Lauderdale By The Sea, Florida – Best Things To Do & Travel Guide
What to do, see and eat in Lauderdale by the Sea. Plus bonus tips to help plan your trip.
Lauderdale by the Sea is a relaxed and colorful seaside town not far from the busy neighboring city of Fort Lauderdale. It’s a walkable town where you won’t need a car to enjoy its restaurants, shopping, and chill beach vibes.
In this short guide, I’ll point out some awesome places to eat that will ignite your taste buds!
Plus I’ll share highlights of the best things to enjoy about Lauderdale by the Sea along with some helpful tips to plan your stay even if on a budget.
Top 4 Things To Do In Lauderdale By The Sea
1. Dive and Snorkel
For those who love to explore the sea, Lauderdale by the Sea boasts to be the South Florida Shore Diving Capital. They have a beautiful coral reef just offshore that divers can reach right from the beach.
For aspiring divers, you can also get your diving certification with the many PADI certification courses offered by nearby dive shops. Or, try an intro diving course if you want to try it out for the first time.
When the waters are calm, snorkelers can also swim from the beach to see the coral reef. Unfortunately for me, both times that I went to visit, there was high winds and unstable conditions for snorkeling. (Just my luck!)
So, while I planned my vacation around snorkel activities, it didn’t work out as planned.
Nevertheless, I was able to take a drive to some other snorkel spots in Florida to enjoy snorkeling. It’s always good to have a plan B!
2. Relax at the beach and be a beach bum.
If you are a sun worshipper or love being a beach bum, Lauderdale by the Sea is a great place for that! The soft sand is perfect for lounging and working on that sunkissed skin glow.
The beach wasn’t too crowded and parking is fairly easy to find compared to Fort Lauderdale’s beaches.
You can take a leisure dip in the warm Florida waters to cool off in between sunbathing. (The water is really warm!)
3. Indulge your taste buds in delicious food.
There is a good variety of restaurants and bars near the beach. Two awesome places stood out among the rest and I highly recommend eating at both of them.
Arubas Beach Cafe
This restaurant really surprised me because I usually don’t expect much from a seaside restaurant. Beachside restaurants usually get away with serving subpar food because of the amazing views and locations on the beach.
Aruba’s is an exception and has outstanding seafood! I was won over by their crab dip and seafood pasta. I could taste the freshness in the quality of seafood and ingredients with every bite.
Seafood lovers will love this place! Their seafood is caught fresh daily(according to my waitresses) and you can taste the freshness in the flavors of the food. If you are looking for frozen seafood, look elsewhere! It’s served up fresh at Arubas.
They also have plenty of non-seafood dishes. I really loved the pesto pasta. I could immediately taste the fresh basil upon my first bite. 2 thumbs up from me!
Frenchy’s Table – Visit for Mind blowing French food!
If you have never been to France, this is the next best thing! This meal transports you through your taste buds across the world and you feel like you are eating a home-cooked meal in Province France. It was a truly amazing meal and I can’t rave about it enough!
The owner, who warmly welcomes you at the door, is from France and you will taste her passion for French cuisine in any of the meals on the menu including fresh fish, duck, lamb, and steak to name a few.
The escargot, served in a rich buttery sauce, was the best I have EVER HAD. It’s perfection! The flavors were rich yet so perfectly balanced. Hat’s off to the chef!
The Lavender Creme brulee is seriously heavenly!
Treat yourself and make it to Frenchy’s Table if you are anywhere near Fort Lauderdale. You are in for a treat! Read their menu here.
#4 Save a Sea Turtle
Did you know that 90% of turtle nesting in the US happens in Florida?
Turtles lay their eggs in Lauderdale by the Sea. You will see turtle nesting areas blocked off in the sand so that they are not disturbed. Nesting season is March – October.
Want to save turtle?
Consider joining the Sea Turtle Rescue Staff for a night. On Thurs- Saturday nights, there are Turtle Programs where you just may witness the hatching of turtles or help them make their journey out to the sea. You can find the info here https://www.sunny.org/beaches-and-beyond/sea-turtles/turtle-programs/
Other helpful sources to learn about Sea Turtles
2 More Great Reasons to Visit Lauderdale By The Sea
#1 – Lauderdale by the Sea is a good midway point to explore other cities in Florida.
If you have more than a few days in Lauderdale by the Sea, renting a car will allow you to take some road trips to some very interesting places in Florida. Within an hour or two, you can choose to visit West Palm Beach, Miami, Everglades, Biscayne National Park, John Pennekamp or even the Florida Keys.
I’ll be adding a guide on other things to do in South Florida. I’ll update the post with a link soon or you subscribe to the blog get notified of the next post about Florida.
#2 It’s a walkable town.
I personally love when I can keep my vacay simple by walking and skip the hassle of a car. Restaurants and shops are all within walking distance as long as your accommodations are close to the town center.
Where to stay for budget-friendly accommodations?
Budget travelers can find stylish and comfortable accommodations close to the beach for a reasonable cost.
While a week in the Florida keys or other Florida beachside communities may seem to stretch the wallet too far, Lauderdale by the Sea has options that will allow you keep some extra money to play with rather than spending it all on your accommodations.
The prices are fairly reasonable for Airbnb’s or Inns in town. I found a great deal for only $480 for 7 days and it was within walking distance of the beach!
On my second trip, I chose to rent a slightly larger studio for about $650 that was upgraded, super clean and was within walking distance of the beach and town.
You can check out the place I rented from which is called White Reef By The Sea. (check it out by clicking here.) I originally found White Reef on Airbnb, but you can book direct with them also. I stayed their twice and during both times, I had an excellent stay. Their rates may vary from when I booked, so keep that in mind. Last I checked, the rates were still very reasonable.
How long should you stay in Lauderdale By The Sea?
Lauderdale by the Sea can be good for a weekend getaway or an extended stay. While a few days is enough to see the town, if you have a bit of wanderlust to see more of Florida, rent a car and explore some nearby areas. As I mentioned, there are many great places to see within an hour or two such as Miami, Biscayne National Park, West Palm Beach or go as far as the Keys.
A heads up about the jellyfish.
If you are a snorkeler, you may want to check on the prevalence of jellies when you plan to visit. Something I did not know when I went to visit in late October and late July, is that strong winds and currents can bring in jellyfish.
Jellyfish are fairly common in Florida. There doesn’t seem to be a specific “season” for them and they can be found any time of year depending on the weather and currents. However, it’s typical for summers to have jellies prevalent in the water.
I went to Florida to snorkel so this definitely was a concern for me while in the water. And yes, I did see many jellyfish while snorkeling. The moon jellyfish was common to see during my visit. Fortunately, the sting of the moon jellyfish feels like a gentle electric shock to most people and is not life-threatening. However, I still didn’t like it!
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