Question 1

Getting to the Port

Accepted Answer

Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport is next door to the port, and taxis, shuttles and rideshares cover the short trip. Miami International Airport is the alternative. Fort Lauderdale is about 30 miles north of Miami. Brightline trains from Miami, West Palm Beach and Orlando stop in Fort Lauderdale. Parking costs up to $25 a day (2026) in the port's two garages and its lots, and the port takes no reservations or advance payment. The Heron garage serves Terminals 2 and 4. The Palm garage serves Terminals 19, 21, 25, 26 and 29, with a shuttle to Terminal 29.

Question 2

Tipping and Currency

Accepted Answer

No currency exchange is needed in Fort Lauderdale, and tips work as they do across the United States. Check restaurant bills for an automatic gratuity or service charge. Since July 1, 2026, Florida law requires restaurants to disclose an automatic gratuity or service charge before you order. Porters take checked bags at the terminal, and a small cash tip per bag is customary.

Question 3

Where to Eat

Accepted Answer

Las Olas Boulevard is where to eat the night before, and its restaurant stretch runs west of SE 17th Avenue toward downtown. The Water Taxi stops at the Las Olas shops and restaurants, at 904 East Las Olas Boulevard. Florida stone crab claws are in season from October 15 to May 1. The port lists snack and drink machines in its cruise terminals, not restaurants, so eat before you go.

Question 4

Fort Lauderdale Beach

Accepted Answer

Fort Lauderdale has 7 miles of beach, and Las Olas Boulevard ends at the sand. Las Olas Oceanside Park, where the boulevard meets the beach road, A1A, has a 650-space parking garage behind it. The city runs free LauderGO community shuttles, including routes called Beach Link and Las Olas Link. Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, between the Intracoastal Waterway and A1A, has a beach, two short trails and a mile-long freshwater lagoon. It is a Water Taxi stop until sunset.

Question 5

Traveling with Family

Accepted Answer

The science museum, the Water Taxi and the beach are the simplest ways to fill a few hours with children. The Museum of Discovery and Science, downtown, has an IMAX theater, a simulated Everglades airboat ride and live Florida animals, including otters and baby alligators. The Water Taxi sells an all-day pass for unlimited rides, and children who would rather be on a boat than on foot can simply stay aboard. Hugh Taylor Birch State Park rents kayaks.

Question 6

A Brief History

Accepted Answer

Fort Lauderdale takes its name from army forts built in 1838, during the Second Seminole War. People of the Tequesta culture lived here for at least 2,000 years before Spanish contact. The forts were named for Major William Lauderdale and abandoned in 1842, and settlers did not return until the 1890s. Frank Stranahan ran a ferry across the New River from 1893. The trading post he built in 1901 is the oldest surviving structure in Broward County. The city was incorporated in 1911, and the harbor that became Port Everglades was dedicated on February 22, 1928. The city's beaches were whites-only when Eula Johnson and Dr. Von D. Mizell led the first wade-in on July 4, 1961. The city sued to stop the protests, and a judge refused on July 11, 1962, which opened the county's beaches.

Question 7

Culture & Local Life

Accepted Answer

Fort Lauderdale is nicknamed the Venice of America for its 165 miles of inland waterways, and the Water Taxi is the simplest way onto them. Stranahan House, the 1901 trading post, is now a museum. Guided tours of Stranahan House run on most weekday afternoons, so check the times before you go. Bonnet House Museum & Gardens is a 35-acre beachfront estate kept as a historic house museum.

Question 8

Shopping & Local Markets

Accepted Answer

Las Olas Boulevard is the city's shopping street, with boutiques and art galleries among its restaurants. Sawgrass Mills, in Sunrise, has more than 400 outlet and discount stores. Las Olas Oceanside Park, at the beach end of the boulevard, hosts farmers markets. The port lists no shops in its terminals, so buy anything you forgot before you reach the port.

Question 9

Accessibility

Accepted Answer

Both port garages have disabled parking with clear access to the elevators, and the city keeps a beach wheelchair at the Sebastian Street lifeguard station. Ask your cruise line for boarding assistance before you travel, and ask your ship whether the gangway is step-free. An air-conditioned bridge with moving walkways links the fifth floor of the Heron garage to Terminal 2. The beach wheelchair is available from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., beside an accessible ramp, with accessible parking at 3031 Sebastian Street. Call the station before you go. LauderGO community shuttles are free, and each has two wheelchair spaces.

Fort Lauderdale

More views of Fort Lauderdale

Good to know

What to Expect

Getting to the Port

Tipping and Currency

Where to Eat

Fort Lauderdale Beach

Traveling with Family

A Brief History

Culture & Local Life

Shopping & Local Markets

Accessibility

Rental cars near Fort Lauderdale

Port crowds

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