Is a trip to South Florida in the near future for you? If you are heading to the Fort Lauderdale area, there’s so much to explore beyond the beach!
Although the Sunshine State is renowned for whispering palms and sandy shores, the pulse and vibrant energy of downtown Fort Lauderdale is a draw for visitors who want to take in the sun by day and the fun by night.
You can access all of it when you stay in the heart of the action at the Hyatt Centric Las Olas in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The upscale boutique hotel boasts 238 luxury rooms and suites, many with balconies overlooking the city. Consider booking a cabana room and you’ll be pool-front in no time--and the beach is a quick car ride down the road.
The Hyatt Centric ensures you’re never more than a few steps from the city’s top restaurants, watersports, nightlife, shopping, and sightseeing attractions on Las Olas Boulevard. Stroll the boulevard, duck in and out of its cool breezeways, and uncover delights around every corner. The NSU Art Museum is a block away, and the Hyatt offers a discount, so be sure to visit. Be on the lookout for the noisy parakeets nesting in the trees along the Boulevard--a tropical delight on a balmy evening. You will probably hear them before you see them!
The hotel’s ELEV8 rooftop bar is a beautiful place to sip a craft cocktail while taking in amazing views of the sparkling pool reflecting the lights of downtown Fort Lauderdale. If you prefer to celebrate in your room, there’s even a Champagne vending machine on the hotel’s main level so you can raise a glass in the privacy of your guest room.
The Harborwood Urban Kitchen & Bar at the Hyatt features award-winning cuisine using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Try the quinoa and roasted sweet potatoes with scrambled eggs or the veggie omelet for breakfast. Lunchtime led us to the wedge salad and the SoFlo Cuban panini. Everything is fresh, delicious, and served with a smile by the restaurant’s delightful and friendly staff.
Be sure to book a clandestine visit to Room Nine01 during your stay—the hotel’s reservations-only speakeasy. Step into a bygone era reminiscent of the days of flappers and rumrunners—and be prepared--the intimate setting can only be accessed with the proper secret password! Enjoy uniquely crafted cocktails and a specially curated menu of gourmet bites. And don’t miss the jelly doughnut shots!
Known as the Venice of America, Fort Lauderdale lies just north of Miami and boasts over 300 miles of inland waterways that run through Greater Fort Lauderdale. Spend a day discovering it all on the city’s water taxi. It’s an attraction all of its own, where the crew provides a narrated tour of the waterways as you glide by the mansions on Millionaire’s Row and past the jaw-dropping yachts of the rich and famous. Hop on and off as much as you like with an all-day pass. Visit shopping districts, parks, lively waterfront dining establishments, or even Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Downtown and Boardwalk. The city's water trolley is also an option (a more limited service, but free). The Riverwalk is about two blocks from the Hyatt. Both the taxi and the trolley are accessible from there.
If you have a passion for stunning architecture and early 20th-century history, check out the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens on the south side of Miami, about an hour’s drive from Fort Lauderdale, with timeless Mediterranean-style architecture and collections dating from the early 20th century back to ancient Pompeii. Vizcaya’s main house was the jewel of a fledgling Miami when it was built between 1914 and 1922. A century later, Vizcaya is a cultural destination attracting tens of thousands of visitors worldwide each year. A visit will bring to life those roaring “Gatsby-esque” days. Learn how business mogul James Deering envisioned and developed this spectacular estate.
Discovering all that South Florida has to offer can require some driving. However, if you wish to skip the drive and “ride brighter,” Florida’s Brightline offers comfortable, sustainable train service between Miami and Orlando, with stops in Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach. There’s a stop near the Hyatt Centric Las Olas, so you can hop on the train to explore other Florida destinations.
Check out the websites below, and start planning your South Florida journey today—it’s much more than a pretty beach!
hyatt.com/hyatt-centric/fllct-hyatt-centric-las-olas-fort-lauderdale
watertaxi.com
vizcaya.org
"There’s so much to explore beyond the beach!"
"There’s even a Champagne vending machine..."