Ok so lets get back to the fun youthful days and my time in Florida (18 years strong! see posts) . We were west of I-75 expressway in Miramar, and we enjoyed a lot coming to the beaches especially in Ft Lauderdale that were straight east of us. Again, I have written some posts on the city but felled in debt to do one on the beaches of Ft Lauderdale so here it is ,hope you enjoy it as we did. And this is a refresh older post with new links.
Las Olas Beach, has a small stretch of sand that attracts beachgoers of all ages. It is a smaller beach right of the chic Las Olas blvd and so beach amenities are not as plentiful as those offered at the bigger and equally nice Fort Lauderdale Beach Park. However, visitors have access to beach chair and water sports equipment rentals, restrooms and metered parking. Restaurants, bars and shops are also available across the street. Just do not come during college Spring Break time as it gets rowdy and crowded otherwise is a great place to be at the beach. Our favorite!
We always came by car, but for information only, the particular buses that comes to the beach are the No. 11 or 40 bus, BCT bus schedules: https://www.broward.org/BCT/Schedules/Pages/default.aspx
Another option is to take Sun Trolley’s Las Olas sort of like a little train on wheels, however check with tourist office as with covid19 it was discontinue and the webpage is not working,(any info appreciated) . Also, there is a wonderful water taxi service :https://watertaxi.com/
In the same venue of beaches , if you’re looking for more out of your beach day head over to Fort Lauderdale Beach Park just south of Las Olas blvd. At the bigger Ft Lauderdale Beach you’ll find a calmer and less chaotic version of other well known beaches in Florida, but with the same sugary sands and crystal clear water. There ,you’re more likely to find families relaxing or leisurely walking the waterline . Backing the shoreline, the palm tree-lined promenade bustles with visitors looking to shop and dine in the many establishments along it. All just south of the wonderful Bahia Mar Resort, at 1100 Seabreeze Boulevard, this picturesque park has everything you need to maximize your fun in the sun time, from sand volleyball courts to a boat ramp to outdoor showers. There are grills for cooking, a basketball court if you get bored with the sand and a kid’s playground to keep the little ones busy. Park Facilities and Amenities include: Boat Ramp , non-motorized, Grills and Picnic Tables, Outdoor Showers, Restrooms, Basketball Full Court, Children’s Playground, and a Volleyball Court. The above BCT Broward bus schedule look for No 40.
You would do better to see the Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, this came to be when in 1919, a wealthy settler gave the 35-acre property (named after the bonnet lily flower that grew on the grounds) as a wedding gift to his daughter . In 1920, began construction of Bonnet House, and later was donated to the city now open to all to marvel at its gardens and architecture along the beach! Webpage : https://www.bonnethouse.org/
You will have another memorable spot for us there and lots of walks indeed in the Hugh Taylor Birch State Park located a few blocks north of the above Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. The park is position between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean makes it a fun locale for all types of folks. Those looking to get a little wet can canoe or kayak in the largest of the park’s coastal dune lakes. Adventurers who want to get their adrenaline pumping can bike along the nearly 2-mile paved park drive. Meanwhile, visitors who prefer to explore by foot can hike the Coastal Hammock Trail, which snakes through a native maritime tropical hardwood hammock ecosystem, one of the last of its kind in the county. Marvellous indeed! webpage: https://www.floridastateparks.org/HughTaylorBirch
After all that beach , parks, and museum, head for the marvelous chic my fav Las Olas Blvd. A very chic place in South Florida which fame has relegated behind the more famous SoBe. However, for my tastes this is more private, cosy, and chic a family event. Therefore, let me show you a bit of Las Olas Blvd, Ft Lauderdale, Florida, USA!
Las Olas Boulevard runs from Andrews Avenue in the Central Business District (downtown/city center) to A1A (road along the beachfront) and Fort Lauderdale Beach. The easternmost section of the boulevard is interlaced with canals and waterfront homes. The commercial stretch, approximately 1-mile (1.6 km) or the Golden Mile ::) in length, features cool sub-tropical breezeways and courtyards with bars, nightclubs, bridal stores, shops, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants and the historically nice, Riverside Hotel. The name “Las Olas” means the waves in Spanish. All but the westernmost fourteen blocks are also signed as State Road 842 (SR-842) . Las Olas has its own historic house, a nearby IMAX cinema and movie theater within a short walk. Las Olas Boulevard can be accessed by the water taxi. The boulevard is a popular dining and shopping destination for locals and visitors as it is situated close to Fort Lauderdale beach, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades. (cruise ship terminal), and has a wonderful arts museum, webpage : https://nsuartmuseum.org/
The Las Olas boulevard was constructed in 1917, when Las Olas was just a dirt road that crossed the swampy wetlands to the barrier island at Fort Lauderdale Beach. The boulevard begins at the famous Elbo Room bar where the beach meets the boulevard and ends in the west at the Arts Museum. A few of the most notable who lived here are: Johnny Weissmuller, actor who played Tarzan and invented the signature yell. Connie Francis, actress and movie star who was featured in the movie, Where the Boys Are which was filmed on Las Olas Blvd at the famed Elbo Room. Lee Majors, actor who played The Six Million Dollar Man and former husband to Farrah Fawcett. Sonny and Cher, singers and actors. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, television and movie stars. Stars of I Love Lucy fame. Gloria Vanderbilt, designer and socialite. Frank and Ivy Stranahan, founding pioneers of Fort Lauderdale and the first residents of Las Olas Boulevard. Their trading post Stranahan House is located between the boulevard and New River. Official Stranahan house webpage: https://stranahanhouse.org/
An extension along the beach you reach the quant old time town of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea . A welcome quiet paradise welcoming visitors to enjoy its beautiful beach, multitude of sidewalk cafes, frequent live music and enticing public plazas, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is widely acknowledged to be the South Florida shore diving capital. Snorkelers and divers come from all over to swim from the beach to reefs alive with tropical fish, turtles and even lobsters. You are worth coming up to El Prado Park at 4501 N. Ocean Dr. , this is the town’s most popular beachfront park and parking facilities just across at El Mar Drive (st). The Lauderdale by the Sea tourist office: https://www.discoverlbts.com/beaches-parks/
The official Las Olas Boulevard things to do/see/shop/eat :https://lasolasboulevard.com/
The Ft Lauderdale tourist office on Las Olas blvd : https://www.visitlauderdale.com/listing/las-olas-boulevard/1246/
There is a wonderful art festival on its 35th edition! and has grown very nice right at Las Olas well recommended. Webpage : https://www.artfestival.com/festivals/las-olas-art-fair-fort-lauderdale-florida
There you go folks, a nice hommage to my last home in the USA. There were very nice 18 yrs in Florida and before that 13 yrs in New Jersey (see posts). Memories forever, as do not think will ever go back as France is awesome too, but the visits maybe, and the memories forever, after all graduated Univ, was married and my 3 boys were born in Florida! Hope you enjoy Las Olas and the beach of Fort Lauderdale as I!!
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 