9 Fun Things To Do In Fort Lauderdale With Kids To Make Memories

Things To Do In Fort Lauderdale With Kids

Visiting the Fort Lauderdale area with kids can make for magical times, especially if you plan your trip around the best activities that the city has to offer. Children enjoy being near the water and visiting the beaches, and there are also many Fort Lauderdale attractions and eating establishments that your children will love.

Whether visiting state parks, shopping, or trying local cuisine interests your family, the city should be at the top of your list of possible destinations. You can spend quality time at museums, theme parks, and botanical gardens. Here are some fun things to do in Fort Lauderdale that will create memories with your kids.

1) Walk Around In Downtown Fort Lauderdale

Adults and children will enjoy seeing the downtown portion of Fort Lauderdale. If your kids are interested in art, they may enjoy visiting the NSU Art Museum. This museum features beautiful art to view each day and also events focused on different art-related topics all throughout the year. If your children are into books, they may enjoy spending time just browsing the Broward County Main Library.

Eating is a great activity to take on with your family while downtown. There are great eating establishments in the downtown area that are happy to serve children and adults.

Restaurants to consider in Downtown Fort Lauderdale:

  • The Cheesecake Factory offers more than just sweets, and kids enjoy the variety of savory items on the menu

  • The Historic Downtowner is kid friendly and offers views of the river

  • Big C’s Downtown Pizzeria provides your family with a favorite food in the heart of Fort Lauderdale’s downtown

2) Spend Time Relaxing At Lauderdale Beach 

Your entire family will enjoy being in the sand at Fort Lauderdale beach, and you can spend hours on the Atlantic Ocean, just appreciating the palm trees, listening to the water lap the shore, and talking and playing with one another.

Bring books for each family member to enjoy while on the beach, or make a game of looking for the best seashells.

3) Visit Everglades Holiday Park

If you would like to leave the city of Fort Lauderdale and spend time in nature in the greater Fort Lauderdale area, consider going to Everglades Holiday Park.

This park offers gator shows and an airboat ride that even older kids will enjoy. The park is open seven days a week, so you can fit it into your vacation on the day that makes the most sense for you.

4) Consider Camping At Sawgrass Recreation Park

When looking for things to do in Fort Lauderdale with kids, consider the memories that can be made by spending a night camping. Sawgrass Recreation Park features airboat rides, guided fishing trips, a store, and the chance for you to stay overnight in nature while vacationing in Fort Lauderdale.

Boat rentals are also available at the park if you would like to get out on the water with just your family.

5) Spend A Day At Flamingo Gardens

Your entire family will enjoy the beauty displayed at one of the oldest botanical gardens in South Florida. Flamingo Gardens features gorgeous flowers, a crocodile habitat, a flamingo pond, and all of the natural beauty you long to see while in Fort Lauderdale. 

There are a number of other botanical gardens in the greater Fort Lauderdale area if you find yourself longing to visit another after going to Flamingo Gardens. Additional botanical garden options:

  • Bonnet House Museum & Gardens – a great place for picnics

  • Deerfield Beach Arboretum – a beautiful place to take a family walk

  • Butterfly World – a tropical plant-filled space that younger kids will enjoy along with the rest of the family

6) Visit Las Olas Beach And Las Olas Boulevard

Las Olas Beach is one of the more beautiful Fort Lauderdale beaches and a great place for family fun, too. The beach features palm trees and white sand and is popular among tourists.

If you enjoy shopping with your family, spend a day at Las Olas Boulevard, exploring the stores there. Taste handcrafted chocolates at Hoffman’s Chocolates Fort Lauderdale, or find a bakery to visit. 

Delicious Las Olas Boulevard restaurant options for your family:

  • Sushi Maki Las Olas – featuring great sushi bars

  • Kilwin’s Ice Cream, Chocolates, & Fudge –  providing sweet treats the whole family will enjoy

  • Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar – with Mexican options for adults and kids

7) Getting Out On The Water

Your family can get to know the Fort Lauderdale area by spending time on a Fort Lauderdale water taxi, or you can board the Jungle Queen Riverboat Cruise for a show and dinner. If your kids are interested in pirates, you can surprise them with BlueFoot Pirate Adventures and a pirate-themed cruise trip.

There are plenty of opportunities to add to your vacation in Fort Lauderdale by spending time out on the water:

  • Take a day cruise to the Bahamas

  • Take a sightseeing cruise via the Carrie B Paddlewheeler

  • Spend an evening cruising the downtown area

8) Enjoy Water Fun At C.B. Smith Park

Both younger kids and older kids will enjoy going down the waterslides at C.B. Smith Park. Spend a day in the sun as a family, enjoying interactive water playgrounds and tube rides. If your family is into sports, C.B. Smith Park also offers the chance to play basketball or golf, volleyball, and tennis.

Additional features that help C.B. Smith Park be the perfect place for your family to spend a quiet day:

  • Batting cages

  • Shelter rentals

  • Picnic area

  • Walking trails

9) Spend Time Paddle Boarding, Kayaking, Biking, And Snorkeling

If you are looking for things to do in Fort Lauderdale with kids and you want to find family-friendly attractions that help you have a real adventure as a family, we have options available for you.

When you visit Fort Lauderdale, let us take you on a paddle-boarding adventure or teach your family to snorkel. If you’d rather spend time in nature instead of at an art museum, rent a kayak through us and get out on the water with your family.

There are many Fort Lauderdale adventures awaiting your family. If you are looking to make memories and learn how to do new things while visiting the area, reach out to Sunrise Paddleboards.

From paddle boarding to waterslides, find activities to do with kids in Fort Lauderdale to enjoy a trip and make memories. Book your next adventure today!

Duration
2 hours
Group Size
no limit

2 Hour Kayak or Paddle Board Rental at our Riverfront Showroom

2-Hour Rental at our Middle River Showroom Location: 2520 N Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305
Singles $45 or Double Kayak $65
Established in 2010, we have dozens of Award Winning Activities with accolades from being the #1 SUP Dealer for the Largest Seller of Boards in the World to becoming an Editorial in USA Today as 1 of 12 EPIC PLACES to Paddle in the World. Our Professional Team of Experts continually train and strive to provide the best service using the best equipment. Our Stand Up Paddle Boards are light weight and designed for high quality performance and great balance. We only use Sit On Top Kayaks that are the most stable based on customer feedback and personally testing for the smoothest and safest paddle ability.

Location, Location, Location: We are conveniently at 2520 N Federal Hwy. making us a short drive from Fort Lauderdale Beach, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Pompano, Boca, and under 3.5 miles from I-95 making it easy from Deerfield, Hollywood, and Miami. Our Middle River Showroom has the calmest waterways with the amazing South Florida Landscapes featuring Tropical Birds, Palm Trees, Iguana, and other Ocean Marine Life. Plus, 3 routes to explore a 9.3 acre Nature Preserve at Colohatchee Park (Dog Friendly), Route 2 travels the north fork and winds towards Wilton Manor Preservation, or choose route 3 for Multi-Million Dollar Intracoastal Homes.

The length of your rental depends on your personal preference and abilities, but if it helps then our customers prefer and recommend the 2 Hour Rental as our Most Popular as 1 Hour will go by very fast and 3 or more hours is more suitable for those wishing to build endurance or strengthening the core. Paddling is awesome because you get great exercise, but with all the eye candy most people tell us they barely noticed all the muscles being worked and conditioned. We think it's the best activity your body can do!

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$45
Duration
2 hours
Group Size
At least 1

Island City ECO Paddle Lesson and Tour

We make it Fun and EASY to LEARN how to Stand Up Paddle Board and want our Prospective Guest to know that it is easier then it looks.

Sunrise Paddleboard Guides twist and turn past Manors and Mangroves on this adventurous Journey along “Island City” incorporated in 1947. It is bordered on the north by the North Fork of the Middle River and the city of Oakland Park; to the south, the boundaries include the South Fork of the Middle River and the city of Fort Lauderdale; the westernmost boundary reaches Interstate 95; and the eastern terminus of the city limits extend to Federal Highway (US 1) and the Sunrise Paddleboard Showroom. Your Journey will start from our Middle River Showroom conveniently located on Federal Highway.

We have a restroom for changing, indoor storage (no lockers), outdoor shower, free parking and a Healthy Restaurant (Mya Papaya) that serves Smoothie's, Kombucha, Beer, Wine, Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, and Entrees with healthier choices. Our Showroom location features a variety of Stand up Paddle Boards and Accessories for those who become hooked on the sport. We have sold 1000's of boards and proudly offer some of the lowest pricing on Stand Up Paddle Boards in the SUP Industry.

Your Guide will start off with some quick pointers and launch you into the Knee Position. Once you establish you're able to steer and control the direction of the board; then you will be ready to Stand Up. The entire Voyage is great practice for First Timers as your Guide will provide Instructions along the way for those needing assistance or just give the advice to improve your technique. Experienced Paddlers and Locals are equally Informed as we provide Demos of our Skills and Teach everyone how to Navigate are winding River. We welcome those who learn our routes and return with friends to ultimately lead their own expeditions on the same routes. Due to popular demand, we highly suggest booking in advance. The River offers incredible landscapes and scenery like nothing else in the world.

Trip Advisor says the only way to travel the waterways to really see things up close and personal is by Sunrise Paddleboards and we agree! That was our intention from day one and we couldn't be happier to have a 95% Excellent Customer Satisfaction rating from third-party vendor surveys. Island City ECO Tour travels to a 9.3 acre nature preserve with plenty of tropical palms, birds, marine life, iguanas, and mangroves for your eye candy.

Other Tours we offer will journey from Fort Lauderdale’s Barrier Island to the Riverfront in Las Olas with professional and friendly guides is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence for tourists. However, you would be surprised to know how many locals repeat the Tour as it changes every day.

We may navigate different routes based on current, wind conditions, and other factors to make the tour safe, fun, and inviting for all ages.

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$99
Duration
1 to 24 hours
Group Size
no limit

Snorkel, Mask, and Map Rental for Self-Guided exploring Fort Lauderdale's Coral Reefs

Let over 12 years of experience serve Snorkelers who want the Best Value. We have been snorkeling this area longer than almost every tour operator that duplicates our success. We recently decided that experienced Snorkelers prefer to explore on their own and realized that once you duck your head under water, then most Snorkelers want to go where your eyes, body, and mind take you. Note: If you are a beginner, then we highly suggest doing our Guided tour as this is Self-Guided.

Florida is one of the most popular places in the world to scuba dive and snorkel and with a provided map you can go exploring at your leisure to a small Town that is known as "Florida’s Beach Diving Capital." This beach portal is located only 3 miles from our convenient Riverfront Paddle Board and Kayak Showroom and Launch. It is our favorite and most popular spot snorkeling with a Reef Snorkel Trail in 10 feet of water, and three the coral reefs within 100 yards off the beach in Lauderdale-By-The Sea.

We make it fun, easy, and affordable for you to explore the reefs:
1. Come to our Riverfront Showroom for a friendly Orientation, Directions, and a Map of the nearby Snorkel Trails.
2. We provide Snorkel, Mask, Snorkel Vest, Flag (1 per Group Leader), and Map
3. Authorized Credit Card Agreement must be signed for Equipment Returns and a Credit Card Must be provided
authorizing up to $85/pp for any unreturned equipent. (See Authorization Form).
4. Sign Waiver Required

Does NOT Include Transportation to or from Showroom and or Snorkel Location

For additional details about the Snorkeling area, we have copied our Guided description below for your convenience but emphasize that by selecting the $35 Rental DOES NOT INCLUDE a Guide. For $65 you can choose our Guided Tour as described below:

https://sunrisepaddleboards.com/product/snorkel-tour-of-underwater-explorer-jean-cousteaus-dedicated-shipwreck-snorkel-trail/

Snorkel Tour of Underwater Explorer Jean Cousteau's dedicated "Snorkel Trail". 2nd to only the Great barrier reef, this hidden treasure is well traveled and would make any pirate happy as one of our expert Guide's navigated you thru the "Snorkel Trail" dedicated by Jean-Michele Cousteau in May 2002. There are two sets of concrete cannons, a large anchor, and a ballast pile replicating a shipwreck common in these waters many years ago. The trial was started in 1998 & took 4 years to complete. The shallow reef trail varies from 8 - 16 feet and is 1 of 3 Reef Systems that host a wide variety of tropical sea life you may see:

Large Sea Turtles Blue Tang Parrotfish French Angels Spotted Scorpionfish
Caribbean Spiny Lobster Doctorfish Tarpon Nurse Sharks Spotted Goatfish
Peacock Flounder Barracuda Eels Manta Rays Trumpet Fish
Blue-Headed Wrasse Eagle Rays Octopus Cuttlefish Sergeant Majors

Our original Tour was created over 10 years ago to complement the 1st Bio rock Project in the USA: The Bio rock Project utilized a low-level electric current from 2 solar-powered buoys to help corals grow much faster than they would in a natural environment while also helping to create vital new underwater habitat for tropical fish, corals, and other species. Unfortunately, the project was abandoned, but thanks to our loyal Guides we have evolved and continued showing off the rich history and beauty of this awesome reef system.

BONUS: Guest may choose to Kayak or Paddle Board for the remainder of the return date for only an additional $12/pp.

Duration
0:60 to 1:30 hour
Group Size
2 to 10

Snorkel Jean Cousteau's Reef and Snorkel Trail

Snorkel Tour of Underwater Explorer Jean Cousteau's dedicated "Snorkel Trail". 2nd to only the Great barrier reef, this hidden treasure is well traveled and would make any pirate happy as one of our expert Guide's navigated you thru the "Snorkel Trail" dedicated by Jean-Michele Cousteau in May 2002. There are two sets of concrete cannons, a large anchor, and a ballast pile replicating a shipwreck common in these waters many years ago. The trial was started in 1998 & took 4 years to complete. The shallow reef trail varies from 8 - 16 feet and is 1 of 3 Reef Systems that host a wide variety of tropical sea life you may see:

Large Sea Turtles Blue Tang Parrotfish French Angels Spotted Scorpionfish
Caribbean Spiny Lobster Doctorfish Tarpon Nurse Sharks Spotted Goatfish

Peacock Flounder Barracuda Eels Manta Rays Trumpet Fish

Blue-Headed Wrasse Eagle Rays Octopus Cuttlefish Sergeant Majors
Our original Tour was created over 10 years ago to complement the 1st Biorock Project in the USA: The Biorock Project utilized a low-level electric current from 2 solar-powered buoys to help corals grow much faster than they would in a natural environment while also helping to create vital new underwater habitat for tropical fish, corals, and other species. Unfortunately the project was abandoned, but thanks to our loyal Guides we have evolved and continued showing off the rich history and beauty of this awesome reef system.

Duration
0:60 to 2:30 hours
Group Size
At least 2

Reef Snorkel & Ocean Paddle Adventure Lauderdale-By-The-Sea

THIS ACTIVITY REQUIRES A MINIMUM OF 2 GUESTS PER TOUR. BE SURE TO INVITE FRIENDS AND FAMILY AS IT WILL BE A FUN ADVENTURE FOR EVERYONE!

We will meet at our designated Beach location and prepare the boards with all the gear including Stand Up Paddle Board, Life Jacket, Mask, Snorkel, and Fins. This is NOT a SUP Lesson, however our Instructors will brief and train you on proper ocean paddle boarding techniques, snorkeling basics, and marine safety before leading you out to the Reef System. You may float attached to your board or we will moor the boards together and begin a “drift dive” over gorgeous multicolored corals and wide variety of marine life! Your Guide will search for cool species. Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is considered to be one of the Best Beach Dive Areas in the World and is 2nd only to the Great Barrier Reef as the most visited in the World.

72 Hour Cancellation Notice is Required and Reservations canceled within 24 hours of event start time cannot be refunded due to our limited capacity of the guest. If the trip is canceled due to weather or rough conditions; then you may choose to reschedule or be refunded. Due to popular demand, we highly suggest booking in advance.

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from
$150
Duration
1 to 2 hours
Group Size
1 to 2

Guided Water Bike Lesson & Tour on Fort Lauderdale's Middle River

Our Private Tour (1 - 2 People) is perfect for First Timers to learn Water Bike techniques. A Guide will teach you how to properly use a water bike while enjoying the sights and sounds of our calm Fort Lauderdale Waterways. We are surrounded by a lush tropical setting with more Palm Trees then you will be able to name that often host Great Egrets, Blue Heron, Green Heron, Ibis, and our ever so popular Iguanas. The Mangroves nearby make a great habitat for Seasonal Manatee as well as tons of marine life that pass our river front showroom daily. Our Middle River location is much calmer then the Intracoastal areas or high boat traffic areas like George English Park that can make it difficult for learning which is the primary focus of our Tour. Our experienced Guide will monitor your biking techniques and advice you on improvements to make learning fun and easy as we cruise around the beautiful landscapes of Island City. Along with the added safety instructions, your Guide will also take pictures for your memories for you to share with your friends, family, and loved ones.

About Our Water Bikes (Available For Sale)
🧜 Our SUP water bike combines the fun of stand-up paddleboarding with the excitement of water biking, allowing you to enjoy the best of both worlds.
🧜 Perfect for Adults, our inflatable SUP water bike is easy to set up and transport, making it ideal for outdoor activities on lakes, rivers, and oceans.
🧜 Guided Lessons, Tours, and Rentals will include the setup and Riding Instructions for your Safety and Confidence.
🧜 The SUP water bike is made with high-quality materials, ensuring durability and stability on the water.
🧜 Our inflatable SUP is lightweight and easy to maneuver, providing a comfortable and stable platform for all levels of riders.
🧜 With a stand-up paddleboard design and a water bike feature, our SUP water bike is a versatile and fun water sport that is perfect for families
and friends to enjoy together.
🧜 Whether you're an experienced water sports enthusiast or a beginner, our inflatable SUP water bike is a great way to explore the water and stay active.
🧜 It's a perfect addition to any water sports collection and an excellent way to enjoy the outdoors
🧜 Maximum Guest = 2 (We only conduct private 1 or 2 person tours).
🧜 Weight Limit 275 Pounds
🧜 Age Restriction: 13+

All eyes will be on you as this is a new sport for most people, so be ready for plenty of good looks!