Fort Lauderdale and South Florida were the go-to places at the height of the 1980s – all neon lights, rollerblading down the beachfront, rolled up sleeves on pastel coloured jackets, and nouvelle cuisine. I revisited Greater Fort Lauderdale after thirty years and I can tell you that while a lot has changed, it still retains the charm of a bygone era. The sunshine state lives up to its name, and has gorgeous weather pretty much all year round. I went in October, the chill wind of autumn just starting in the UK, and the temperature there was 32 degrees. My flight was nine hours there, and a swift six and a half back.
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Greater Fort Lauderdale has something for everyone. I spent two weeks there, swapping between adventure and sunbathing on the beach, and dining on the very best food. The classic wildlife adventure that only Florida can offer. A full third of the state used to be flooded grasslands, it’s now about half of that – 1.5 million acres. Once at the small Everglades Holiday Park you quickly catch an airboat. Buy a drink at the shop before you board, before the hour long tour through the wetlands and mangroves. See ospreys, vultures and if you’re lucky, an alligator or two.
This charming mode of transport is as much a pleasure as a way of travelling from A to B. They sail up and down the intracoastal waterways between 20 stations. You just hang around the stops until one arrives – roughly half an hour between each, at the most. It’s a very relaxed affair, sit where you want and listen to the amusing commentary – they even have a cool box of beers and colas. Bonnet House Museum and Gardens provides a portal to the early 20th century. Originally an artist’s house, there’s plenty of art, history and nature just north of the Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. Meanwhile, Stranahan House is the city’s oldest building and a journey through time. The little house tells the tale of a family and of Fort Lauderdale itself. It’s located on the Riverwalk in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The Stonewall national museum has a library, archives centre and exhibitions focused on LGBTQ+ culture and politics.
Finally, Florida isn’t Florida without its beaches. It has 900 miles of accessible sand. Wander up and down the beachfront in southern Lauderdale (or get the local electric shuttle Circuit – a couple of dollars, if not free), have a drink and a snack in the many bars and restaurants, and then relax by the ocean. Most places you will have to pay for a towel and umbrella if you’re not staying in one of the posh hotels looking on to the coast, so bring your own if possible.
Head a little further up the coast to Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and you get away from the huge glamourous hotels to a coast that must be like it used to be: small(ish) hotels looking straight onto the quiet, palm tree lined, expansive beach. Away from the bustle of the south, it feels like a holiday within a holiday there. Back down to earth, and the Plunge a little way up north, at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, is a beautiful beachfront hotel. All the buildings here are low rise, a genuine trip back to the era before mega hotels.
If you’re in the Guitar Hotel, the food is superb. Breakfast in the Rise was perfect – the eggs Benedict were silky, the bacon crisp and golden, and just a few fried potatoes. It put our “English breakfast” to shame. It’s not expensive either. An amazing way to wake up. When you’re up in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, go to the Even Keel fish shack. Situated a shell’s throw away from the beach, this local area, which has a charming small town feel, is a million miles away from the bold new hotel strip downtown. The restaurant is a genuine local seafood place. Wonderfully relaxed but attentive staff.
