Ft. Lauderdale
BY DEBBY GIRVAN
F
or those of us who came of age in the
early 80's and before, Ft. Lauderdale is a
hazy memory of Spring Break beach parties,
wet t-shirt contests, keg beer, baby oil sunburns
and bawdy behavior. Three decades later, the
same beaches and motel strip have matured and
cleaned up nicely, providing an affordable, comfortable
destination for a family getaway.
Spring Break veterans will recognize vintage establishments such as the Elbo Room, established in 1939 and
still rocking 20-somethings looking for cheap drinks, a
great view and not much else. I re-discovered the 50's
era motel with center court pool that 14 of my closest
friends and I shared for a week and affectionately nicknamed, "The Bahama Mama." Now sporting new paint,
a new name and likely new owners, it bears a striking
resemblance to the set of TV's Melrose Place and possibly a decent place to stay.
There is plenty of family appeal to the area including
the wide, clean, light sand beaches with emerald water
and palm trees, quiet hotels, trendy restaurants and boutique shops along Las Olas Blvd., and a variety of museums. Ice cream, pizza and sandwich shops have replaced
most of the raunchy beachfront bars and even the tacky
souvenir shops along the main strip are endearing. The
miles of wide sidewalk that outline the beachfront are
popular with runners, walkers and bicyclists. On the north
end across from the beach, the refreshingly shady Hugh
Taylor Birch State Park offers canoes, bicycles, fishing, swimming and nature hikes. A tunnel from the park
extends under the main road directly to the beach.
Before you go, check out the classic, 60's era spring
break flicks, "Where the Boys Are" and Elvis's, "Girl
Happy." Both films feature popular spots in Ft. Lauderdale
you may still recognize today. Ft. Lauderdale promises
plenty of opportunities for family fun and this time you
won't be sleeping on a floor or nursing a hangover.
20 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • September 2013
HELPFUL LINKS
Popular Activities
Butterfly World
http://www.butterflyworld.com/start.html
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
http://www.floridastateparks.org/hughtaylorbirch/
Funderdome
http://www.funderdome.net/
Broward Center for the Performing Arts
https://www.browardcenter.org/online/
Las Olas Boulevard
http://www.lasolasboulevard.com/
Ft. Lauderdale Antique Car Museum
http://www.antiquecarmuseum.org/
International Swimming Hall of Fame
http://www.ishof.org/
Jungle Queen River Boat
http://www.junglequeen.com/
Visit www.FredParent.net for additional
links for info on places to STAY and EAT
