Ft. Lauderdale Beach vacation

Best Things Nearby:
Beach Ft Lauderdale - intracoastal waterway

Best Things About the Resort:
Activities Beautiful landscaping

Resort Experience:
Beautifully landscaped. There is a central courtyard area with palm trees, waterfalls, and flowers. This area has the tiki bar, main activity area and kids pool. There is shuffle board and ping pong. We stayed in the Cabana building which is surrounding this area. It was great for Grandma who can't walk very far. She could still enjoy the activities. The kids were able to go out, swim and enjoy activities and still be visible from the room. These rooms are older. They were well furnished but needed an update. Also, there wasn't a washer/dryer in the unit. There was a laundry room with coin operated equipment. The other buildings which are farther from the main activity area were newer, had a nicer layout and had washer/dryer in the unit.

There were four pools total - one near each building. There were tennis courts a block down the street but we didn't use them. The beach is across the street. It was nice but not spectacular. There are chairs, tents, jet skis and parasailing available. We went parasailing. It was great. The activities director, Jeff, is great. Very fun. He has a variety of activities available. We tried karaoke, coconut bowling and the treasure hunt. There are several day trips available as well (Miami nightlife, Key West, Everglades). We didn't do any of these. We just wanted to relax.

There were also a couple of dinner shows at the resort. The animal show is a must-do. There was a variety of animals (Baby alligator, anteater, fox, parrot, panther and more) which we were allowed to touch. This activity requires a ticket ($6/person).

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Very Good

We liked the atmosphere, although it was a little noisy. On the beach, open air with some outside tables. The food was good and prices were comparable to other local restaurants ($125 for 5 people). Nice variety. The lobster pizza was great.

This was a 3-hour cruise on a 40-foot pontoon boat (covered top, open sides). There is a small glass bottom viewing port. You go out to the reef in the Atlantic for snorkeling for the first hour. The visibility was good. We saw many types of fish, nurse sharks, a jellyfish. The kids loved snorkeling for the first time. All equipment was provided.

After snorkeling we went into the Intercostal Waterway for dinner (sandwiches, chips, fresh fruit, dessert, fruit and rum punch). We cruised up and down the waterway, where we saw homes of the rich and famous (Oprah, Jeff Gordon, etc). There was music, dancing and a limbo contest. This was enjoyable even for Grandma, who didn't snorkel. It was a bit scary for her at first because the seas were rough. Jose, the cruise director was wonderful. He took great care of Grandma - helped her feel at ease and made sure she was comfortable. This was the highlight of the trip. Check out neondolphin.com for pictures.