Fort Lauderdale

I wrote about my experiences in South Beach, Miami a few days ago. With Florida sunshine on my mind, in this post I’m writing about my past trip to Fort Lauderdale.

Fort Lauderdale is about 37 km (23 miles) North of Miami. You can combine visiting Miami and Fort Lauderdale in one trip. I went with my sister in June and spent three full days there.

My favourite experiences in Fort Lauderdale:

1. A stroll along Fort Lauderdale oceanfront promenade. Good exercise, fresh ocean air and fun people watching. Remember your sun protection!

Fort Lauderdale oceanfront

2. Sun and swim at the beach which was across the street from where we stayed.

3. Cruising the Fort Lauderdale waterways by water taxi from late afternoon to early evening. Fort Lauderdale is known as “Venice of America”. This is a relaxing way to view the beautiful homes, the marina and some expensive yachts. The boat captain provided entertaining stories during the ride.

Water taxi, Fort Lauderdale

Nice house, Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale waterway

Expensive yacht

Fort Lauderdale Marina at dusk

Lights on!

4. Visiting the Everglades by airboat. We rode an airboat for the first time, and saw fierce-looking gators in their natural habitat up close. There was also a small zoo at the Sawgrass Recreation Park where we saw more gators, big lizards, Florida panther, peacocks and other animals.

Airboats at the dock

Airboat ride

Gator in sawgrass

5. Enjoying good eats along Las Olas Boulevard.

Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale

6. An evening stroll along the Riverwalk which is lined with restaurants and small shops. After sunset, when the lights came on, it was very pretty.

Riverwalk, Fort Lauderdale

7. Shopping for good deals at Sawgrass Mills, advertised as the largest outlet and value retail shopping destination in the United States.

Getting from Toronto to Fort Lauderdale is easy with frequent, non-stop flights that take about three hours. Fort Lauderdale International Airport is simple to navigate. Savings tips: We boarded the water taxi after 5 pm and got $10 off per ticket. For our airboat ride in the Everglades, I got a 2-for-1 ticket deal from Travelzoo.

Have you been to Fort Lauderdale? If you have, what were your experiences when you were there?

South Beach, Miami

I first visited Miami, Florida, in the United States, with a friend in August several years ago. We had a good time despite the hot and very humid weather. I returned to South Beach, Miami the second time in April and the weather was sunny with much less humidity. Miami is not an inexpensive destination. However, I managed to keep my overall expenses low and still had many enjoyable experiences while I was there for three full days.

My favourite and low cost experiences in South Beach, Miami:

1. Enjoying a cup of coffee at Starbucks on Ocean Drive, facing Lummus Park where the palm trees sway with the Atlantic ocean breeze.

Lummus Park, South Beach, Miami

2. A self-guided walking tour of the Art Deco buildings along Ocean Drive and Washington Avenue, between 8th Street and 14th Street. Here’s a sample of the pictures that I took:

The boxy-shaped and yellow Leslie hotel

The Cardozo hotel with its round edges

The Tiffany hotel with its deco-style neon spire

The 1935 Edison hotel

3. Reasonably-priced and good eats for about US$10 at La Sandwicherie, Pizza Rustica, 11th Street Diner, or Cuban food at Puerto Sagua. 11th Street Diner looks like a shiny aluminium, deco style Pullman car.

11th Street Diner, Miami

4. Sun, sand and swim at South Beach - The aquamarine water and the sandy beach were calming and rejuvenating.

South Beach, Miami

5. Taking pictures of the lifeguard stations along South Beach.  This is “colour therapy” after seeing mostly white and grey in Toronto for three winter months.

14th St. Lifeguard station, Miami

13th St. Lifeguard station, Miami

12 St. Lifeguard station, Miami

11th St. Lifeguard station, Miami

6. A visit to the Miami Beach Botanical Garden - Green plants, butterflies, beautiful flowers, and water fountains that sooth the soul. Free admission Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 am to 5 pm.

Miami Beach Botanical Garden entrance

Bougainvilleas, Miami Beach Botanical Garden

Pink bromeliads, Miami Beach Botanical Garden

Butterfly, Miami Beach Botanical Garden

7. Jogging along the oceanfront promenade, or I could cover more distance if I had a bike like this postal worker.

8. Window shopping in South Beach and at Lincoln Road outdoor pedestrian shopping mall. Some of the store displays showed wonderful and artistic creativity.

9. Strolling South Beach in the evening to see the nightlife and night lights.

10. Taking the express Airport-Beach Flyer Bus 150 to get from Miami International Airport to South Beach and vice versa. The ride took about 30 minutes each way. For US$5.30 return tickets, this bus route was definitely speedy and inexpensive. Once in South Beach, the best way to get around is to walk.

I used my “frequent flyer” points for my return tickets from Toronto to Miami. There are frequent, non-stop flights between the two cities that take about three hours.

Have you been to Miami? What were your experiences when you were there?

New Orleans

In this article, I’m writing about my four-day solo trip in early December to New Orleans, Louisiana, in the United States. I had enough “frequent flyer” points to make a short-haul trip and was looking forward to a four-day getaway to satisfy my travel curiosity. After doing some research, I chose to visit New Orleans for its history, architecture, music, food, comparable costs (to Toronto), and walkability to the main sights.

My Favourite Experiences in New Orleans:

1. Beignets and Cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde - This coffee place opens 24 hours! For about 5 dollars, I got a seat looking out to Jackson Square. It was great to watch people, the horse carriages, and a live band playing music while sipping hot coffee and enjoying the warm French-style doughnuts.

Beignets and Cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde

2. A stroll through the French Quarter is a feast to the eyes and mind. Beautiful old houses with lace iron, plus numerous unique shops and art galleries. The famous Bourbon Street is here, too.

Lace iron home in the French Quarter, New Orleans

Bourbon Street, New Orleans

3. A ride on the historic St Charles Avenue streetcar to the Garden District. For $1.25, I got a window seat to see the neighbourhoods along the way.

St. Charles Avenue streetcar, New Orleans

4. A walking tour through the Garden District to admire the elegant houses and the beautiful oak trees.

5. Jazz at Preservation Hall and reading up on some of the famous musicians.

Statues of 3 musicians in New Orleans

Preservation Hall, New Orleans

Iron bench at Preservation Hall, New Orleans

6. A visit to Jackson Square and St Louis Cathedral, the oldest continuously operating cathedral in the US.

St Louis Cathedral, New Orleans

7. Reading the street signs and their history.

New Orleans sign

Calle Real street history

Horse-shaped post

8. Listening to live band playing in the middle of Royal Street.

9. Browsing antique shops and visiting the Historic New Orleans Collection museum on Royal Street in the French Quarter.

10. Riding the Canal Street ferry from Canal Street to Algiers. For $2, this is a fabulous ride across the mighty Mississippi River!

Getting from Toronto to New Orleans was easy with a non-stop flight that took about 3 hours. For getting from and to the Louis Armstrong International Airport, I used the airport shuttle bus. The weather in New Orleans in early December was sunny and cool, just great for walking and exploring. The best way to explore the French Quarter and the Garden District is on foot. Public transit such as the streetcars, or ferry was inexpensive. I was very happy with my decision to visit New Orleans.

Have you been to New Orleans? If you have, what were your favourite experiences while you were there?