Fort Lauderdale has a lot more to offer than beaches and parties. You can bring the whole family to this sun-filled spot and find something that everyone will like. From the toddler amusement park rides for the little tots to the escape rooms for the older crowds, all ages can find something to do. Whether you want to hit the beach, take a river cruise, or go see the gators in the Everglades, anything on the water is fun in Fort Lauderdale. Take a Jungle Cruise on the New River or a Pirate Expedition on the Intracoastal Waterway. But leave your bags and backpacks at a luggage storage spot in Fort Lauderdale first.
Museums
Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS)
MODS is like a museum, theatre, and zoo all in one place. Kids of all ages love the IMAX theatre and the trip to Mars. They can make things in the discovery lab, look for fossils in the dino boneyard, and get souvenirs at the Explore Store. But the main attraction at MODS is always the gators, otters, and other animals.
Antique Car Museum
Also known as the Packard Car Museum, this place has the biggest collection of Packard cars in the world. Check out the 1909 Runabout with kerosene headlights, find out how the 1929 Dual Cowl Phaeton lubricates its own chassis as it drives, and see the 1915 delivery truck with solid rubber tires.
Bonnet House Museum & Gardens
Built in 1920, the Bonnet House Museum is not just another pretty old house. It has monkeys! Evelyn Bartlett had a group of wild monkeys that hung out in her garden that are still hanging about waiting for some food. You can even feed them. Visit the gift shop for unique souvenirs and gifts before you go.
Parks
Hugh Taylor Birch Park
Right on the ocean with stunning white sandy beaches, this park is the perfect place to spend the day with the kids. Bring your swimming gear and sunscreen so you can enjoy the water. They even have scuba diving, kayak rentals, picnic areas with concessions, hiking, and quite a few varieties of wildlife to see.
Fort Lauderdale Beach Park
This public beach has everything you need to spend the day in or on the water. Less crowded than Hugh Taylor Birch Park, this one is better for a nice peaceful relaxing visit. Although they also have playgrounds, BBQ grills, and volleyball, you can just lay around and soak up the sun while the kids enjoy the water all day.
Uncle Bernie’s Amusement Park
You won’t find many amusement parks with free admission anymore, but Uncle Bernie’s does not charge to get in. You only pay for what you want. It is not a huge place where you have miles to walk to get to a ride either. There are two coasters and several other thrill rides along with kiddie rides, games, and food.
Outdoor and Indoor Fun
Jaxon’s Riverwalk Scavenger Hunt
Remember playing scavenger hunt when you were a kid? Kids today are too busy on their phones to hunt for fun. Take them to Jaxon’s where they will give you a list of things to find around the Riverwalk area. You will take selfies or videos of the items and you can win prizes for the most points.
Sawgrass Recreation Park
Whether you want to go on an airboat ride in the Everglades to see gators or see some animals up close, Sawgrass has it all in one park. The animal exhibit has over 100 critters from tortoises to peacocks and snakes to iguanas. Or take a guided fishing tour and see what you can catch for dinner!
Xtreme Action Park
The largest indoor entertainment park in Florida, Xtreme Action has over 200,000 square feet of fun like go-karts, bowling, arcades, and laser tag. Go roller skating, jump on a trampoline, or try to escape one of the escape rooms. This is fun for all ages. They even have a café, an ice cream shop, and a bar.
Boat Rides
Jungle Queen
You have your choice of three cruises at Jungle Queen. The dinner and show tour features live entertainment and an all-you-can-eat dinner. The 90-minute sightseeing tours take you up and down the river with a guided host. But the kids will really love the afternoon tropical isle visit to see monkeys, lemurs, and gators.
Wooten’s Everglades Tour
For the more adventurous crew, head to Wooten’s where you can speed through the glades on an airboat. Or take a swamp buggy tour where you can see an Indian burial ground and camp, see manatees in Manatee Pond, and look for gators and bears. They even have an alligator park with live shows.
Bluefoot Pirate Adventure
Take the one-hour pirate adventure on the Bluefoot Pirate Ship where your kids can search for treasure. After getting dressed for the part with some painted tattoos, join the crew of pirates and Captain Black Sparrow or Captain Kraken. Don’t forget to grab some cool souvenirs at the gift shop before leaving.
Nature Exploration
Secret Woods Nature Center
If you like to hike, this is your spot to go. According to locals, Secret Woods has the best trails in the state. And during your visit, you may see giant land crabs, herons, and cormorants. The mangroves and palms make a wonderful habitat for all sorts of animals. The exhibit hall is full of cool things to see too.
Flamingo Gardens Wildlife Sanctuary
Another fun nature area, this one is full of flamingos. The vibrantly colored birds live on 60 acres of gardens with other wildlife like peacocks, panthers, eagles, and gators. The gardens hold over 3,000 plants and trees including the largest trees in Florida. Don’t miss the Wray Home Museum, built in 1933.
Butterfly World
Butterfly World started as the hobby of Ronald Boender and turned into a huge collection of butterflies with three acres of aviaries, gardens, and a research center. They even have two bird aviaries for tropical birds and lorikeets. You and the kids can see thousands of species of butterflies and learn all about their habitat.
Be sure to take the time to see some of the historic buildings and other structures in and around Fort Lauderdale while you are visiting. The gorgeous 142-foot Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse was built in 1855. And the stately Stranahan House was built in 1901, making it the oldest building in Broward County.
