RSS
Now you’ve driven over the 17th Street Causeway bridge, right? And finally really looked around to appreciate the impressive view … or better, you’ve parked your car and walked to the top of the bridge. Great. Now it’s time to move on to stop number two.
The second little hidden gem falls in the category of both underappreciated and underused. Welcome to Colee Hammock Park. This tiny, charming waterside park is easy to find, though it seems few people bother. If you’re coming from the 17th Street bridge, continue north on Federal Highway and then after driving through Florida’s only tunnel, turn right on Broward Boulevard to head east until you reach SE 15th Avenue. Make a right turn on SE 15th Avenue you have arrived on Las Olas Boulevard, where the Floridian Restaurant sits on the corner. Go straight on 15th Ave to the end of the block and park. You almost surely won’t have any trouble finding a spot.
I stopped by the park both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. On Saturday, a mother and two kids played there briefly. Two older gentlemen sat by the water and chatted. And then there was me. That was it. On Sunday, a few folks lounged on the grass but not many. It was quiet, lovely and delightful, the hallmarks of Colee Hammock. And it’s a great place for a quick romantic escape with your sweetheart.
The park is filled with grand live oak trees, as well as a pretty large banyan. A short walkway winds along one edge of the grass and 11 park benches are scattered around. There’s also a circular stone picnic table with built-in seating. The entire park is visible no matter where you stand within the grounds – it’s that small.
What makes Colee Hammock special is the setting. It is situated across the New River from one of Fort Lauderdale’s true mansions. Other nice houses are visible in both directions along the river. And then there are the boats. The Jungle Queen passes by regularly as do the multi-million dollar yachts. In the space of just three minutes Saturday, two super-expensive private boats passed by me, one from Montreal and the other from Kingston, Jamaica.
Colee Hammock also has a cute sculpture of a young girl on inline skates, a piece dedicated to children. And there’s a monument that marks the spot where the Lewis family built the first white settlement on the New River. This same place was the site of a massacre on January 6, 1836 at the onset of the Second Seminole War. So yes, there’s peace and quiet and relaxation, if you want it. Some history and art, if you prefer that. Or maybe just a glance at how the other, very wealthy, half lives … well, actually it’s probably more like the other 1/100th of one percent. Or you can just sit with your arm around your significant other. Not bad, and all for free. The park is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Later this week, we’ll continue our little journey to hidden gem number three, which is tucked away along the busiest section of Las Olas. You’ll want a nice espresso or picnic lunch for this one!
The second little hidden gem falls in the category of both underappreciated and underused. Welcome to Colee Hammock Park. This tiny, charming waterside park is easy to find, though it seems few people bother. If you’re coming from the 17th Street bridge, continue north on Federal Highway and then after driving through Florida’s only tunnel, turn right on Broward Boulevard to head east until you reach SE 15th Avenue. Make a right turn on SE 15th Avenue you have arrived on Las Olas Boulevard, where the Floridian Restaurant sits on the corner. Go straight on 15th Ave to the end of the block and park. You almost surely won’t have any trouble finding a spot.
I stopped by the park both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. On Saturday, a mother and two kids played there briefly. Two older gentlemen sat by the water and chatted. And then there was me. That was it. On Sunday, a few folks lounged on the grass but not many. It was quiet, lovely and delightful, the hallmarks of Colee Hammock. And it’s a great place for a quick romantic escape with your sweetheart.
The park is filled with grand live oak trees, as well as a pretty large banyan. A short walkway winds along one edge of the grass and 11 park benches are scattered around. There’s also a circular stone picnic table with built-in seating. The entire park is visible no matter where you stand within the grounds – it’s that small.
What makes Colee Hammock special is the setting. It is situated across the New River from one of Fort Lauderdale’s true mansions. Other nice houses are visible in both directions along the river. And then there are the boats. The Jungle Queen passes by regularly as do the multi-million dollar yachts. In the space of just three minutes Saturday, two super-expensive private boats passed by me, one from Montreal and the other from Kingston, Jamaica.
Colee Hammock also has a cute sculpture of a young girl on inline skates, a piece dedicated to children. And there’s a monument that marks the spot where the Lewis family built the first white settlement on the New River. This same place was the site of a massacre on January 6, 1836 at the onset of the Second Seminole War. So yes, there’s peace and quiet and relaxation, if you want it. Some history and art, if you prefer that. Or maybe just a glance at how the other, very wealthy, half lives … well, actually it’s probably more like the other 1/100th of one percent. Or you can just sit with your arm around your significant other. Not bad, and all for free. The park is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Later this week, we’ll continue our little journey to hidden gem number three, which is tucked away along the busiest section of Las Olas. You’ll want a nice espresso or picnic lunch for this one!
posted by LauderBLOGGER at 4:59 PM
Colee Hammock is a great little waterfront spot---my not so secret hideaway.
Dusk is my favorite quiet time to enjoy to sit on the bench, relax, meditate, and watch the boats sail by.
There is also a tree of life dedicated to 9/11.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home