Fort Lauderdale · Our playground
The Double Rainbow Guide to Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is a beach city threaded with hundreds of miles of canals, where the sand, the boating life and a growing arts scene sit minutes apart. We host guests here year-round, and this is the guide we wish every visitor arrived with: which beach for which mood, where to eat and wander, how to get around, and what to do when it rains.
The best beaches
Fort Lauderdale Beach is the postcard: a wide, palm-lined promenade with famously clear water, about 10 minutes from our homes. The sweetest swimming and people-watching run from Las Olas Boulevard north to Sunrise.
Want quieter? Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is a charming low-rise beach village about 15 minutes north, and Pompano Beach Pier has a beautiful new pier and restaurants. All are an easy drive — and every stay includes free beach-cruiser bikes.
Sebastian Beach
Sebastian Street Beach — where Sebastian Street meets A1A — is Fort Lauderdale's famous gay beach: friendly, social and steps from beachfront bars. It's about 10 minutes from our Wilton Manors suites.
Go late morning for a good spot, and stay for sunset — the crowd drifts to the nearby patios as the light goes golden.
Bill & Jonathan's pick
Sebastian on a Saturday, then happy hour back on the Drive. That's the classic Double Rainbow day.
Las Olas Boulevard
Las Olas is the city's elegant main street — galleries, boutiques and sidewalk restaurants running from downtown all the way to the beach. Come for a long lunch, stay for a wander, and walk it end to end at dusk when the lights come on.
Our routine: coffee and a stroll at the beach end, browse the galleries mid-boulevard, then dinner downtown. It's about 10 minutes by car from our homes — or make a day of it on the Water Taxi.
Riverwalk & the New River
The Riverwalk follows the New River through downtown — a shaded promenade past yachts, museums and waterfront bars. Ride the Water Taxi from here for the best-value sightseeing in Florida: mansions, megayachts and a running commentary of local gossip.
History stop: the Stranahan House, the city's oldest surviving home, sits right on the river. Then cocktails on a riverfront patio as the boats drift by.
Flagler Village
Flagler Village is Fort Lauderdale's arts district — warehouses turned galleries, breweries and coffee roasters just north of downtown. The monthly art walk fills the streets with open studios, food trucks and live music.
Beer lovers, this is your neighborhood: Funky Buddha's famous brewery is just up the road in Oakland Park, and smaller taprooms cluster around the village.
The cruise port — Port Everglades
Port Everglades is one of the busiest cruise ports on earth — and only about 15 minutes from our homes. If you're sailing, arriving a day early (or staying a day after) turns a travel day into a beach day.
FLL airport
Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International (FLL) is one of the easiest big airports in America — compact, quick, and about 15–20 minutes from our homes. Rideshare queues are short and there's flat-rate taxi service to the beach and port.
Flying into Miami instead? It's about 45 minutes away; the Brightline train from Miami to downtown Fort Lauderdale is the smoothest option — and a fun ride.
Things to do
Beyond the beach: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is a lagoon-side oasis for kayaking and shaded trails right off A1A, and the Bonnet House is a dreamy 1920s artist's estate hidden in the trees. The Water Taxi doubles as the best-value harbour tour anywhere.
For a bigger day out, Everglades airboat tours start about 30 minutes west, Miami's South Beach is 40 minutes south, and Key West makes a long but glorious day — about four hours each way.
Rainy-day activities
Summer afternoons bring short, dramatic storms — plan around them. The NSU Art Museum downtown is excellent, the Museum of Discovery & Science (with its giant-screen theater) is a family winner, and the Stonewall National Museum on Wilton Drive is our favorite hour in town.
Or lean in: covered shopping at the Galleria, a long lunch on Las Olas, then back to your suite to watch the storm roll through — they're usually gone by happy hour.
Pet-friendly Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale loves dogs. There's a designated canine stretch of Fort Lauderdale Beach (check the city's current permit rules before you go), and Snyder Park's dog park even has a swim lake for dogs.
Closer to home, the patios along Wilton Drive welcome dogs almost universally — and all four of our homes are pet-friendly. Just add your pet when you book.
Frequently asked
What is the best beach in Fort Lauderdale?
Fort Lauderdale Beach between Las Olas and Sunrise for the full promenade experience; Sebastian Street Beach for the LGBTQ+ scene; Lauderdale-By-The-Sea for a quieter village feel. All are 10–15 minutes from our homes.
How far is Fort Lauderdale airport from the beach?
About 15 minutes by car — FLL is one of the closest major airports to a beach in the country.
What is there to do in Fort Lauderdale when it rains?
The NSU Art Museum, the Museum of Discovery & Science, the Stonewall National Museum on Wilton Drive, the Galleria — or a long lunch on Las Olas. Storms here are usually short.
Is Fort Lauderdale good for a pre-cruise stay?
Perfect — Port Everglades is about 15 minutes from our homes, and a day or two either side of your sailing is an easy mini-vacation.
Stay where the locals actually host.
Pet-friendly suites and a private-pool home, minutes from everything in this guide. Book direct for the best rate.
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