A Look at Fort Lauderdale Beach and What it Offers for Visitors

Fort Lauderdale Beach features plenty of opportunities for fitness-inclined travelers. Run along the wide beachfront sidewalk, play hoops at the courts or dive in to a body-weight workout at the outdoor gym on the sand.

I attended a travel convention in Fort Lauderdale in sunny South Florida in the middle of March, so, of course, I set out to explore the beach area.

I took a leisurely run from my hotel down near the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center (home of the Seatrade annual cruise conference) to Fort Lauderdale Beach. I say leisurely because that is all I could muster. This New Jersey resident — visiting the Florida heat and humidity — will need a few days to get properly acclimated.

One word about this beach area: Awesome!

The Blue Wave-certified beach (a system that rates the cleanliness and environmental quality) was just coming to life around 9 a.m. when I finished my two-mile run down State Road A1A to the ocean. The sands are clean, in almost pristine condition, and I immediately shed my shirt and MP3 player and GPS watch to jump into the clear and cool waters.  
Runners, bikers and walkers will love that the main oceanfront road, as Seabreeze Boulevard becomes North Atlantic Boulevard, is wide and smooth.  

Along the four-mile stretch of sand, I discovered several items to entice the fitness-seeking traveler. After running to the beach and jumping in for a swim, how about shooting some hoops on the basketball courts? Right next to this is an outdoor fitness space, complete with pullup bars and plenty of other pieces of equipment that allow you to get a complete body-weight workout.

Wander farther along the boulevard, and you can find dozens of places to grab a bite to eat, from seafood, pizza, burgers and more. The oceanfront corridor is also lined with boutique shops to check out.

I saw people enjoying paddleboarding on the calm morning waters. The beach features a lot of gorgeous trees that cast comfy shade over picnic areas, as well as at least one playground space for kids. It seems to be a family-friendly beach. Signs are posted stating that there is no alcohol allowed. But I'd bet that you can bring in a small cooler, be discreet, don't get out of control and be sure to pick up after yourself and no one will mind if you have a few cold ones during your stay. Lifeguards are on duty. (Regulars at this beach? Let us know how strict this rule is please.)

Fort Lauderdale Beach is ideal for picnics, with clean benches in a shady area under beautiful trees and next to a playground.

The beach is free and open to the public, but parking is metered on the street. I have visited South Beach in Miami several times, and it's also very nice, with a great running path and outdoors fitness equipment. But I really like the feel of Fort Lauderdale Beach much more. It's more laid back. No creepiness at all compared with the attention-starved vibe that some South Beach regulars throw off. The people in Fort Lauderdale don't need your attention; they just need their quiet and blissful beach time, thank you very much.

No wonder Fort Lauderdale has been a fast-rising beach destination. I was glad to get to finally check it out. 

Thanks for reading,

JR