fort Lauderdale and have spent many incredible days and nights on this beach from the time I was a little girl until I was in my 20's. It truly is beautiful - silky sand, clear green water and gorgeous skies. I miss the long walks on the beach and the quiet nights just sitting in the sand and staring at the water enjoying the warm beautiful sea breeze. My happy place. :o)
I still miss it every day! -
Review from Lisa A.
12/5/2011 12 Check-ins Here
Whether it's drinks at the W or wings at Hooters, this beach has it all. Laid back hotels, no-tell motels, an irish bar to get sloshed at and sand to get your tan on. Love this beach and all of the strange people it attracts. If you're really lucky you'll see Cookie Monster walking down the boardwalk! No...really.
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Review from Jesse B.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
7/25/2011
It is now my home (not the beach, the area!), so I may be partial, but this is my favorite beach! In fact, I moved to the area for this beach.
The water is a clearish green and you can see your feet as you move out from shore. The beach is kept clean and two miles of it has lifeguards 7 days a week year round.
The main drag has a great mix of hotels, restaurants, clubs and shops. You can get everything you need for the beach at stores along the A1A.
Fort Lauderdale Beach is the perfect vacation destination and an even better place to live. -
Review from Brittany A.
Queens Village, Queens, NY
8/25/2011
There is nothing I love more than a beach!!!
I've been coming to Fort Lauderdale for years and FINALLY was able to get my uncle to take me to the beach! A dream. It was beautiful.
The water was so warm and calm. The sand had minimal crap on it so that was a plus.
I met the cutest little kids who found a jellyfish and brought it over so I could touch it. I actually found my own jellyfish after...A lot of jellyfish. I didn't spot any alive but plenty washed up on the sand.
There are plenty of pieces of seashells on the sand but nothing huge enough to hurt your foot when you step on them.
Plenty of beach stores and restaurants to go to. A fun place for sure. -
Review from Jules S.
6/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I like this beach better than South Beach. You get fewer weirdos here. You get fewer super hot people though too. It feels less touristy...less dangerous. Great beach to go to just to relax, sunbathe, and enjoy.
A big plus is that they'll be done with the huge wave wall by next Spring Break. -
Review from WhereMonkey T.
Long Beach, CA
Nice place to run when not so crowded. Monkey enjoy the weather, scenic white sand beaches opposite towering hotels. Plenty of food choices along A1A. Bring your sunscreen and know when to quit. Hence the leather-skinned seniors.
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Review from Franz K.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
6/6/2011
Had a great time at this beach on Sunday Morning. I was closer to Commercial BLVD, by the pier, but a good time none the less.
The beach wasn't that crowded, so the extra space allowed for some catch and frisbee action. The weather was absolutely perfect. The waves were crashing and the water was the perfect temperature. The water was a bit seaweedy filled and not clear as I would have liked, but was doable none the less.
Restaurants and bars all over to catch a quick bite to eat or a tropical drink. Parking was like $3.00 for 2.5 hours . . . which is all I needed, most of the private parking ran about $10 . . . ugh . . . glad I found a meter lol.
You definitely don't see the hot bodies and crowds that you would see on South Beach here . . . but I didn't want that, I wanted a relaxing day with the fam . . . . and I got that. I won't have any problems coming back as it is the closest beach to my house. -
Review from Crystal M.
Gainesville, FL
4/5/2011
I have lived in Broward County for my first 18 years of live, until I wised up and got out of it.
This beach used to be good. I'm sure it was hoppin' when the parents settled here in the late 70s/early 80s. But since then it's gone down the drain.
Reasons why I hate Ft. Lauderdale beach:
1. The sand. It doesn't exist. It's crushed shells/cigarette butts/soda can tabs. I have been to beaches that don't hurt when you lie down on their sand. That aren't permanently moistened with the sweat of French Canadians and leathered cougars. THAT is how a beach is supposed to be. Not made of crushed shells.
2. The people. When I think South Florida beach, I think hot bodies, tanned beauties, hunky college guys. What I get is overweight men in speedos with more backhair than I have hair on my head, leathery women chain-smoking and flicking their butts into the ocean, naked kids peeing in the ocean water, and homeless men checking out the underaged high school girls.
3. The activities. I used to play on the playgrounds here. Now, I wouldn't touch the slides with a ten-foot pole. I have actually been to the beach at sunrise and had to see a woman giving a man a blowjob about 40 feet to the right of my family in the sand! WHO DOES THAT???
4. It's crowded. Apparently, no one in Broward County has anything to do on a warm day than go to Sawgrass or go to Ft. Lauderdale beach. I can't move 4 feet to other side of me without stepping on someone's towel or catching a full-on glimpse of an ass crack.
God, I hate this beach. I may not ever move back to South Florida because of it. -
Review from Andreas H.
New York, NY
3/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
What a great beach! It is SHOCKINGLY clean. I couldn't find a single bit of glass on my entire 2 mile walk. Impressive. On top of that, the beach seemed to be patrolled by lifeguards and the foot rinse station worked flawlessly.
I think my favorite moment of the day was the amateur sand castle building that was going on: Group 1: Two kids, probably 6, making a simple castle. Group 2: Two old kids, probably mid 80's, making a simple castle. Group 1 and Group 2 were separated by about 100 yards. It was awesome.
I love the ocean. -
Review from Terry D.
Las Vegas, NV
10/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Lunch at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company with a friend. Lunch was good and staff was very helpful and friendly. Definitely will return when I visit FTL again.
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Review from Vanessa H.
Miami, FL
3/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Spring Break 2011 WOO! Even with all the spring-breakers in town, I still enjoyed my Sunday at Ft. Lauderdale beach. I got there just before noon, early enough to avoid the traffic and had no trouble finding parking right off Las Olas. The beach was really clean and the weather was perfect (thank you, Florida.)
Had a nice breakfast at St. Barts Coffee. I only had a smoothie but it was CHEAP! And later we went to Blondies for a few drinks and it was $6 for a double Ketel One drink!! Toto, we are not in Miami anymore!! If it didn't take me almost an hour to get there, I would definitely be at this beach more often. -
Review from M T.
New York, NY
Happy New Year!!! Wishing you all the best for 2011!
The mister and I celebrated the first day of the year, 1/1/11 at Ft. Lauderdale beach. This beach is beautiful! The town of Fort Lauderdale is celebrating its 100th birthday! yay! This beach is so clean and today is sunny with a high 77 degrees and yes, we braved the chilly, but refreshing waters. This beach is fun for all ages. There's lots to do, sunbathing, swimming, kite flying, and people watching. We left happy with a tan. -
Review from Latoya S.
2/12/2011
I love south beach too for what it offer, but if I decide to have a family day at the beach then I would rather come here...
There is nothing bad anyone can say about this beach. Clean, Relaxing, Inviting, and loads of fun, and I also never experienced any problems finding parking either. 10 Stars!!!! -
Review from Dante B.
5/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
Just came back from the Virgin Islands and their beaches don't have anything on Ft Lauderdale. Ft Lauderdale definitely has the finest beach for sunbathing and general enjoyment anywhere in the US, for the following reasons:
+ expansive beach with enough space to fit everyone on without getting cramped
+ soft sand, unlike Souf Beach or other places
+ generally decent visitors that are respectful and fun to be around
+ not so breezy like other Florida beaches; don't know why that would be
+ shallow, clean water without seaweed, etc - that goes out for 20-30 yards minimum under 5 ft (this makes it fun for water activities, etc)
+ food, convenience stores, etc are close by (directly across A1A) and represent a short walk for those common necessities
+ CLEAN! no bottles, cans, other surprises to walk on or swim around
+ decent shade if you want it, with palm trees available, if you don't wish to take a loan to rent a beach umbrella
And that is why I like Ft Lauderdale beaches; defined as starting at Yankee Clipper and going up through Oakland Park Blvd.Listed in: Places Where I Sleep
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Review from Matt H.
Springdale, AR
7/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great public beach on the Atlantic. I'm more of a Gulf/Caribbean guy, but coupled with the trendy commercial restaurant/Bar scene, this is a fun town and beach to go to.
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Review from Ivonne Marie C.
Miami, FL
5/11/2009
I spent last Saturday worshiping the sun god as he bathed me in his rays leaving me toasty toasty toasty - today I'm definitely not a sight a dermatologist would love, but I had so much fun.
I spent the day at the southernmost part of Ft. Lauderdale beach, just north of the Yankee Clipper Sheraton hotels. We parked in the hotel's covered lot for a flat fee and walked across the street to the beautiful sand, but we also had the choice of parking in a metered-lot separated from the sand by just the sidewalk - I make this point, b/c in South Beach (Miami) even if you park on Ocean Drive you still have to walk half a mile before you see sand. There was plenty of parking space throughout the day.
The beach has a playground, clean bathrooms, and a few sparse palm trees. The sand is beautiful, lifeguards every few feet, and almost crystal clear warm waters. It never got crowded and had a really comfortable vibe that could make the most self-conscious beach goers feel like they were in a world all their own.
The only thing this beach is missing is food & drinks. There are bar-b-q stations and picnic tables throughout, particularly on the sand closest to the cars, but if you didn't bring your coal and burgers, you're going to be hungry. I didn't spot a single vendor with any snacks, and much less water. After spending pretty much the entire day under the sun, I was feeling very dehydrated. So my suggestion to the city of Ft. Lauderdale - awesome beach, but if you want us to keep feeding those meters, figure out a way to feed us.Listed in: Coastline
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Review from Pyke D.
Waterbury, CT
11/30/2009
If I would have written this review from scratch today, in November in Chicago, it would get gushing 5 stars as I remembered what it was like to throw on my ipod, throw a chair into the sand, and bake for a few hours. Fortunately, I kept this review in the wings for a day like today.
The FTL (Anyone who says loddy doddy deserves to be sterilized) beach is clean, quiet, and generally good all around. There's nothing that really stands out in either direction, but for what it is, that's a good thing. Location-wise for me, this was a quick drive, and parking was easy, close, and pretty cheap for all day. It doesn't have the sheer amount of stuff that Las Olas does (You'll probably want to bring a cooler), or the great people watching of South Beach, but sometimes you just want some time to relax, and for that, FTL works just fine. -
Review from Tessie B.
5/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I felt like I was on vacation! Such a different beach from Miami - even the sand! I love how you literally park in front of the street and there is the ocean. It wasn't too crowded or too loud either. It was the perfect setting for a relaxing Sunday.
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Review from Will L.
5/19/2008 3 photos
I didn't swim. I did, however, soak my feet.
Other beach activities included
- a "what what in the butt" chant
- a human pyramid (I was the center 'stone.' I have matching knee indentations in my back to prove it.)
- a series of piggy back rides that ended in disaster for the riders (one ended in a huge spill in the sand. The other resulted in gnarly bruises on the rider's thighs from my spiked belt. Whoops!)
- a 'stand-on-my-feet-and-I'll-teach-you-to-waltz' lesson that wound up in wet feet
- a whole lot of really dark pictures and video that are difficult to make out what's happening.
Note: if you're expecting surf-ready waves, this is not the place for you. -
Review from Elaine C.
Boca Raton, FL
5/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been to lots of South Florida beaches, and Fort Lauderdale is always the cleanest. My favorite part is the Riomar Beach. It has lots of room, and the Hilton Hotel across the street has a bakery/cafe. There's also a Starbucks a few minutes walk away at the Westin. The only frustrating part is the parking, but that's par for the course in all of S. FL!
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Review from Greshka P.
Boca Raton, FL
5/12/2009
I spent a wonderful weekend here, right across the Yankee Clipper.
You can park right on the Sheraton parking garage, for a daily rate, or try to find a meter parking spot, right at the beach.
It's been a while since I've been to the beach and being here made me crave those beach days again.
The beach wasn't too crowded, it's clean, and has tables with BBQ stations - if you want to bring your own food for grilling.
Playground for the kids. Bathrooms are ok - not excited about those but when you spend the whole day there, you will have to go.
Clear water, beautiful sand. Lifeguards really paying attention to the water and people.
Best part is that, even with people around, you feel in your own little space. Very relaxing.
Downside to this beach is the fact that there's no vendors, or shops to buy food or water - very needed on hot days like last weekend. So better make sure to bring your cooler filled with a lot of ice and water bottles, if not you won't last long before you start feeling dehydrated. Other thing is that there's very little shade at this beach - bring your sun block, and maybe an umbrella so you don't feel the sun effects afterwards. A tan looks good but premature wrinkles and cancer don't. -
Review from Angelique M.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
4/20/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I love this beach so much. It's so clean and convenient. If you live in Fort Lauderdale, you can buy a parking pass at the parking office downtown for only $5 and it gets you free parking for an entire year at the Las Olas lot, the meters north of Sunrise Blvd, and some other lot south of Las Olas. I always go to the beach north of Sunrise, and the closer to the Pelican Grand the better. It's so much less crowded there. Just park, throw your gear over the wall and claim your palm tree. There's really nothing better.
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Review from Kim P.
3/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Clean,beautiful .... Perfect!!!
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Review from Alex H.
San Rafael, CA
1/9/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Sun, people watching, waves, what else do you need?
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Review from Monika K.
3/16/2010 1 photo
Las Olas is where you want to go to see all the action and craziness that can be FTL playa...further down by sunrise is where you wanna go to get some peace and quiet.
FL is where I call home and when I am laying out enjoying the sun in December I remember quickly why I never want to leave. -
Review from Mike V.
2/1/2007
A must for stopping the onset of S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder).
Especially when D.C.'s 30-day streak of above-average temperatures comes to an end. -
Review from Michelle B.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
10/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
the beach is my church/temple
i have a secret free parking spot and my kites fly high here. -
Review from Jim S.
Henderson, NV
Great beach and it goes on for several miles. There is plenty to do all along the beach.
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Review from Kaye Lynn E.
Cleveland, OH
1/16/2011
I just love it-I don't know what else to say....Clean-Nearby food and drinks-Lifeguards-I love it.
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Review from KATHIE L.
Laurence Harbor, NJ
5/19/2011
Just came back to cold & rain in NJ after a beautiful, sunny long weekend in Ft Lauderdale-it was just perfect. Our hotel was a block away from the beach in the Sunrise area, so we just walked over with our chair-no beach fees (it's a jersey thing) The beach is nice & clean with soft sand, very clear water with little seaweed, lifeguards in the area. Not too crowded, good for people watching-all shapes, sizes and ages. In that area there were convenient stores for drinks & snacks as well as casual places for a meal you can go in a bathing suit-Primanti brothers, Parrot, Bluenote...................what more could you want!
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Review from Janessa A.
Pembroke Pines, FL
9/11/2009
Love this beach...better than South Beach I believe..first beach is actually beautiful, water is clear, sand is clean and white..unlike south beach its dirty,water is green, beach is packed. You have all these shops and restaurants across the boardwalk..its a great place to rent, chill and enjoy yourself.
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Review from Scott M.
Los Angeles, CA
8/27/2007
A warm bath water beach with clean sand, crystal clear water and plenty of shells to find. Great for swimming and kids with small bay like waves. From the walkway to the water is only a short distance and there are showers to rinse off after wards.
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Review from Alejandra M.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
6/7/2010 3 Check-ins Here
I am a huge fan of las olas ft. Lauderdale beach. I enjoy the night life. Everything is so beautiful. The only thing that I don't like is their parking.
