Friend getawaysSoutheast FloridaSpring break

Four days · Fort Lauderdale Beach, the canals & the reef

Fort Lauderdale spring break with friends: beach days, the Water Taxi and a reef off the sand

Reviewed Oct 23, 2026How we verify

Four days with no car: the wide beach and the white wave wall along A1A, a day riding the Water Taxi through the canals to Las Olas, a shore snorkel on the reef at Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, a slow last morning at Bonnet House and a table of garlic crabs before the flight home.

Beach towns Spa, cruise & splurge trips Snorkeling & diving

4 days / 3 nights March–April Friends

Original illustration

South Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard lined with palms beside the beach — **Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard** · A1A and its palms where Las Olas meets the beach

The trip in 60 seconds

Trip at a glance

Who it’s for: Friends who want a beach week with a plan: sand and surf, a day on the water, a reef to snorkel and good tables at night, all without a car
Route: Fort Lauderdale Beach (three nights) → the canals and Las Olas by Water Taxi → Lauderdale-By-The-Sea → Hugh Taylor Birch State Park and Bonnet House → the airport
Best timing: March and April for spring break; the city adds beach rules for the busiest weeks (Feb 28 to Mar 31 in 2026)
Pace: Easy: beach mornings, one boat day, one snorkel, lots of walking along A1A
Sleep: Three nights on the barrier island near Las Olas and A1A, so the beach, the Water Taxi and dinner are all a walk away
Getting there: Fly into Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood (FLL), a short rideshare from the beach. Rideshares can’t stop on A1A itself, so meet the car on a side street
Rough budget: The Water Taxi all-day pass is $38; Bonnet House is $30; a walk into Hugh Taylor Birch is $2. The beach is free
Good to know: Bars are 21+ with ID in Florida. During spring break the city bans alcohol, tents and amplified music on the beach; check the current rules before you go

Reviewed Oct 23, 2026How we verify

Illustration: route map of the four days, a bird’s-eye view of Fort Lauderdale with the Atlantic along the bottom, numbered pins on the beach at Las Olas (Day 1), on the New River canals downtown (Day 2), at Lauderdale-By-The-Sea to the north (Day 3) and at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park and Bonnet House (Day 4) — Fort Lauderdale without a car · the beach, the canals, the reef and a garden estate

Postcards from the trip

Stranahan House, a white two-storey wooden house with verandas on the New River — **Stranahan House** · The old trading post on the New River, a stop on the Riverwalk.

Las Olas Boulevard with shops, trees and parked cars — **Las Olas Boulevard** · Shops and shade between Water Taxi rides.

The New River in Fort Lauderdale with a raised railroad bridge and towers — **The New River** · Downtown Fort Lauderdale, where the Water Taxi loops back.

The hanging roots of a huge banyan tree in the Bonnet House gardens — **Bonnet House gardens** · Banyans and shade a few blocks from the beach.

The idea

Four days, one beach, the canals and a reef you can swim to.

Turquoise first. Then the white wave wall, the palms, the yellow Water Taxi turning up the New River. Fort Lauderdale is a beach town laced with canals, and for a group of friends that means two ways to spend a day: on the sand, or on the water. Stay on the barrier island near Las Olas and you can leave the car at home for the whole trip.

Day 1 lands you on the beach and the A1A strip, with the Elbo Room on the corner where spring break began. Day 2 is the Water Taxi through the canals to Las Olas and the Riverwalk. Day 3 swims out to the reef off Lauderdale-By-The-Sea. Day 4 is a quiet morning in Hugh Taylor Birch State Park and Bonnet House, then garlic crabs at the Rustic Inn on the way to the airport.

More Florida with friends? See Miami for girlfriends, Key West or every trip on the site.

Day-by-day summary

The Elbo Room, a pink and teal corner bar on Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard

Day 1 · arrive · on footFort Lauderdale Beach and the A1A wave wallSfogliatelle on Las Olas, the beach all afternoon, the wave wall at golden hour and a canal-side dinner.

A yellow Water Taxi boat on the New River in Fort Lauderdale with high-rises behind

Day 2 · canals · by Water TaxiThe Water Taxi, the New River and Las OlasA diner breakfast, an all-day Water Taxi pass through the canals, the Riverwalk and Las Olas, and a brewery evening downtown.

People relaxing on the sand at Lauderdale-By-The-Sea under palms

Day 3 · reef · rideshare and finsThe reef at Lauderdale-By-The-SeaA shore snorkel on the reef by Anglin’s Pier, or the glass-bottom boat, lunch on the sand and dinner on the Intracoastal.

A shaded garden path under palms at Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale

Day 4 · gardens · then homeHugh Taylor Birch State Park, Bonnet House and garlic crabsAn early walk under the park’s hammock trees, the Bonnet House gardens at opening time and an early garlic-crab dinner before the flight.

Las Olas meets A1A on Fort Lauderdale Beach: palms, the wave wall and the Atlantic beyond. Photo: Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The route

Four days, one base, no car

Three nights on Fort Lauderdale Beach. The Water Taxi covers the canals and Las Olas; a short rideshare reaches Lauderdale-By-The-Sea and, on the last day, the airport.

Illustration: late afternoon on the beachfront road in Fort Lauderdale, the long curving white wave-shaped wall between the sidewalk and the sand, tall palms with long shadows, a small old corner building with an open-air ground floor and a striped awning, tiny faceless friends crossing to the beach with flip-flops in hand, illustrated day card for Day 1

01Fort Lauderdale Beach · A1A

Base: Fort Lauderdale Beach, three nights, near where Las Olas Boulevard meets A1A. Pace: easy: land, eat, then spend the afternoon on the sand and about 2 miles of walking along the wall, with the break at lunch in the shade. The beach itself is free; barrier-island parking runs $4 an hour.

Breakfast on Las Olas

Where to eat: Gran Forno, the Italian bakery at 1235 E Las Olas Blvd, open from 7 a.m., for sfogliatelle, cornetti and strong coffee on the way in from the airport.

Bags in the trunk, windows down, and the first thing anyone wants is coffee. Split a box of pastries, eat the flaky ones over the paper, and let the plan form around the table.

Lunch with a view of the water

Where to eat: Casablanca Cafe, in an old house at 3049 Alhambra St just off A1A, open from 8:30 a.m., for a long lunch on the porch facing the ocean.

Check in, find the swimsuits, and walk over. From the upstairs porch you can see exactly how blue the water is, which settles the afternoon.

The beach and the wave wall

Cross A1A to the sand. The low white wall that runs along the beach curls like a breaking wave, and it is where everyone sits at the end of the day with their feet in the sand and their backs to the traffic. Swim near a lifeguard tower and check the colored flags first; rip currents happen here. Expert tip: stay through the late afternoon, when the palms throw long shadows across the wall and the beach quiets down.

The Elbo Room

On the corner of Las Olas and A1A, the Elbo Room has been pouring since 1938, and the 1960 film Where the Boys Are made it the bar of spring break. Go for one drink on the open-air ground floor and the view of the beach crowd; it’s 21+ with ID, and anyone not drinking can wait on the wall across the road.

Dinner on the canal

Where to eat: Coconuts, at 429 Seabreeze Blvd on the Intracoastal, open until 10 p.m.; it doesn’t take reservations, so put your name down early.

Order fish tacos and something with coconut, and watch the yachts slide past the windows. Walk back over the bridge to the beach in the warm dark.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Gran Forno — 1235 E Las Olas Blvd; opens 7 a.m. Why here: Italian pastries and coffee on the way from the airport.
Lunch · Casablanca Cafe — 3049 Alhambra St, off A1A; from 8:30 a.m. Why here: A porch lunch with the ocean in front of you.
Dinner · Coconuts — 429 Seabreeze Blvd; Mon–Sat 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; no reservations. Why here: Seafood on the Intracoastal, a walk from the beach.
Quick stop (other): Elbo Room — 241 S Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd; open since 1938; 21+. Why here: The corner bar where Fort Lauderdale spring break started.

Meet rideshares off A1A. Drivers aren’t allowed to stop on A1A itself (Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd), so pick a side street as the meeting point.

FLL → the beach: about 20 minutes by rideshare. Gran Forno → the beach: about 5 minutes by car. Las Olas and A1A → Coconuts: about 10 minutes on foot.

Where to stay

A hotel or rental on Fort Lauderdale Beach, near Las Olas and A1A — three nights, walking distance to the beach, the Water Taxi stop at Bahia Mar and dinner.

Dinner: Coconuts, on the Intracoastal.

Tomorrow: a diner breakfast and the Water Taxi through the canals to Las Olas.

Bad-weather plan

Storms over the beach? Most afternoon showers pass in an hour. Wait them out on the Casablanca porch or under the Elbo Room’s roof, and get out of the water at the first thunder.

Stay: Beach base · Anchor: Las Olas and A1A · swim near a lifeguard

Good to know: During spring break, the barrier island bans alcohol on the beach (except from approved hotel vendors), tents and amplified music; in 2026 the rules ran Feb 28 to Mar 31.

Illustration: an open-sided water-taxi boat with a shade canopy cruising down a calm palm-lined canal in Fort Lauderdale on a bright morning, small faceless friends at the rail, waterfront homes and moored white yachts on both banks, a drawbridge raised ahead, illustrated day card for Day 2

02Fort Lauderdale · the canals

Base: the beach. The Water Taxi all-day pass costs $38 and runs 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; boats come every 30 to 45 minutes and the full loop takes about 3 hours. Pace: easy: sit, ride, hop off, eat, ride again; the break is a long lunch in the shade on Las Olas between the two laps.

A diner breakfast

Where to eat: Lester’s Diner, at 250 W State Road 84, open 24 hours since 1967, a short rideshare inland, for eggs, pancakes and bottomless coffee in a booth.

Nobody is fast this morning. That’s fine; the first boat isn’t until ten.

Board at Bahia Mar

Walk to the Bahia Mar stop on the Intracoastal and buy the all-day pass. The boats are open-sided with a shade canopy, and the captains talk you through the canals: the waterfront homes, the moored yachts, the drawbridges lifting ahead. Ride the full loop once before getting off anywhere. Expert tip: sit on the side facing the homes for the first leg, then swap for the river.

The Riverwalk and Las Olas

Hop off at the Las Olas stop downtown and walk the Riverwalk along the New River, past the old Stranahan House, then up Las Olas Boulevard for shops, shade and a cold drink. The free Water Trolley links some stops if your legs give out.

Brewery hour

Where to eat: Tarpon River Brewing, downtown near the river, open from 3 p.m. on weekdays and from late morning on weekends, for a flight and something from the kitchen.

Pull two tables together and argue about the best house you saw from the boat.

The Wharf, then the last boat

If it’s Thursday to Sunday, The Wharf, an open-air bar and food hall on the river at 20 W Las Olas, is where the evening goes. Catch a Water Taxi back to the beach before the 10 p.m. finish, or use the cheaper evening pass from 5 p.m. if you start late.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Lester’s Diner — 250 W State Road 84; open 24 hours. Why here: A classic Fort Lauderdale diner since 1967.
Lunch · A café on Las Olas Boulevard — pick one near the Las Olas Water Taxi stop. Why here: Shade and a cold drink between boat rides.
Dinner · Tarpon River Brewing — downtown; Mon–Thu 3 to 10 p.m., Fri noon to midnight, Sat 11 a.m. to midnight, Sun 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Why here: House beer and a kitchen a short walk from the river.
Quick stop (other): Water Taxi of Fort Lauderdale — all-day pass $38, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; evening pass $25 after 5 p.m. Why here: The canals, the homes and Las Olas without a car. Ask the crew about the last boat of the night.
Quick stop (other): The Wharf — 20 W Las Olas Blvd; Thu 4 p.m. to 1 a.m., Fri 4 p.m. to 3 a.m., Sat noon to 3 a.m., Sun noon to midnight. Why here: An open-air evening on the New River.

Start at 10 a.m. and ride the whole loop first. It takes about 3 hours and shows you every stop, so you can pick where to get off on the second lap.

Beach → Lester’s: about 15 minutes by rideshare. Bahia Mar → the Las Olas stop downtown: about 45 minutes by Water Taxi. Last boat back: by 10 p.m.

Where to stay

A hotel or rental on Fort Lauderdale Beach, near Las Olas and A1A — the second night on the beach.

Dinner: Tarpon River Brewing or The Wharf, downtown on the river.

Tomorrow: a shore snorkel on the reef at Lauderdale-By-The-Sea.

Bad-weather plan

Rain on the canals? The boats have a roof and keep running in showers; ride the loop anyway, or spend the wet hour in the shops along Las Olas.

Stay: Beach base · Anchor: Water Taxi loop · all-day pass $38

Good to know: The Water Taxi evening pass is $25 after 5 p.m.; stops include Bahia Mar, Las Olas downtown, Hugh Taylor Birch and Shooters.

Illustration: one snorkeler seen from above floating face-down over a shallow coral reef in clear turquoise water off a Fort Lauderdale-area beach, brain coral, sea fans, striped sergeant majors and a blue tang, sunbeams through the surface and a glass-bottom boat far off, illustrated day card for Day 3

03Lauderdale-By-The-Sea · the reef

Base: the beach; Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is a short rideshare north. Pace: easy to moderate: an hour or two in the water, in about 10 feet over the reef, close to shore, with the break at lunch on the sand by the pier. Snorkelling from the beach is free; bring your own mask or rent one nearby.

Snorkel the reef from the beach

Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is one of the few places on this coast where the reef starts a short swim from the sand. Enter at the Datura Avenue beach portal for the Anglin’s Pier Reef Snorkel Trail, in about 10 feet of water, with three reefs within about 100 yards of shore. Tow a dive flag, as the town asks, and stay well clear of the fishing pier. Face down, it goes quiet: brain coral, sea fans, sergeant majors flicking past in stripes. Expert tip: go in the morning, when the water is often calmer and clearer, and check the beach flags first.

Or the glass-bottom boat

For anyone who’d rather stay dry, the Sea Experience glass-bottom boat leaves Bahia Mar at 10:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. for Twin Ledges, about half a mile out, with a chance to snorkel off the boat. It’s the same reef from above.

Lunch on the sand

Where to eat: Aruba Beach Cafe, at 1 Commercial Blvd right on the beach by the pier, for conch fritters and a long lunch in the sea breeze; check its hours.

Salt in the hair, sand on the floor, nobody in a hurry.

Afternoon at the beach

Walk the low-rise little town, with its beach cottages and no high-rises along the sand. Rent chairs, nap, swim again when the sun drops.

Dinner on the Intracoastal

Where to eat: Kaluz, at 3300 E Commercial Blvd on the Intracoastal, for a dinner on the water as the boats go by; reserve for a group.

Order big plates and share them, and stay for the lights coming on along the docks.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Breakfast at your hotel or a beach café — eat light before swimming. Why here: Get in the water early, while it’s calm.
Lunch · Aruba Beach Cafe — 1 Commercial Blvd, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea; check its hours. Why here: Lunch on the sand by the pier after the snorkel.
Dinner · Kaluz — 3300 E Commercial Blvd, on the Intracoastal; reserve for a group. Why here: A big shared dinner on the water.
Quick stop (other): Anglin’s Pier Reef Snorkel Trail — enter at the Datura Ave portal; about 10 feet deep; tow a dive flag. Why here: A reef you can reach from the beach.
Quick stop (other): Sea Experience glass-bottom boat — from Bahia Mar, 801 Seabreeze Blvd, at 10:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Why here: The reef from above, for anyone staying dry.

Snorkel with a flag and a buddy. Lauderdale-By-The-Sea asks snorkelers to tow a dive flag and stay away from the pier; never snorkel alone, and skip it when the red flag is up.

Beach → Lauderdale-By-The-Sea: about 20 minutes by rideshare. Datura Ave → Aruba Beach Cafe: about 5 minutes on foot. Aruba Beach Cafe → Kaluz: about 5 minutes by car.

Where to stay

A hotel or rental on Fort Lauderdale Beach, near Las Olas and A1A — the third night on the beach.

Dinner: Kaluz, on the Intracoastal.

Tomorrow: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, Bonnet House and garlic crabs before the flight.

Bad-weather plan

Rough sea or poor visibility? Skip the swim and take the glass-bottom boat if it runs, or spend the morning on the beach at Lauderdale-By-The-Sea and save energy for dinner.

Stay: Beach base · Anchor: Anglin’s Pier reef · tow a dive flag

Good to know: The reef trail entry is the Datura Avenue beach portal; there is also a Shipwreck Snorkel Trail in town.

Illustration: a quiet tropical estate garden in Fort Lauderdale, a two-storey 1920s house with a wide shaded veranda, tall royal palms, a calm freshwater slough with lily pads, a small faceless figure on a garden bench in dappled morning light through banyan leaves, illustrated day card for Day 4

04Fort Lauderdale · gardens & crabs

Base: check out and leave the bags at the front desk. Hugh Taylor Birch opens at 8 a.m.; Bonnet House is open Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Mondays, at $30 for adults or $15 for the gardens only. Pace: slow: a shaded walk, a garden, then an early dinner before an evening flight.

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park

Walk in from Sunrise Boulevard at 8 a.m., when the park is cool and nearly empty: a strip of coastal hammock between the Intracoastal and the beach, with sea grapes, a freshwater lagoon and shaded paths. It’s $2 on foot or by bike. Alcohol isn’t allowed in the park; check the park’s notices for any closed docks or pavilions before you go.

Bonnet House

Bonnet House opens at 11 a.m., a short walk south of the park. The 1920s house sits in tropical gardens with a slough full of lily pads, orchids and banyans, a world away from the beach two blocks east. Adult admission is $30, or $15 for the gardens only. Expert tip: don’t plan this day on a Monday, when Bonnet House is closed; swap it with Day 3 instead.

Lunch, light

Keep lunch small: a smoothie or a sandwich near A1A, because dinner is the main event. Collect the bags and head toward the airport side of town in the late afternoon.

The last big dinner: garlic crabs

Where to eat: the Rustic Inn Crabhouse, on a canal near the airport, serving garlic crabs since 1955; check its hours and go early.

Paper on the tables, wooden mallets in every hand, garlic butter everywhere. It’s messy and loud and the best possible last meal before a flight. Crack, laugh, wipe your hands, crack again.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · A coffee and pastry near Las Olas and A1A — before the park opens. Why here: Fuel for an early walk.
Lunch · A light lunch near A1A — keep it small. Why here: Dinner is the event.
Dinner · Rustic Inn Crabhouse — near the airport; garlic crabs since 1955; check its hours. Why here: Mallets, paper tables and garlic crabs for the last big dinner.
Quick stop (other): Hugh Taylor Birch State Park — 3109 E Sunrise Blvd; 8 a.m. to sundown; $2 on foot or bike. Why here: A shaded coastal hammock between the beach and the Intracoastal.
Quick stop (other): Bonnet House Museum & Gardens — Tue–Sun 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Mon; $30 adults, $15 gardens only. Why here: A 1920s house in tropical gardens two blocks from the beach.

Check the day of the week. Bonnet House is closed on Mondays; if your last day falls on one, swap Day 3 and Day 4 and keep the Rustic Inn for the last night.

The beach → Hugh Taylor Birch: about 15 minutes on foot from Las Olas. Hugh Taylor Birch → Bonnet House: about 10 minutes on foot. The beach → the Rustic Inn: about 20 minutes by rideshare, then a few minutes to FLL.

Where to stay

A hotel or rental on Fort Lauderdale Beach, near Las Olas and A1A — check out this morning; leave the bags at the desk.

Dinner: garlic crabs at the Rustic Inn, near the airport.

Then: a short ride to FLL for an evening flight.

Bad-weather plan

Downpour? Bonnet House’s rooms are worth a slow look, and the park paths are shaded; save the walk for a break in the rain and keep the crab dinner as the anchor.

Stay: Check out · Anchor: Bonnet House · closed Mondays

Good to know: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is open 8 a.m. to sundown; some pavilions and restrooms are closed for repairs.

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Plan & pack

Pack for the trip

Reef-safe sunscreen. You’ll be in the water every day, and it’s kinder to the reef at Lauderdale-By-The-Sea.
A mask, snorkel and fins. Bring your own for a better fit, or rent them in town.
A dive flag. The town asks shore snorkelers to tow one; rent or buy one locally.
A long-sleeve sun shirt and a hat. The Water Taxi and the beach are full sun for hours.
Flip-flops and one pair of real shoes. Sand by day, Las Olas and the gardens on foot.
A waterproof phone pouch. For the boat, the beach and rideshare pickups.
ID for everyone. Bars check it; Florida’s drinking age is 21.
A refillable water bottle. March sun is strong, and the city warns about heat on the beach.

A brightly coloured lifeguard tower on the sand at Fort Lauderdale Beach — **Swim near a lifeguard tower and read the flags before you go in.** **A lifeguard tower** · swim near one on Fort Lauderdale Beach and check the flags first

Round red and green sea-grape leaves on a coastal shrub — **Sea grapes shade the dunes and the park paths; don’t pick the leaves.** **Sea-grape leaves** · the round leaves of the shrub that shades Florida’s dunes

Illustration: a beach kit flat-lay on a striped towel on the sand, a blank sunscreen tube, a snorkel mask and snorkel, flip-flops, sunglasses, a refillable water bottle, a long-sleeve sun shirt, a wide-brim hat, a phone in a waterproof pouch and a folded blank paper map, a sea-grape leaf and a coral-pink shell beside them, original illustrated plan card for 4 days in Fort Lauderdale — **Original illustration** · a snorkel mask, sun shirt, flip-flops and a paper map on a striped beach towel

Fort Lauderdale in one frame

The plan card lays out the four days on one towel: a mask for the reef, a sun shirt for the Water Taxi, flip-flops for the wall and a paper map of the canals. Every stop and meal is in the day-by-day above.

Illustration: hands of friends cracking garlic blue crabs with wooden mallets on a paper-covered table at an old waterfront crab house beside a canal at dusk, a heap of red-orange crabs with garlic butter, corn, lemon wedges and iced tea, palms against a coral sunset behind, original illustrated recap card — **Original illustration** · garlic crabs and wooden mallets on a paper-covered table by a canal at dusk

Where the trip ends

The recap card ends the trip at the Rustic Inn: mallets, paper on the table and a pile of garlic crabs before the flight home. The day-by-day has each stop and meal.

The entrance sign and path at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park — **Green and shady** · Hugh Taylor Birch, the Bonnet House banyans and Lauderdale-By-The-Sea

Postcards

Fort Lauderdale, in frames.

The sun rising over the Atlantic from Fort Lauderdale Beach — **Sunrise on Fort Lauderdale Beach** · the Atlantic at first light

A motor yacht cruising the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale past waterfront homes — **The Intracoastal Waterway** · boats and canal homes on the last evening

The Aruba Beach Cafe building in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea — **Aruba Beach Cafe** · lunch on the sand beside the Lauderdale-By-The-Sea pier

Quick answers

Planning notes

How many days do you need in Fort Lauderdale for spring break?

Plan four days and three nights in Fort Lauderdale for a first spring break with friends. That gives you a full beach day, a Water Taxi day on the canals, a snorkel at Lauderdale-By-The-Sea and a slow last morning at Bonnet House. See the four-day route for how the days fit together.

What are the spring break rules on Fort Lauderdale Beach?

During spring break, Fort Lauderdale bans alcohol on the beach (except from approved hotel vendors), tents, inflatables and amplified music on the barrier island. In 2026 the rules ran from Feb 28 to Mar 31, with more police on the beach. Check the city’s spring break page for the current year’s dates before you go.

Do you need a car in Fort Lauderdale?

No, you don’t need a car in Fort Lauderdale if you stay on the beach near Las Olas. The beach, the Water Taxi stop at Bahia Mar and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park are all on foot, and a short rideshare reaches Lauderdale-By-The-Sea and the airport. Rideshares can’t stop on A1A, so meet them on a side street.

How much is the Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi?

The Water Taxi all-day pass costs $38 and runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and an evening pass after 5 p.m. costs $25. Boats come every 30 to 45 minutes and the full loop takes about three hours. See the Water Taxi day for where to hop off.

Can you snorkel from the beach in Fort Lauderdale?

Yes, the best shore snorkel is at Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, just north of Fort Lauderdale. The Anglin’s Pier Reef Snorkel Trail starts from the Datura Avenue beach entry in about 10 feet of water, with three reefs within about 100 yards. Tow a dive flag and stay clear of the pier. See the reef day.

Is Fort Lauderdale or Miami better for a spring break with friends?

Choose Fort Lauderdale for a calmer, car-free beach week with a reef to snorkel and canals to ride. Choose Miami for a bigger city, more nightlife and Art Deco South Beach. For that version, see Miami for girlfriends.

Before you set off — the official checks

Spring-break rules, boat times and hours change. Confirm current details on the sites listed under official links.

Spring break rules — Check the city’s current spring-break dates and beach rules before you pack. The 2026 rules, reported ↗
Rip currents — Learn how to spot a rip current and swim out of one before your first swim. Rip current safety ↗
Snorkel — Check the beach flags and the marine forecast before you swim out. National Weather Service ↗
Bonnet House — Closed Mondays; check the hours before Day 4. Bonnet House ↗

Sunrise on Fort Lauderdale Beach, where Las Olas meets A1A (illustration).

Plan with confidence

Official Links

Official sites to plan and verify the details in this guide.

Fort Lauderdale’s 2026 spring-break rules (Hoodline) ↗Rules and high-impact zones, as reported; the city page blocks automated checks

Lauderdale-By-The-Sea: snorkeling ↗Reef trails, entry and dive-flag rules

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park ↗About the park (official page blocks automated checks)

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens ↗Hours and admission

Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport ↗Flights and ground transport

National Weather Service Miami ↗Marine forecast and rip-current risk

Rip current safety ↗How to spot and escape a rip current

Reviewed Oct 23, 2026How we verify

Conditions and prices can change.

References

Research behind this guide

The reporting and research that shaped this itinerary.

Spring Break 2026 in Fort Lauderdale ↗Hoodline

Snorkeling & Scuba Diving ↗Town of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea

Photo credits

Photos via Wikimedia Commons, resized and converted to WebP. The illustrated cover, day cards, plan card and recap card are this guide’s original itinerary artwork, illustrated from the credited photos listed here.

Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard — photo by Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Cover and Cover web illustrations, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Elbo Room — photo by Leonard J. DeFrancisci, CC BY-SA 3.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0); it is also the basis of the Day 1 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Water Taxi — photo by Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Day 2 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lauderdale-By-The-Sea beach — photo by Elvert Barnes, CC BY-SA 2.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0); it is also the basis of the Day 3 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Bonnet House — photo by Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Day 4 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lifeguard tower — photo by MdeVicente, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Packing card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Sea-grape leaves — photo by Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0
Fort Lauderdale Beach sunrise — photo by quyentr, CC BY 3.0; it is also the basis of the late sunrise illustration
Intracoastal Waterway — photo by U+1F360, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Recap card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park — photo by Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Aruba Beach Cafe — photo by julie corsi, CC BY 2.0
Stranahan House — photo by Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Las Olas Boulevard — photo by Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
New River — photo by Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Bonnet House banyan — photo by Karen B Ross, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Route map — original illustrated route artwork for this guide; stop locations from OpenStreetMap

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The trip in 60 seconds

Postcards from the trip

Four days, one beach, the canals and a reef you can swim to.

Day-by-day summary

Four days, one base, no car

Day 1 · Fort Lauderdale Beach and the A1A wave wall—Sfogliatelle at Gran Forno on Las Olas, lunch at Casablanca Cafe, the beach and the wave wall in the late sun, the Elbo Room and dinner at Coconuts.

Day 2 · The Water Taxi, the New River and Las Olas—Breakfast at Lester’s Diner, a Water Taxi all-day pass from Bahia Mar, the Riverwalk and Las Olas, Tarpon River Brewing and The Wharf.

Day 3 · The reef at Lauderdale-By-The-Sea—The Anglin’s Pier reef snorkel trail from the Datura Avenue entry (or the Sea Experience glass-bottom boat), lunch at Aruba Beach Cafe and dinner at Kaluz on the Intracoastal.

Day 4 · Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, Bonnet House and garlic crabs—Hugh Taylor Birch State Park at 8 a.m., Bonnet House when it opens at 11, and the last big dinner: garlic crabs at the Rustic Inn near the airport.

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Before you set off — the official checks

More of the Florida coast and other beach trips.

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