Fort Lauderdale - Broward
A to Z

 
MiamiMiami


Ft. Lauderdale - Broward A to Z

A
Airport (Ft. Lauderdale - Hollywood International) - very busy but pleasant airport, it is constantly expanding. However, it does not have any scheduled flights from Europe.
Alligators - thriving in SE Florida, they are particularly dangerous during mating season in May and July. However, there are still less than ten deaths by them in the last ten years in Florida. Nevertheless, DO NOT try to feed them! To view them, go on one of the Everglades tours or to an alligator reserve.
Alligator Alley (State Road 75) - a highway connecting Ft. Lauderdale with Naples on the West coast. The journey time between the two coastlines is about two hours.
Alligator Alley - the most popular blues club in Broward, it is now in Oakland Park. Often a venue for top-class acts.
Arboretum - in Deerfield Beach, lovely botanical gardens that are worth visiting.

B
Beaches
- glorious, sandy and well-kept. Five Broward beaches received the prestigious Blue Wave Award..
Bookstores - there are countless great bookstores in the area, all of them incredibly relaxing! Choose your reading material and settle down in one of the comfy armchairs or have a latte in the cafe! Or attend one of the free talks by authors. We like the Borders near Galleria Mall.
Broadwalk
- on Hollywood Beach, it is a 2.2 mile long pathway for walking, cycling and rollerblading and runs right alongside the beach.
Butterfly World - tropical garden with butterflies and hummingbirds.

C
Car rental - it is best to reserve, book and pay in your home country as you are sure to get a better deal.

D
Dania Beach - a town between Hollywood and Ft. Lauderdale, it was originally established by Danish tomato farmers. Now the antiques capital of south Florida.
Deerfield Beach - a town just before Boca Raton.
Driving - stick to the main roads. If lost, stop at a gas/petrol station and ask for directions.

E
Eco-heritage tours - the best known one is operated by the Seminole tribe on the Big Cypress reservation, some 45 miles west of Ft. Lauderdale.
Everglades - an amazing river of grass, unfortunately in decline because of human interference. See it while you still can!

F
Farmer's Markets - a very good way to buy inexpensive fresh food. Many are seasonal, running from January to April.
Fishing - the best location is from piers as you do not need to obtain a fishing license to fish from them, and therefore only need to pay an entrance fee. You can also hire out a boat for deep ocean fishing.
Flamingo Gardens - large tropical forest and botanical gardens with an Aviary and Bird of Prey Exhibit. An electric tram ride takes you through the gardens. Not far from Pembroke Lakes Mall.

G
Gambling - take one of the numerous casino ships which take you outside the 3-mile limit. We like the Sun Cruz from Hollywood Beach. There are also some casinos run by the a Seminole Indian tribe.
Golf - numerous public and private courses, SE Florida is a paradise for golfers.
Gray Bus Tours - the best way to visit the area sights in a short period of time (say half a day).

H
Harley Davidson - classic American bike, admired by many. You will see them often in SE Florida. There are some bikers' bars where they gather and show off their lovingly cared for bikes.
Hiassen, Carl - our favourite Florida writer. Spent his teenage years in Plantation. Please get one of his books, you'll definitely enjoy them! Also read his weekly comments on local life in the Miami Herald.
High season - from a week or so before Christmas to one week after Easter. SE Florida becomes especially crowded!
Hurricanes
- the hurricane seasons starts in June and goes on until the end of November. The worst one ever to have hit the region was Hurricane Andrew in June 1992.

I
Internet cafes - the are only a few left as can now use public libraries for free Internet access. There is sometimes a queue and normally you are limited to only 45 minutes.

J
Jai-Alai - Basque-originated, apparently the fastest game in the world. Popular in SE Florida.
Jogging - as you can imagine, lovely alongside the beach. There are many joggers on Ft. Lauderdale Beach.
Jungle Queen - well-known river boat with entertainment and good food, it provides an excellent way to see the Ft. Lauderdale canals.

K
Kayaking - there are many places to rent Kayaks, but the best is probably Florida Bay Outfitters on Key Largo.

L
Las Olas Blvd. - a trendy section of downtown Ft. Lauderdale with good restaurants, bars and clubs.
Lovebugs
- small insects that stick to your car and make it tacky and hard to clean.
Low season
- from one week after Easter to the beginning of December. Many hotels charge half price during this period.

M
Malls - numerous! Don't miss Sawgrass Mills Mall, the largest outlet mall in the US. Also check out the upmarket Galleria Mall in Ft. Lauderdale.
Miccosukee Indians - a part of the Seminole tribe. Visit their village and take an airboat trip in the Everglades.

N
Newspapers
- the Sun Sentinel is the Broward daily, with many local editions. See the Friday edition for a useful weekly events guide. There is also the free City Link newspaper, which is well worth a look.

O
Ocean's Eleven Lounge - right on Hollywood Beach, this bar also opens up at 8am and is a perfect choice for breakfast.
Orlando - the home of Disney World and many other attractions, the city is about a three and a half hour drive away. Take the Turnpike.

P
Police - very helpful to tourists. They patrol many beach areas on rollerblades and bicycles.
Port Everglades - Broward's port, well-known for commerical traffic and cruise ships.
Portuguese Man Of War - jellyfish-like sea creature with long, stinging tentacles. If stung, see the lifeguard for advice. Also look out for flags flying on beaches indicating their presence.
Publix - the local supermarket chain, essential to all those staying in an apartment. See their lovely deli counters!

Q
Queue - in Florida you don't queue, you stand in line!

R
Rollerblading - definitely something to do, although a little tricky because of the number of pedestrians. Great on Hollywood Beach Broadwalk, as proven by the number that rollerblade there!
Rogers, Neil - well known but controversial local radio personality. Listen to him on WQAM 560AM.

S
Seafood - available at many restaurants all over Broward. One of the best in the county is Sunfish Grill.
Sharks
- plentiful in the tropics, but very few accidents occur.
Snow birds
- visitors from North USA and Canada who spend who spend the whole winter in Florida. Lucky them!
Sports Authority - one of the best sporting goods stores for all your sporting needs.

T
Tri-Rail - an inexpensive way to travel from Miami Airport all the way to Palm Beach.
Turnpike - motorway/highway between Miami and Orlando (and beyond). There is a charge for using it ($7-8) but you are in Orlando in less than four hours.

U
Undertow - particularly dangerous current of water (cause by winds) which can sweep you away from the shallow part of the sea and drag you 50-60 metres away. Do not swim if there are signs on the beaches warning you about it.

V
Value added tax - is called sales tax in Florida and is 6% on all your purchases.
Vegetarian restaurants - there aren't too many of them in the Broward area, but for the best in vegetarian food, go to Terrace Oceanside Restaurant, 1960 South Ocean Drive, Hallandale Beach.

W
Weather - the best is from November to Easter, when it is not too hot and humid.

X
for marking Florida Lottery tickets! - the odds of winning are low, even worse than in Europe, as you have to get a winning combination from 53 numbers.

Y
Young Circle - the centre of downtown Hollywood, it was named after the founder of the city.
Your trip
- you're bound to have a great time! Please send us reports on your trip and we'll post them on this website.

Z
Zzzzz - have a good night's sleep, listening to the ocean waves.