Thu, Dec 3
Holiday Magic
Experience the magic of the holiday season at Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. Enjoy dazzling lights, decorated trees, live music, and festive treats. Each evening offers a unique celebration.
Things to Do with Kids in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is a playground for families, with activities stretching from the beach to the Everglades. Start at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park where kids can kayak, bike coastal trails, or spot manatees in the lagoon. The NSU Art Museum offers hands-on family programs, while the Museum of Discovery and Science keeps young minds engaged with interactive exhibits and an IMAX theater. Las Olas Boulevard brings family-friendly dining and weekend art walks. For water lovers, Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale hosts festivals and the famous Winterfest Boat Parade. The Bonnet House Museum & Gardens offers nature walks through historic grounds where monkeys roam free. From toddler splash pads at Holiday Park to teen-friendly escape rooms downtown, Fort Lauderdale delivers family fun year-round.
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Family Fun in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale stretches from seven miles of beaches along the Atlantic to the edge of the Everglades, giving families an enormous range of activities. Whether your kids want to explore a science museum, paddle through a state park, or hunt for treasure on a pirate ship, Fort Lauderdale has it covered.
🏛️ Museum of Discovery and Science
The Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) is a 119,000-square-foot museum in downtown Fort Lauderdale with two floors of hands-on exhibits. The Discovery Spot area is designed for kids 6 and under, with cooperative play focused activities. Older kids can explore the EcoDiscovery Center, watch otters in the Otters at Play habitat, or take a simulated Everglades airboat ride. The museum also has an IMAX theater. Open daily; admission is $19 for adults, $16 for kids 2-12, free under 2.
🌳 Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is a 180-acre coastal oasis right in Fort Lauderdale. Families can rent kayaks and paddleboards to explore a freshwater coastal dune lake, bike or hike the trails, fish from the seawall, or use the playground at the North End. Free ranger-guided nature walks run Fridays and Saturdays. The park connects to Fort Lauderdale Beach. Entry is $6 per vehicle.
🏴☠️ Pirate & Boat Adventures
Bluefoot Pirate Adventures runs interactive pirate cruises on the Intracoastal from Dania Beach. Kids dress up, hunt for treasure, shoot water cannons, and get face painting during the 60-minute trip. Jungle Queen Riverboats offers narrated cruises on the New River, a Fort Lauderdale tradition since 1935. The Water Taxi is a hop-on/hop-off boat with 11 stops around the city.
🦜 Wildlife & Nature
Flamingo Gardens in Davie has a free-flight aviary, flamingo feeding, and a tram ride through tropical gardens. Adults $24, kids 3-11 $17. Butterfly World in Coconut Creek is the largest butterfly park in the world with 20,000 butterflies and lorikeet feeding. Just west of the city, Everglades Holiday Park offers 60-minute airboat rides, gator shows, and animal encounters.
💦 Waterparks & Splash Pads
Castaway Island at TY Park in Hollywood is a water playground with slides, dumping buckets, a lagoon pool, and a gentle play area for kids 5 and under. Paradise Cove at CB Smith Park in Pembroke Pines has five-story water slides, a lazy river, and Parrot's Point for younger kids. Both are affordable day trips from Fort Lauderdale.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best things to do with kids in Fort Lauderdale?
The Museum of Discovery and Science has interactive exhibits and an IMAX theater. Hugh Taylor Birch State Park offers kayaking, trails, and beach access. Bluefoot Pirate Adventures runs kid-friendly pirate cruises with treasure hunts and water cannons. Flamingo Gardens has flamingo feeding and a tram ride. Fort Lauderdale Beach has seven miles of lifeguard-patrolled sand.
Are there free things to do with kids in Fort Lauderdale?
Fort Lauderdale Beach is free to access with lifeguard towers. Hugh Taylor Birch State Park has free ranger-guided walks on Fridays and Saturdays (park entry $6 per vehicle). The Riverwalk along the New River is free for walking and biking. Several parks like Holiday Park have free playgrounds and splash pads.
What indoor activities are there for kids in Fort Lauderdale?
The Museum of Discovery and Science is the top indoor attraction with hands-on exhibits for all ages and an IMAX theater. Young at Art Museum in Davie offers hands-on art activities. Xtreme Action Park has go-karts, trampolines, bowling, and a ropes course under one roof. Nearby Dezerland Park in North Miami Beach has an arcade, trampolines, and ninja obstacle courses.
What are the best beaches for kids in Fort Lauderdale?
Fort Lauderdale Beach runs seven miles with lifeguard towers every 200 to 400 yards. Hugh Taylor Birch State Park has calmer beach access away from the main strip. Deerfield Beach to the north has a quieter family section. The South Beach Picnic Area at the south end of the strip has shaded tables and calmer waters.
Are there boat tours for kids in Fort Lauderdale?
Bluefoot Pirate Adventures is the most popular kids boat tour — a 60-minute pirate cruise with costumes, treasure hunts, face painting, and water cannons on the Intracoastal Waterway. Jungle Queen Riverboats offers narrated river cruises including dinner cruise options. The Water Taxi is a hop-on/hop-off service with 11 stops, great for sightseeing with kids.