LOCATION & MILES:
Broward County encompasses 1,197 square miles (766,016 acres), with 23 miles of Atlantic Ocean beach, stretching between Palm Beach County on the northern perimeter and Miami-Dade County on the southern. It has a resident population of almost 1.9 million, with over 180,000 residing in Fort Lauderdale, the largest municipality and the seat of county government. Broward County is bounded on the west by 505,600 acres of Everglades (occupying about 2/3 of the county). With 300+ miles of navigable inland waterways within Broward County, it has earned the nickname "Venice of America." An extensive Water Taxi service provides fun and efficient transportation for visitors and residents between hotels, restaurants, beaches, bars and attractions.
31 MUNICIPALITIES:
Oceanside:
Dania Beach, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach, Hillsboro Beach, Hollywood, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Lighthouse Point, Pompano Beach, Sea Ranch Lakes.
Inland:
Coconut Creek, Cooper City, Coral Springs, Davie, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderhill, Lazy Lakes, Margate, Miramar, North Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Parkland, Pembroke Park, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Southwest Ranches, Sunrise, Tamarac, West Park, Weston and Wilton Manors.
LGBT+ VISITOR CENTER:
The Visitor Center (opened in June 2018) showcases attractions of interest to LGBT+ visitors. It is located at 2300 NE Seventh Ave in Wilton Manors.
CLIMATE:
Broward's climate is tropical with an average year-round temperature of 76°F / 25°C and 3,000 hours of sunshine. Winter temperatures average a mean of 66° F / 19° C; summer, a mean of 84° F / 29° C. January is the coolest month of the year and August is the warmest. The heaviest rainfalls occur during August and September.
ATTRACTIONS:
ANNE KOLB NATURE CENTER -- a 1,430-acre wetland and habitat for native wildlife
B-CYCLE -- bike sharing program
BEACH PLACE -- a 100,000 square foot entertainment, retail and dining complex on A1A, near the ocean
BONNET HOUSE MUSEUM & GARDENS -- one of the few remaining ocean-front estates and historic estate with tropical gardens and an art museum
BUTTERFLY WORLD at TRADEWINDS PARK -- a three-acre park with a screened habitat to showcase live butterflies and hummingbirds from five different continents
DOWNTOWN HOLLYWOOD MURAL PROJECT – a collection of curated outdoor murals by local, national, and internationally-recognized artists. Free guided tour third Saturday of each month.
EVERGLADES HOLIDAY PARK -- gateway to 750,000 acres of unspoiled Everglades; airboat rides, tours and fishing
FATVILLAGE -- located in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale, FATVillage (Flagler, Arts and Technology Village) acts as the hub for local creative businesses and artists and hosts an ArtWalk on the last Saturday of each month
FLAMINGO GARDENS -- offers free flight aviary museums, tram tours of orange groves, nature walks and gift shops
FORT LAUDERDALE ANTIQUE CAR MUSEUM -- permanent displays of pre-war Packard Motorcars and memorabilia
GOODYEAR BLIMP BASE -- one of only four bases in the world
HILLSBORO INLET LIGHT STATION -- historic lighthouse marks the northern limit of the Florida Reef
HOLLYWOOD OCEANFRONT BROADWALK -- 2.2-mile oceanfront pedestrian promenade which parallels the beach
IFLY – indoor skydiving
INTERNATIONAL GAME FISH ASSOCATION (IGFA) FISHING HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM -- features galleries, marina and conservation center
LAS OLAS BOULEVARD -- bustles with energy day and night and is home to chic boutiques, galleries and eateries, also known as Greater Fort Lauderdale’s ‘Style Mile’
MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY AND SCIENCE/3D IMAX -- features guided tours, exhibits, IMAX movies and hosted family-friendly activities and camps for children
NSU ART MUSEUM FORT LAUDERDALE-- the 83,000 square-foot building contains 25,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 256-seat auditorium, Museum Store and Cafe. Its acclaimed 11,000 square-foot studio school, the AutoNation Academy of Art + Design, offers art instruction for children, teens and adults year-round
SAWGRASS MILLS -- world’s largest discount, outlet mall featuring more than 350 specialty stores and the Colonnade Outlets, an outdoor, high-end shopping district
SAWGRASS RECREATION PARK -- offers airboat rides, Indian village, live alligator, reptile and birds of prey exhibit plus camping, boating and fishing
SEA EXPERIENCE GLASS BOTTOM BOAT -- offers scuba diving, snorkeling
STONEWALL MUSEUM LIBRARY & ARCHIVES – the largest LGBT+ library circulating in the US, holding over 270,000 books and DVDs; the archives contain more than 30,000 items, documenting a century of LGBTQ cultural and social history
STONEWALL MUSEUM WILTON MANORS GALLERY – the gallery presents exhibitions, author readings, discussions, movies and events all year long
STRANAHAN HOUSE -- Broward's oldest existing structure, now a historic house museum listed on the National Register of Historic Places
SWAP SHOP -- largest indoor/outdoor flea market in the South
TIGERTAIL LAKE AQUA CHALLENGE -- water obstacle course and playground
XTREME ACTION PARK -- the largest indoor entertainment venue in Florida, featuring go kart racing, escape rooms, bowling lanes, indoor ropes course
WORLD AIDS MUSEUM -- the world’s first AIDS museum
SIGHTSEEING TOURS:
CARRIE B SIGHTSEEING CRUISES -- offers seasonal sightseeing cruises
BALEARIA BAHAMAS EXPRESS -- sails to Grand Bahama Island from Port Everglades
GONDOLA WEST -- cruise through the heart of the “Venice of America”
JUNGLE QUEEN RIVERBOAT -- offers old-time sightseeing cruise along the canals with dinner and entertainment
RIVERFRONT CRUISES -- offers sightseeing cruises aboard a 55-foot catamaran
SEGWAY FORT LAUDERDALE -- offers sightseeing tours on Segway in Fort Lauderdale and on the Hollywood Broadwalk
TROPICAL SAILING -- 2-hour ocean sightseeing and snorkeling cruises on a catamaran
WATER TAXI -- the perfect way to tour the Intracoastal or take a "Historic Cruise" of the New River
NATURAL ATTRACTIONS:
In addition to Blue Wave beaches and waterways, Broward County has 288 parks, 69 miles of live coral reef in a three-tier natural reef system, and the Everglades. Its 100+ artificial reefs and 18 major shipwrecks provide divers with a unique mix of tropical underwater experiences.
PERFORMING ARTS:
Theater --
ASHANTI CULTURAL ARTS -- this historic theater (renovated circa-1932 building) has housed great artists including Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday
BAILEY HALL -- features concerts and ballets
BB&T CENTER -- features top named stars
BROWARD CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS -- state-of-the-art complex featuring two theatres
CORAL SPRINGS CENTER FOR THE ARTS -- features music, dance and concerts
CINEMA PARADISO -- home to the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
FORT LAUDERDALE CHILDREN'S THEATRE -- features classes and performances for youth and adults
HARD ROCK LIVE -- the 5,500-seat indoor arena regularly hosts top musical guests and major sporting events
HOLLYWOOD BEACH THEATER -- Hollywood’s beachside theater hosts free performances
HOLLYWOOD CENTRAL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER -- this venue hosts family- Friendly performances
MIRAMAR CULTURAL CENTER -- hosts community dance, music, and cultural arts performances
PARKER PLAYHOUSE -- pre-and post-Broadway productions
POMPANO BEACH AMPHITHEATER -- hosts a variety of cultural performances from free movie nights to symphonies
THEATRE UNDER THE STARS -- open-air bandshell in Hollywood; additionally, there are a number of neighborhood theaters located in Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach
MAJOR ANNUAL EVENTS:
Orange Bowl (Dec/Jan)
Las Olas Art Festival (Jan/Mar/Oct)
Hollywood CanadaFest (Jan)
Art Fort Lauderdale (Jan)
Live Racing at Gulfstream Park (Jan-Apr)
A1A Marathon (Feb)
Pride Fort Lauderdale (Feb)
South Beach Wine & Food Festival’s CRAVE Greater Fort Lauderdale (Feb)
Sistrunk Parade & Street Festival (Feb)
Florida Renaissance Festival (Feb-Mar)
Dania Beach Arts & Seafood Festival (March)
Greater Fort Lauderdale Wine & Food Festival (March)
Big Cypress Shootout (March)
Jazz in the Gardens (March)
Florida Derby (March)
Las Olas Wine & Food Festival (April)
Pompano Beach Seafood Festival (April)
Tortuga Music Festival (April)
Taste of The Islands Experience (April)
Pompano Beach Fishing Rodeo (May)
Fort Lauderdale Air Show (May)
Sea Turtle Walks (June-July)
Fort Lauderdale Family Fun Beachfront Celebration (July 4)
Hollywood 4th of July Celebration (July 4)
LauderDeals (Aug-Sept)
Hollywood Beach Latin Festival (Aug)
Dine Out Lauderdale (Aug-Sept)
Florida Panthers Hockey Season (Oct–Apr)
Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (Oct/Nov)
Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (Nov)
Exotics on Las Olas (Nov)
Broward County Fair (Nov)
Riptide Music Festival (Nov)
Christmas on Las Olas (Dec)
Hollywood Beach Candy Cane Parade (Dec)
Pompano Beach Holiday Boat Parade (Dec)
Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade (Dec)
SHOPPING:
Sawgrass Mills, the world's largest discount mall, features the high-end Colonnade Outlets. Other shopping destinations include Festival Flea Market Mall and Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop, the largest indoor/outdoor flea market in the South. The Galleria at Fort Lauderdale, an upscale shopping mall with stores such as Neiman-Marcus and Michael Kors, is complemented by traditional Florida shopping avenues such as Las Olas Boulevard, Dania Beach Antique Row and beach boutiques.
DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT:
More than 4,000 wining and dining establishments and 132 nightclubs are located in Broward County. The culinary scene has several with rising star chefs, exciting restaurants, breweries and pubs, coffee houses and scenic dock-and-dine and many great hotel restaurants. Explore Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Ale Trail featuring 32 craft brew pubs and 18 local nano-and microbreweries.
SPORTS:
Water Sports: There are more than 23 miles of beaches in Broward County that are perfect for sailing, swimming, kite surfing, windsurfing, water skiing, boating, deep-sea fishing, parasailing, paddle boarding, kayaking, wakeboarding, snorkeling and scuba diving.
Boating: The Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway, along with more than 300 miles of canals and waterways throughout the County, are perfect for any kind of boating. There are several sailing schools throughout Broward plus 148 marinas and 35 boat repair yards that provide boat fuel as well as supplies.
Fishing: This is one of the few areas in the world where both freshwater and saltwater fishing are within 20 minutes of the angler. In addition to more than 200 freshwater species that can be caught in the county's lakes and canals, there are deep water fishing fleets located in each of the seven cities that line the Atlantic coast, plus four municipal piers.
Football: The Miami Dolphins play at Hard Rock Stadium.
Major League Soccer: Inter Miami CF trains and plays at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (pending construction of a new Miami stadium in 2+ years).
Golf: There are more than 56 courses in Broward ranging from the exclusive Grande Oaks Club to a par 3.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Broward County offers more than 560 lodging establishments, with more than 34,000 hotel rooms, ranging from luxurious high-rises to smaller motels (many included in the SUPERIOR SMALL LODGING program, which sets standards of quality for properties of less than 50 rooms). The diverse mix of Greater Fort Lauderdale accommodations encompasses oceanfront and inland properties, specialized spa resorts, business, meeting, and convention facilities.
CONVENTION CENTER:
The 600,000-square-foot LEED Gold Certified GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE/CENTER: BROWARD COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER, at Port Everglades, is located on the destination’s famed Intracoastal Waterway with a view of the Atlantic Ocean. Greater Fort Lauderdale has begun the expansion of the convention center and is adding an 801-room Omni headquarters hotel. When completed, the expanded Convention Center will boast more than 1,200,000 square feet, including 350,000 square feet of contiguous exhibition space, a new 65,000-square-foot waterfront ballroom, the latest in new technology, new dining concepts, enhanced water taxi access, and an iconic waterfront plaza with public access. The project will reopen in phases in late 2021 and be completed by in 2023.
ACCESSIBILITY:
International Airport: Broward County is served by the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The airport offers nonstop service to over 100 U.S. and international cities.
Rental Cars: Fort Lauderdale / Hollywood International Airport’s Rental Car Centre has brought most of the major rental car companies under one roof. At more than 4 million square feet, the nine-level structure is the largest consolidated rental car facility in the United States and one of the largest parking garages in Florida. Levels 1 through 4 are the new home of Advantage Rent A Car, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, E-Z Rent A Car, Hertz, National, Payless, Royal and Thrifty. Levels 5 through 9 are public parking.
Local Transportation -- The Broward County Mass Transit bus system connects all municipalities and interconnects with Palm Beach and Dade Counties. Discounted weekly visitor passes for unlimited transportation are available. Taxis and limousine companies operate throughout the county; the Water Taxi system provides transportation to shops, attractions and restaurants. The Sun Trolley operates a total of seven routes, including the free Riverwalk Water Trolley. Every route, except for the Beach Link and Las Olas Link, is free. Along each of the routes, you will find transfer points to connect to one or more of the other routes, as well as direct connections to Tri-Rail, Broward County Transit, as well as the Brightline Fort Lauderdale Station. Brightline is a high-speed train service connecting downtown Fort Lauderdale to downtown Miami and downtown West Palm Beach.