Best Coasts

With toasty, latte-colored sand edging the Atlantic Ocean, the beaches of Ft. Lauderdale summon everyone from sunbathers and surfers to nature-lovers. Here’s how four of the area’s most-lauded beaches match up.

Fort Lauderdale Beach

Made famous by the ’60s teen flick Where the Boys Are, this beach still radiates a youthful energy. Folks of all ages are strolling, jogging, swimming, parasailing, shopping or just plain beach-potatoing, lulled in the cradle of sea and sun. Just east of downtown, the wide, sandy apron spreads north for miles from the channel that leads into the deepwater cruise port. Oceanfront Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard, lined with a lively strip of shops, restaurants, bars and hotels, jams and jives like a dancefloor. It reaches top tempo around the intersection of Las Olas Boulevard.

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Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Beach

This is where sweet small town meets salty sea. About 7 miles northeast of downtown, it still has some of the city vibe, but in a lower key. Charming, beachy shops and come-as-you-are restaurants cluster around its landmark wooden fishing pier on a long ribbon of beach.

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John U. Lloyd State Park

In Dania Beach, on the south side of the port’s channel and about 5 minutes from the airport, this park attracts beachgoers looking for an eco-adventure. Kayak among the mangroves, snorkel from shore, hike the nature trail, have a picnic in the shade, and learn about the birds and other critters you meet from the park’s interpretive exhibits.

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Hollywood Beach

The boardwalk about 11 miles south of downtown buzzes with beach bums, exercise junkies and diners lingering over lazy meals. It's like stepping into a retro postcard, complete with a historic bandstand and 1960s mom-and-pop motels. At the same time, hotels and ocean-side parks — including Charnow Park with new playgrounds and an interactive water fountain — inject vitality.

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