Fort Lauderdale Pleasures

I admit it. I had always associated Fort Lauderdale with a bunch of college kids letting loose over spring break, and that picture didn’t even appeal to me when I was one of those kids. Students gone wild weren’t a concern when we visited in May, but post-hurricane construction was taking place all along Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard. Still, the noise and mess seemed remote as we walked along the white sand beach just across the street from a construction site or dined at one of the many sidewalk cafes a couple buildings away. We had just driven from Miami to the Tampa Bay area and then to Fort Lauderdale on business. Happily, our business in Fort Lauderdale took less time than we expected, so we were able to enjoy a few days of R&R at the end of the trip.

Our original plan had been to drive to Miami to spend the last couple days before catching our flight home, but we found Fort Lauderdale so totally relaxing, we extended our stay there. Having spent so much time in an automobile on the trip, one of the features we liked best was being able to walk the 3-mile stretch of the Boulevard, which is dotted with shops and restaurants, while leaving the rental car parked. The salty air was intoxicating and the beach here rivaled many that we have visited in the Caribbean. Fort Lauderdale is the perfect place to do everything you ever dreamed of at a beach resort or to lay back and do simply nothing. We chose the latter.

Quick Tips:

If you are driving, it is helpful to know that streets, boulevards, drives, and courts run east to west while avenues, ways, and terraces run north to south.

There is no parking permitted along SR A1A (which is named Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard for the 3-mile stretch extending from Bahia Mar Marina to Sunrise Boulevard.) There is some metered parking available along the side streets off SR A1A, which costs anywhere from .25 to .50 per hour. If you travel south on A1A just past the Oasis restaurant and take a left, you will find a public parking lot. We were there during low season and the rate was with no in/out privileges. We chose to drive one block further and park at one of the meters on a side street that cost us per hour with a 4 hour maximum stay. Most restaurants along A1A provide free valet parking.

Best Way To Get Around:

If you are in good shape and want to spend most of your time along the beach, I suggest you take a taxi to your hotel and simply walk to the restaurant of your choice and engage a taxi for further destinations. However, if you want to venture further from the beach on many occasions, a rental car would be helpful.

The Fort Lauderdale Waterfront Inns Beach Resort was the perfect place to unwind from our business trip. I would have expected to pay much more than the $80 a night (which included my AAA discount) we were charged, even if we were there in low season (mid-May). It is an older property, but the rooms are clean, comfortable and well decorated. (They were also just beginning to renovate some of the rooms when we left.) In addition to the typical amenities (coffee maker, hair dryer, iron), our standard room came with a microwave and a refrigerator.

 Dishes, glassware, and silverware were also supplied, making it easy to reheat some of the "doggie bags" we brought back from the restaurants we sampled. The property is ideally located just across from the beach and within easy walking distance of many of the shops and restaurants along Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard (also known as A1A). The room comes with a free continental breakfast. Be forewarned: It is just a basic continental breakfast—coffee, tea, juices, bagels, fruit, and sweet rolls—not the expanded version you find at some of the hotels these days. Nevertheless, you’d be hard-pressed to beat the ambience of the dining experience. My bagel and cream cheese became a gourmet treat when consumed at one of the tables on the Inn’s large, covered front porch, which reminded me of a porch of an old Southern mansion. The view was incredible and the ocean breeze provided the perfect accompaniment.

Free high-speed Internet access is available in the lobby and on the covered porch. There is a computer available for public use in the lobby, or you can use your own laptop. The hotel’s pool faces the beach, so you can still capture the beach experience if you tire of the sand but still want to play in the water. This property is owned by the same people who own the Fort Lauderdale Oceanfront Hotel right next door, and we were able to use that Hotel’s exercise room, bicycle rentals, and other amenities had we chosen to do so. The staff was exceptionally friendly and helpful—which is why we decided to stay here for three more days rather than moving on to Miami as we had originally planned. I would have preferred a room with an ocean view, but only the suites had that view, and they were, of course, more expensive. For more information, visit their website at www.waterfrontinns.com. Phone: (800) 543-2006.

The Casablanca Café was within easy walking distance from our hotel and had an inviting ocean-view patio and an interesting menu, so this one was close to being a no-brainer. Nevertheless, I will admit to a moment’s pause since there was only one other couple dining on the patio when we arrived for lunch. Also, I tend to shy away from restaurants with menus that offer something for everyone. Casablanca’s menu was one of the most varied I’ve ever encountered. Entrée descriptions reflected the influence of such diverse cultures as Morocco, Japan, Spain, Italy, the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, and Cajun Louisiana.

My concern regarding the paucity of customers was very quickly dispelled; the patio filled up quickly—and for good reason. The food was delicious, and the service rivaled that of a 5-star restaurant. I thoroughly enjoyed my barbecued pork with mango chipolte sauce, which was served with waffle fries for $9.50. (I had the option to substitute a salad for the waffle fries, but hey, I was unwinding!) My husband dined on the grouper and chips, which were served with both coleslaw and waffle fries, and he raved about his meal. The fresh breeze floating across the ocean wasn’t a bad touch either. Dress is casual, and lunches range from $8 to $14 while dinners are in the $11 to $19 range. Casablanca is open for lunch and dinner. Hours are 11:30am to 11:00pm. Sundays through Thursdays. The restaurant is open from 11:30am to 11:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Despite the abundance of restaurants along A1A within walking distance of our hotel, we decided to explore the alternatives as well. We selected Shooters Waterfront Café because of its location on the Intercoastal Waterway (ICW), and we were looking forward to watching the boats maneuvering along the ICW as we dined. The experience was a disappointing one. The first problem was finding a place to park. We initially pulled into a lot across the street and then saw that it was for "El Mar" customers only. We were in the process of leaving the lot when an attendant hurried over and told us we could park there anyway—for $10. Since we had passed a couple of lots about a block and a half away that cost $5, we politely said, "No, thanks."

He got very nasty at that point and said he’d better not see us even pulling into his lot to turn around. His attitude was not the start of a perfect evening. We ended up having to park at a lot a couple of blocks from the restaurant since the others were full, but we don’t mind walking anyway. Once in the restaurant, we managed to get a seat on the outdoor patio that was right on the ICW, so we were thrilled. Unfortunately, the views we had anticipated seeing were non-existent. Several big boats were docked right beside the patio, blocking the view of the ICW.

We decided to have some appetizers, which looked interesting on the menu, and some drinks. The appetizers were pricey for what you got, but they were good. We had the spicy clam dip, which was served with a mini-loaf of bread, and cost $12.95. The serving size wasn’t large to begin with, and there were several empty clam shells. Our spinach, bacon, and onion dip was served with chips and cost $9.50. Again, it was good, but not a large portion. House wine was $6.50 a glass, and beer was $4.75. We each had two drinks, and the bill came to $47.81.

The ladies restroom came with a "guardian," who sat in a chair and apparently expected to be tipped although she wasn’t doing anything that I could see even remotely resembled a "service." The only positive thing I can say about our experience at Shooters is that the waitress who waited on our table was very good. Should you want to go in spite of this review, the hours are 11:30am until 10pm Sundays through Thursdays, and 11:30am until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

My husband and I are members of an international sailing association, and the Fort Lauderdale members meet at the Egg & You Diner each Sunday for breakfast. Since we were in the neighborhood, we decided we would take advantage of the opportunity to attend. We probably would have enjoyed the company of the like-minded people that we met anywhere, but we would also have been equally delighted with our experience at the Egg & You Diner had we stumbled on it ourselves. The Egg & You is reminiscent of a 1950s diner, and for good reason; we were told it has been in existence for 50+ years. The service is excellent—our coffee cups were never empty, and although the restaurant was very busy, the service came with a smile. I ordered my favorite—Eggs Benedict, and each element of it was cooked to perfection—no tough ham, cold muffins, or overcooked eggs as I’ve sometimes experienced elsewhere. It was one of the more expensive egg dishes at $6.95. The Eggs Florentine—a similar dish—cost the same, but the other egg dishes were $4.95 and included sausage or bacon, potatoes, and toast/muffins. All of the association members agreed that their eggs, sausages, and/or bacon could not have been better prepared. The diner is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but we were informed that hours sometimes change, so the best thing to do is call ahead. (Phone: (954) 564-2045.) Lunch and dinner prices averaged about $8.50 and included such home-style favorites as liver and onions and beef tips. Parking is convenient; there is a lot right behind the diner.

The Oasis Café is right across from the ocean (along A1A although you might not expect so from its address) and offers a unique dining experience. The restaurant’s outdoor “booths” are actually covered gliders, so diners can unwind by rocking back and forth in much the same way as they would on a back porch swing as they watch the ebb and flow of the ocean, and breathe deeply of the clean, salt air. At the same time, they are shielded from the sun and protected from a light rain. A fabulous fountain is situated in the middle of the outdoor patio, which also houses a tiki bar amidst palm trees and numerous flowers. The menu offerings are varied enough to please any palate, and include items ranging from fresh fish to baby back ribs to chicken cordon bleu to seafood tortellini. I enjoyed my “Key West Wrap,” which consisted of grilled grouper, tarter sauce, tomato, lettuce, and was served with potato chips for $8.95. My husband equally enjoyed his Half Pounder hamburger, which was cooked perfectly to his liking. The service was great, too. The entire menu and additional information can be viewed at www.fortlauderdalebeachrestaurants.com/html/oasis/home.htm. In summary, the ambience, food, and service all get an A+!

I’ve cruised most of the islands of the eastern Caribbean and visited their numerous, beautiful beaches. So I feel confident in declaring the 3-mile-long Fort Lauderdale beach to be a true gem. The beach is wide, white sand—perfect for that sand castle the child in you has always wanted to build; perfect for spending an afternoon simply worshiping the sun. The ocean is clean and inviting. Whatever the reason for it, I was happy that I didn’t have to compete with McDonald’s cups and Wendy’s wrappers for my piece of the water as I did the last time I visited some of the California beaches.

If you want to be more active, you can also go parasailing, rent a hobie cat or sunfish, or—if speed is more to your liking—a jet ski. I must say, though, that any of these activities are pricey. I was stunned to discover that the rental rate for a hobie cat or a sunfish was $70 per half-hour. And this was in low season—mid-May. We have rented larger sailboats on a nearby mountain lake here for 4 hours for less than that. I assume that the market will bear that price, but we opted against renting a sunfish when we saw what it would cost. If you are driving or have the ability otherwise to pack chairs and/or a sun umbrella with you, I recommend you do so. There are chairs and umbrellas on the beach, but they are owned by hotels--as you will immediately discover should you choose to sit on/under one. The fees, I’m told, vary with the seasons, but are outrageous regardless. I saw numerous people heading to the beach with umbrellas and chairs in hand.

You can arrange for parasailing or hobie cat, sunfish, and other boat rentals at the south end of the beach. Drive south on A1A just past the Oasis restaurant. Take the next left, and you will find a public parking lot just to your right. Rentals are available on the stretch of beach just across the street from the parking lot. When we were there (low season), parking was $6 a day, with no in/out privileges. However, if you make a second left turn instead of pulling into the parking lot and drive one block further, you can park at a meter on a side street to your left. The meters cost $1/hour, with a 4-hour maximum, and 4 hours is plenty of beach time for a lot of people—including me!