Miami to Fort Lauderdale drive: Distance, time & best stops
The best road trip stops on the Miami to Fort Lauderdale drive are Oleta River State Park, the Tidal River Waterpark and Hollywood FL. The distance from Miami to Fort Lauderdale by car is 29 miles, with a 40 minute driving time.
Finding the best things to do between Miami and Fort Lauderdale
The Miami to Fort Lauderdale drive connects the two main cities in southeastern Florida.
Miami is a city with several sides to it. The art deco and showiness of South Beach contrasts heavily with the landscaped garden grandeur of Coral Gables, for example.
Top Miami experiences include food tours of Little Havana, sightseeing by speedboat and South Beach cruises that take in the homes of millionaires. Alternatively, try a sunset cocktail cruise, a half day Everglades tour or a scenic helicopter flight.
Attractions worth getting advance tickets for include the Frost Science Museum, the Museum of Graffiti and the Paradox Museum.
The most memorable Miami accommodation is in one of South Beach’s art deco hotels. The Essex House Hotel is an architectural classic. The National has an amazing pool.
Fort Lauderdale is sleek coastal city of beaches and canals. For Fort Lauderdale experiences, try narrated 90 minute cruises on the Jungle Queen, Everglades airboat adventures and snorkelling tours on the Fort Lauderdale reefs.
Alternatively, try an evening boat cruise, renting a powerboat or parasailing.
Great beachfront Fort Lauderdale accommodation options include the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort and the Hotel Maren.
Miami to Fort Lauderdale distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Miami to Fort Lauderdale is 29 miles. In fair traffic, that makes for a driving time of around 40 minutes.
The best stops to add to a Miami to Fort Lauderdale road trip itinerary are Oleta River State Park, the Tidal River Waterpark and Hollywood FL.
Miami to Fort Lauderdale drive: Oleta River State Park
Oleta River State Park is Florida’s biggest urban park. It’s an all-action kind of place, with 15 miles of mountain bike trails for bikers and a network of mangrove-lined waterways for kayakers. It’s a popular fishing spot, too – tarpon, mullet and snapper are regularly caught here.
There’s also a family-friendly beach with shallow water.
Miami to Fort Lauderdale road trip attractions: Tidal Cove Waterpark
The Tidal Cove Waterpark offers an admirably varied menu of slides and rides. The Constrictor is a twisty, turny affair, while the near vertical drop of the Aqua Drop is a test of nerve. The Master Blaster is a gravity-defying uphill water slide, while there’s also a big lagoon pool and a lazy river.
Best stops between Miami and Fort Lauderdale: Hollywood FL
Hollywood FL is best known for its gorgeous, palm-lined beach. You can pick out your preferred spot while walking along the 2.2 mild Hollywood Beach Boardwalk. But there’s also something of a food and drink scene here. This is best explored on a food walking tour.
For something a little wilder, the mangrove-lined Anne Kolb Nature Center offers walking and kayaking trails.
Search for good Hollywood FL hotel deals here.
More Miami road trips
Miami to Fort Myers | Miami to Hollywood FL | Miami to Naples.
More Fort Lauderdale road trips
Buffalo to Fort Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale to Cape Coral | Dallas to Fort Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale to Fort Myers | Houston to Fort Lauderdale | Jacksonville to Fort Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale to Naples | Nashville to Fort Lauderdale | Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale | Pittsburgh to Fort Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale to Washington DC.