Cruise the Waterways of Fort Lauderdale - Water Taxi to the Sights and Beaches

Water Bus, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The water buses, or water taxis, of Fort Lauderdale provide a pleasant and leisurely way to see the sights and beaches of Fort Lauderdale, in South Florida, about an hour's drive north of Miami.

Regular Schedule
These yellow boats cruise the rivers and canals to a regular schedule, with a fixed route, but the operating company is called Water Taxi.

Riverwalk Near Las Olas Boulevard
Start from Riverwalk, also known as Riverfront, near Las Olas Boulevard, the main shopping street in Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Riverfront is a small shopping mall on the New River with waterfront restaurants and bars, and here you'll find Water Taxi stop number 11 (on the Water Taxi map described as Las Olas Riverfront/Briny Pub).

Day Tickets for Water Taxi
Buy a day ticket on the first boat that you board. This allows you to to get on and off as often as you want, and costs $20 for adults, $16 for seniors and $12 for children aged five to eleven. Children under four travel free, and there is also a $55 family ticket for two adults plus three children or seniors.

New River and Intracoastal Waterway
Fort Lauderdale has 165 miles (265 km) of waterways within its city limits. Although the Water Taxi route follows the New River and the Intracoastal Waterway, you will have views of many of the smaller canals during the cruise.

Pelicans on Jetties or Diving for Fish
Look out for pelicans, either perched on jetties or diving for fish.

Restaurants and Bars by Water Taxi Stops
There are restaurants and bars close to most Water Taxi stops, often on the waterfront.

Cruise Ships at Port Everglades
Port Everglades cruise ship terminal is near Water Taxi stop number 7 (Convention Center), and depending on the day and time you might see several liners. Of course the port is a long way from the Everglades.

Fort Lauderdale Beaches
The best Water Taxi stops for Fort Lauderdale's beaches are numbers 5 (Bahai Mar/Bahia Cabana), 4 (Beach Place) and 3 (Seville Street). Perhaps you might want to spend time on the beach, then walk to the next stop.

Galleria Shopping Mall
A slightly upmarket shopping mall, Galleria, is very close to Water Taxi stop number 2 (Gallery One Doubletreet Suites). You have to walk through the hotel to reach the street.

Vegan Dishes in Food Court
The mall is on Sunrise Boulevard and the food court is much better than you'll find in your average shopping centre, with some vegan dishes.

State Park and Raccoons
If instead of going to the mall you cross the bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway, to the right as you leave the hotel, the Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is on your left.

At sunset you might see wild raccoons here, emerging from the park hoping to be fed. Feeding raccoons is something that park rangers don't encourage, mainly because it's not good for wild animals to get used to handouts, but also because they might accidentally bite you when taking the food.

The Park from the Water
Should you have time to continue to Water Taxi stops 1 (Shooter's/Taverna Opa/Charley's Crab) and 1A (il Lugano Hotel), you'll see the park from the water.

Don't Wait for the Last Water Taxi Back
Sometimes the Water Taxis fill up, particularly towards the end of the day, so don't leave it too late to return. Ask for a schedule, plan where you want to get off, and keep an eye on the time.

Directions to Fort Lauderdale in Google Transit
Although Fort Lauderdale is only about an hour's drive from Miami, there's no easy or quick way to get there by public transport.

For directions by bus or driving, click on the Google Transit link in the right-hand sidebar of this blog, and for help using Google Transit read the following post Directions in Miami - Walking, Driving, Bike, Buses & Trains.