Fort Lauderdale, Florida Attractions

For some cities, the desire to build a major arts complex is a lifetime dream. For the City of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, that dream came true with the development of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. From concept to fruition, this world-class performing arts center was built with years of passion, planning and dedication. The passion began nearly four decades ago, when Fort Lauderdale's War Memorial Auditorium, built in the 1940s, and the Parker Playhouse, constructed in the late 1950s, struggled to meet the changing performing arts needs of this expanding South Florida cultural community.. Recognizing the need for a more viable venue -- one with a much greater seating capacity, spacious backstage and meeting facilities -- and more than one stage, visionaries set forth to turn their dream into reality.. Although it would take nearly 30 years, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts opened it's doors on February 26, 1991 offering the community a future of the best in performing arts and entertainment..

The Parker Playhouse curtain rose for the first time on February 6, 1967. This 1,167-seat fully equipped theater plays an important role in the community by serving as a vibrant part of the area. Parker Playhouse helps fuel economic development while also bringing the community together with performances, activities and educational programming.

Everglades are located just west of Miami and include 1.5 million acres of swamps, saw-grass prairies and sub-tropical jungles. Fourteen rare and endangered species live there, such as the American crocodile, the Florida panther and the West Indian manatee. Great day trips to learn about the park include a guided, two-hour tram ride along a 15-mile loop in the heart of the "River of Grass" that departs from the Shark Valley Visitor Center, or a narrated boat tour of the Ten Thousand Islands, which starts at the Gulf Coast Visitor Center.

This fine dining Italian restaurant has an award winning wine list and menu. Private rooms are available for private dinners. Reservations are recommended.

Dean Max of 3030 Ocean features modern American food with a seasonal raw bar. 3030 Ocean offers ocean front dining, live sultry jazz, a Wine Spectator award winning wine list and complimentary valet parking. Gourmet Magazine called Max's food, "stylish...tongue tingling...lush". Zagat says that "3030 Ocean goes beyond the usual hotel dining experience."

Sublime is an innovative concept in vegetarian dining. The menu is completely cholesterol-free and the full-service bar offers organic wines and spirits. Guests dine in an atmosphere of water walls, Italian glass tile, skylights, and an open-hearth oven.

Vienna Cafe & Wine Bar serves the best in Northern European cuisine with a regional American flair. With daily specials, an extensive wine list and nightly specials, Vienna Cafe & Wine Bar offers something new every day.

Seasons 52 is a casually sophisticated fresh grill and wine bar that invites you to discover the sensational flavors of their seasonally inspired menu. At Seasons 52, you'll enjoy a warm, welcoming ambiance with rich mahogany accents, custom built wine cellars, and lush greenery that create an air of casual sophistication. With an award-winning international wine list of over 100 wines, of which 60 are available by the glass, they will find the perfect match to complement your fresh and flavorful menu selection.

Shula's On The Beach is a casual upscale steakhouse on beautiful Fort Lauderdale Beach, exclusively serving Shula Cut steaks, center cuts of Premium Black Angus Beef aged to perfection, and fresh seafood.

Johnny V opened in December of 2003 and features the unique cuisine of Chef Johnny Vinczencz. The food is Regional American with Latin and Caribbean influences. Chef Vincencz combines the freshest ingredients of South Florida with a beautifully blended selection of spices from the Caribbean and South America. The result is a wide ranging menu of unique items, like blue corn crusted calamari and anchovy cinnamon grilled pork tenderloin.

Located on the trendy Las Olas Boulevard just minutes from the beach, Chima offers a serene dining experience with a touch of exclusivity. The Fort Lauderdale location provides a chic dining experience from the minute you step foot into the captivating courtyard. The outside bar and courtyard provide an escape from the traditional happy-hour scene with exceptional drink specials.

Owned and operated by the team behind the acclaimed River House and Tarpon Bend family of restaurants, YOLO (You Only Live Once) is Las Olas' new contemporary American restaurant and lounge. YOLO offers foodies and night owls an unbeatable mix of great dining and refreshing libations in a chic, unpretentious space. The deceptively simple menu boasts an eclectic array of dishes designed to please any palate, many borne from the restaurant's dramatic wood-burning grill. Guests can dine al fresco on the lush garden patio - complete with walk-up bar perfect for people watching - in the cozy dining room, featuring a bustling open kitchen , or sup on small plates in the candlelit lounge.

For over 20 years, Capriccio's has been serving West Broward great Italian cuisine. They enhance your dinner with romantic and classical music of a pianist, violinist and vocalist. Many clients start and end their evening in the beautiful lounge hosting a 6 foot chandelier over an octagonal granite bar. Impeccable service and the highest quality of food awaits you whether you choose to dine in the elegant lounge or venture on to one of the main dining rooms.

With two state of the art stages, Revolution Live has over 27,000 square feet of entertainment space and is Ft. Lauderdale's go-to concert venue.

Presenting concerts ranging from Jam Bands to Rock, Metal to The Blues. The Culture Room always brings national music to their little venue on the corner of Oakland Park Bloulevard and US1 in Fort Lauderdale. This small club is regularly packed with music junkies who aren't put off by its location in a strip mall. What matters here is that local and national bands consider this place their musical testing ground for new sounds and resurrecting old ones. Bands such as Flock of Seagulls and Warrant have played here, as have tons of up-and-coming acts.

Opium is a new Indochine-inspired megaclub at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, decked out with silk lanterns, French wallpaper and towering Buddha statues. The overall feel is Marie Antoinette with a Crouching Tiger twist, with you playing the role of naughty aristocrat.