Fort Lauderdale Vacations: Getting around Town

When planning their Fort Lauderdale vacations people always ask us, "What's the best way to get around Town?" So we thought we'd share some of what we've learned over the years.

Getting around Fort Lauderdale is actually quite easy. There are many options for both residents and tourists—from hiring a limo or car service, to renting a car, to using the various types of public transport available.

So if you're planning a Ft. Lauderdale vacation and wondering how to get around you'll be happy to know that you have many options.

Fort Lauderdale has an excellent bus system. The buses are clean, reliable and operate on a published schedule and serve all areas and destinations (410 square miles with 40 routes). So if you're on a budget and mostly hanging out near the beach and only occasionally want to venture out shopping or to a particular spot, Broward County Transit may be the way to go.

Car/limo services are great and Fort Lauderdale has many. So if you're going for a day of touring or out for an evening on the town, they offer the convenience of not having to look for parking and not worrying about drinking and driving. If there are a bunch of you and many are sharing the cost, hiring a car and driver can actually be a really affordable thing to do.

Renting a car is easier to do here than in most cities since there are a surprising number of rental locations scattered all over the place. This is after all a tourist town so all the major car rental companies are here with both Airport and off-Airport locations. We've rented cars on most of our Fort Lauderdale vacations and over the years we've learned a few tricks to help reduce costs which we are happy to share.

The Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi is not only practical for getting to some of the more frequented locations in town (like the Galleria Mall, Las Olas Blvd, and Las Olas Riverfront) but also offers a unique perspective on the city itself since you're traveling via the canals.

The Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi service is really fun and the guides who operate them offer upsome great trivia and stories on famous people's residences along the canal route.
Tickets may be purchased on board. (cash, credit cards, or travelers’ checks.)
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2014 PRICE UPDATE 


Adult All Day Pass $22.00 - Unlimited rides all day.
Youth All Day Pass $ 11.00 - Youth 5 – 11 years.
Senior All Day Pass $ 18.00 - Seniors 65 and over.

Children 4 and under FREE

MIDNIGHT MADNESS – After 5pm $ 15.00 - Must be purchased on board after 5pm.

This is a must-do for all Fort Lauderdale Vacations. 
 

TIP: Many restaurants along the water taxi route give discounts to anyone holding a water taxi ticket. 

Taxis are abundant throughout South Florida and the two major taxi services have easy to remember telephone numbers. The two main taxi companies servicing the Greater Fort Lauderdale area can be reached at 954-333-3333 or 954-777-7777 (now those are easy numbers to remember). And, in case you were considering standing on the corner and hailing a cab I suggest you call and order one. Unless you're at some major tourist spot or somewhere with a taxi line, you'll have a hard time flagging one down.

The Sun Trolley is a great service offered by the City of Fort Lauderdale. It's a fun, low or no cost option (depending on which trolley route—they range from a dollar to absolutely free) to travel around. Most of the routes operate Monday to Friday, while some run on the weekend as well.

The Sun Trolley runs on a fixed schedule in various parts of the city and can take you to such places as the Convention Center, the Museum of Art, or Fort Lauderdale Beach. A great feature about the trolleys is that you don't have to be at a designated stop. Just flag a driver down from anywhere along the trolley route and they'll pick you up, then just let the driver know where you want to be dropped off and they'll stop. How great is that? By the way, the trolleys are air conditioned and can accommodate wheel chairs and bicycles.

When planning Fort Lauderdale Vacations first decide on where you're staying then you'll be able to figure out which of the many options for getting around town is best for you.

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