Lauderdale by the sea.
Thirty minutes north of Fort Lauderdale Airport, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is defined by low-rise mid-century streets and a living coral reef right off the sand. You can swim to the reef from the beach without booking a boat charter. Lauderdale by the sea is worth visiting if you want shore diving right off the sand, unpretentious seafood counters, and an easily walkable beachfront. Look elsewhere if you want mega-resorts, late-night dance clubs, or museum-dense urban avenues.
Last updated 23 Oct 2026
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Local Seafood
Order blackened yellowtail snapper, fried mahi fingers, and conch chowder from open-air kitchens along Commercial Boulevard.
Local Seafood
Order blackened yellowtail snapper, fried mahi fingers, and conch chowder from open-air kitchens along Commercial Boulevard.
Conch Fritters and Bimini Bread
Aruba Beach Cafe
Walk in right at eleven for an oceanfront high-top. Order the Bahamian conch fritters and warm Bimini bread with honey butter. Expect thirty dollars per person and a breezy hour at the table.
Editor TipSouth Florida seafood relies heavily on Bahamian traditions brought across the Gulf Stream, turning sea snails and sweet yeast bread into coastal staples that define casual beachside lunches. The bar seats right against the boardwalk sand catch the strongest breeze when the noon sun kicks in.
Local Snapper Over the Dunes
Sea Watch on the Ocean
Book an upstairs window table two days ahead. Order the crisp yellowtail snapper with key lime butter and a side of hushpuppies. Allow two relaxed hours.
Editor TipBuilt among sea oats and coquina rock in 1974, this room honors Florida's commercial reef fishery, where shallow-water snappers are landed daily off the Atlantic shelf. Arrive twenty minutes before dusk to watch the light fade over the Atlantic swell before the dining room fills.
Country Ham and Grits
Country Ham N' Egg Diner
Slide onto a swivel stool at the counter before 08:30 to beat the retirees. Order the salt-cured country ham with red-eye gravy, two eggs sunny, and yellow grits for ten dollars.
Editor TipOld Florida diners keep the state's Southern agricultural roots alive along the Atlantic coast, serving skillet fare that sustained citrus pickers and fishermen long before the condo boom. Ask for a side of house-made strawberry preserves; they spoon it out in paper ramekins from a batch made fresh every morning.
Smoked Wahoo Fish Dip
The Fish Shack
Arrive right at the 11:30 AM opening to claim a laminate table. Order the smoked wahoo dip with pickled jalapeños and a fried hogfish sandwich written on the paper towel roll board.
Editor TipSmoked fish dip is South Florida's defining coastal bar snack, traditionally born from anglers curing oily pelagic catches like kingfish and wahoo over hickory or citrus wood. Tabasco and yellow mustard are on the caddy; mix a dash of both into the dip with your saltines for the proper local bite.
Hand-Cut Buttermilk Cake Doughnuts
Dandee Donut Factory
Slide into a vinyl booth at the Pompano shop. Order two hot sour cream cake doughnuts and black diner coffee for under eight dollars; service at the counter is brisk and friendly.
Editor TipOpen around the clock, this independent roadside bakery still hand-cuts and fries dough daily, anchoring working Broward County morning routines far away from resort hotel markups. Grab a paper bag of glazed crullers for the road; their ridges stay crisp much longer than yeast rings.
Spiced Peel-and-Eat Shrimp
Southport Raw Bar
Grab a bench on the back dock and order half a pound of spiced pink shrimp with a cold draft. Expect around twenty dollars; walk in freely without reservations.
Editor TipSince 1973, this canal-side staple has fed working charter captains and deckhands with honest Florida bivalves and cold beer, far from resort markups. Ask for house remoulade and extra napkins before you start peeling; it is messy work in the best way.
Canalside Garlic Blue Crabs
Rustic Inn Crabhouse
Sit at a paper-topped barge table, tie on the paper bib, and order the garlic blue crabs. Expect forty dollars a head; arrive before seven to beat the line.
Editor TipOpened in 1955, this canal roadhouse perfected the regional ritual of smashing steamed blue crabs soaked in spiced garlic butter with heavy wooden mallets. Wear a dark shirt. The garlic butter spray generated by surrounding mallet swings respects no personal boundaries.
Breakfast & Bakeries
Grab Cuban espresso, guava pastries, or buttermilk biscuits at local bakery counters along Ocean Drive before the midday sun sets in.
Breakfast & Bakeries
Grab Cuban espresso, guava pastries, or buttermilk biscuits at local bakery counters along Ocean Drive before the midday sun sets in.
Salt-Air Benedict and Citrus
Mulligan's Beach House
Snag a terrace table overlooking the promenade. Order the crab cake Benedict and fresh Florida orange juice. No reservations; arrive before nine to beat the beach crowd. Budget forty minutes.
Editor TipSince mid-century development transformed Ocean Drive, beachside diners here have fueled early-rising anglers and reef snorkelers heading out before the midday Atlantic chop builds. Request an outdoor seat facing Commercial Boulevard for the best people-watching as the town yawns into gear.
Note from the Editor
“Anglin's Square fills quickly once mid-morning beachgoers claim the sand. Park early at the municipal meters on El Prado, grab breakfast before nine, and you will skirt the midday parking skirmishes entirely.”
The Bed
Where to stay in Lauderdale by the sea
Which part of town to book, and what each one costs you in walking, noise or quiet.
The Comparison
Lauderdale by the sea, or somewhere near it
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The Local Record
Where to read more about Lauderdale by the sea
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What to do in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea spans just a half-square mile, bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. Life here pivots around Anglin's Square and Commercial Boulevard, where beachgoers dry off for lunch in shorts. The absence of high-rises keeps the coastline open and bright, making it an easy base for travellers who want saltwater swimming, simple seafood, and a place where a rental car is entirely optional.
24 hours in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Start early at Datura Avenue with mask and fins to explore the reef before the boat traffic stirs. Dry off for smoked fish dip and cracked conch on Commercial Boulevard, spend the afternoon reading beneath an umbrella on the sand, and finish with a grilled grouper sandwich near Anglin's Pier as dusk cools the square. Select 1 Day above to see it.
2 days in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Dedicate your second morning to architectural wandering along El Mar Drive to study 1950s motel design. Afterwards, rent a kayak to explore the Intracoastal Waterway, then settle into a casual tavern for stone crab claws, steamed clams, and draft ale while watching boats glide past the bridge. Choose 2 Days to expand the plan.
3 days in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
A third day allows an unhurried morning drive to the historic Bonnet House estate down the coast, followed by an afternoon drift dive out by the shipwreck of the SS Copenhagen. End your trip with blackened snapper and key lime pie along the oceanfront plaza.
Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States itineraries by interest
Shore Diving in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Wade straight out from Datura Avenue to the three-tiered reef for nurse sharks, spiny lobster, and staghorn coral without boarding a boat.
Local Seafood in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Order blackened yellowtail snapper, fried mahi fingers, and conch chowder from open-air kitchens along Commercial Boulevard.
Pier Fishing in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Cast for snook, pompano, and Spanish mackerel off Anglin's Fishing Pier, where local anglers swap tides and tackle tips daily.
Coastal Architecture in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Walk El Mar Drive to spot preserved 1950s Mid-Century Modern beach motels featuring pastel stucco, breeze blocks, and flat-roof lines.
Beer & Breweries in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Sample crisp Florida lagers, grapefruit IPAs, and citrus ales at laid-back taprooms and beachside taverns after morning reef swims.
Paddle Sports in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Launch a paddleboard or ocean kayak off Washingtonia Park to navigate the shallow nearshore waters and outer sandbars at low tide.
Breakfast & Bakeries in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Grab Cuban espresso, guava pastries, or buttermilk biscuits at local bakery counters along Ocean Drive before the midday sun sets in.
Marine Wildlife in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Watch for nesting green and loggerhead sea turtles on the night beaches, or spot stingrays drifting above the nearshore sandy flats.
Casual Dining in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Eat peel-and-eat shrimp, smoked fish dip with saltines, and key lime pie outdoors at long-standing wooden picnic tables by the town square.
Beach Days in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Settle onto the sand near Pine Avenue with beach umbrellas, warm Atlantic surf, and shower stations spaced conveniently along the promenade.
Public Parks in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Relax on the public benches and ocean-facing pavilions at Friedt Family Park and El Prado Park, designed for people-watching and ocean breezes.
Night Walks in Lauderdale by the sea Florida United States
Stroll the illuminated pedestrian plaza at Commercial Boulevard and Ocean Drive where street musicians perform under string lights after sunset.