24 Hours in Fort Lauderdale: Perfect One-Day Itinerary Near the Beach
What Can You Do in 24 Hours in Fort Lauderdale? A Local’s Perfect One-Day Itinerary
If you’re wondering what to do in Fort Lauderdale in 24 hours, here’s one of our favorite ways to spend a day when you stay at Turtle Nest Bungalow. This itinerary combines great coffee, private pool time, an outdoor adventure, waterfront dining, Las Olas shopping, chocolate, and some of the local experiences that make Fort Lauderdale such a fun vacation destination.
The best part? You can do all of this without spending your vacation sitting in traffic. Turtle Nest Bungalow is centrally located, making it easy to get to Fort Lauderdale Beach, Las Olas Boulevard, the Intracoastal Waterway, downtown, restaurants, and attractions.
What is a perfect 24-hour Fort Lauderdale itinerary?
A perfect Fort Lauderdale day can start with coffee and a healthy breakfast at Press & Grind Café, followed by a relaxing afternoon at your private pool at Turtle Nest Bungalow. Later, head out for an EZ Raider tour through Fort Lauderdale, enjoy waterfront food at Marina Village, then spend the evening walking Las Olas Boulevard, shopping, visiting Gemspire, and ending with chocolate and ice cream from Kilwins.
This itinerary gives you a little bit of everything: Fort Lauderdale adventure, relaxation, waterfront dining, shopping, sightseeing, and local flavor.
Morning: Start Your Fort Lauderdale Day at Press & Grind Café
Press & Grind Café is an excellent place to start your day with coffee and breakfast before heading out to explore.
📍 Press & Grind Café – Harbor Shops
1300 SE 17th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Press & Grind describes its menu as a combination of single-origin specialty coffee, organic smoothies, fresh-pressed juices, açaí bowls, sandwiches, salads, and other chef-inspired dishes.
Grab a coffee, smoothie, açaí bowl, breakfast sandwich, or something light before heading back to Turtle Nest Bungalow.
The café is open daily, making it a convenient stop whether you're an early riser or someone who likes to ease into vacation mode.
Local tip: Don't over-plan your morning. You're on vacation!
Afternoon: Spend the Day at Your Private Pool at Turtle Nest Bungalow
After breakfast, head back to Turtle Nest Bungalow and do something that is surprisingly difficult to do on a busy vacation:
Nothing.
One of the biggest advantages of staying in a private Fort Lauderdale vacation rental instead of a traditional hotel is having your own private space to relax.
At Turtle Nest Bungalow, you can spend the afternoon enjoying:
💦 Private heated pool
☀️ Full-sun pool lounging
🌴 Shaded areas for cooling off
🪑 Poolside lounge chairs
🔥 Fire pit
🍹 Outdoor entertaining space
🏡 Private backyard
Take a swim. Read a book. Have another coffee. Put on some music. Let the kids play in the pool.
You don't have to fill every minute of your Fort Lauderdale vacation with activities.
And when you're ready for some adventure, it's time to head out.
What is an EZ Raider tour in Fort Lauderdale?
For something completely different, book an EZ Raider Fort Lauderdale tour.
EZ Raiders are electric, quiet, ATV-style vehicles that give you a fun way to explore Fort Lauderdale outdoors. The tours allow you to experience parts of the city from a completely different perspective while cruising through areas including downtown, the New River, Las Olas, and toward the beach.
Choose a 60-minute or 90-minute tour, depending on how much time you want to spend exploring.
This is a particularly fun activity for visitors who want something more adventurous than simply driving around the city.
You'll see:
🛥️ Yachts along the New River
🌴 Downtown Fort Lauderdale
🌊 The Intracoastal area
🛍️ Las Olas Boulevard
🏖️ Fort Lauderdale Beach
🏙️ Historic and architectural sights
It's also a great activity for couples, families, friends, or anyone who wants to get outside and experience Fort Lauderdale instead of simply looking at it from a car.
Where Should You Eat After an EZ Raider Tour?
After your ride, head to Marina Village at Bahia Mar for waterfront food and a little more Fort Lauderdale scenery.
Marina Village's open-air food hall, The Promenade, features multiple culinary kiosks overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. The lineup includes options ranging from sushi and tacos to Detroit-style pizza and lobster rolls.
And this is where my personal New England bias comes into play.
Why does a New Englander recommend Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls?
I'm a girl from New England, so I'm naturally picky about lobster rolls.
My choice at Marina Village is Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls.
📍 Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls – Marina Village
849 Seabreeze Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Mason's offers several different lobster rolls, including its chilled Classic Lobster Roll with mayo and lemon butter, the warm Connecticut Roll tossed in butter, Lobster Salad Roll, and Lobster BLT Roll. You can also order lobster bisque, New England clam chowder, lobster salad, shrimp salad, and sides.
For a New England girl spending time in South Florida, this is a pretty great way to get my lobster fix while still enjoying a tropical waterfront setting.
Grab your food and find a spot overlooking the marina. Watch the boats come and go, enjoy the sunshine, and take your time.
What else can you eat at Marina Village?
If lobster isn't your thing, don't worry.
The Promenade at Marina Village has a variety of food kiosks, with choices including:
And if you're ready for a drink, check out The Shorely, the waterfront entertainment venue located within Marina Village.
The Shorely occupies a converted 500-person ferry and features multiple bars, cocktails, wine, beer, entertainment, and waterfront views.
What should you do on Las Olas Boulevard?
After lunch, head toward Las Olas Boulevard.
This is where I'd slow the itinerary down again.
Las Olas is one of Fort Lauderdale's best places to wander without a strict agenda. Explore boutiques, art galleries, specialty stores, restaurants, bars, cafés, and unexpected local finds.
You don't necessarily need a shopping list.
Just walk.
And definitely save room for dessert.
Why should you visit Kilwins on Las Olas?
Kilwins is one of those stops that's almost impossible to walk past without going inside.
And there is a reason the smell hits you before you even get through the door.
Kilwins has been making chocolates and confections since 1947, when Don and Katy Kilwin opened a small bakery in Petoskey, Michigan. The company eventually focused on hand-crafted chocolates, fudge, ice cream, and other confections.
Today, Kilwins is particularly known for:
🍫 Hand-crafted chocolates
🍦 Original Recipe Ice Cream
🍬 Mackinac Island-style fudge
🍎 Caramel apples
🍿 Caramel corn
🥜 Brittle
🧇 Fresh-made waffle cones
Many Kilwins stores make products fresh on-site, including hand-paddled fudge cooked in copper kettles and cooled on marble tables.
So yes—get the chocolate.
Get the fudge.
Get the ice cream.
You're on vacation.
What is Gemspire on Las Olas?
While you're walking Las Olas, make a stop at Gemspire, a unique crystal and gemstone store located along the boulevard.
This is one of those places that can turn into an unexpected vacation memory.
You'll find crystals, gemstones, jewelry, wellness-related items, candles, gifts, and unusual statement pieces.
It is especially fun if you're looking for something completely different from the typical souvenir shop.
Take your time browsing and then continue your Las Olas stroll.
Why is Turtle Nest Bungalow a good place to stay for this itinerary?
The reason this itinerary works so well is location.
You're not spending your entire day driving from one side of Fort Lauderdale to the other.
You can:
☕ Start with coffee → 🏡 relax at home → ⚡ explore Fort Lauderdale → 🦞 eat waterfront → 🛍️ shop Las Olas → 🍫 eat chocolate → 🐢 come home.
And that's just one day.
At Turtle Nest Bungalow, you get the convenience of being close to the places you want to visit while still having a private home to come back to.
After your evening on Las Olas, return to your private backyard, take another swim, sit around the fire pit, or simply relax.
That's the part of vacation we don't want you to forget.
Book a Fort Lauderdale Vacation Rental Direct
If you're planning a Fort Lauderdale vacation, Turtle Nest Bungalow gives you a private home base for exploring the beach, Intracoastal, Las Olas Boulevard, restaurants, nightlife, water activities, shopping, and local attractions.
And because you're booking a private vacation home, you can enjoy your own heated pool and backyard instead of sharing a resort pool with hundreds of other guests.
Book directly through the Turtle Nest Bungalow website to avoid third-party platform fees and keep more of your vacation budget for experiences like lobster rolls, EZ Raider tours, shopping, and—of course—chocolate.
🌴 Stay. Explore. Eat. Relax. Repeat.
That's the Turtle Nest way.
Quick 24-Hour Fort Lauderdale Itinerary
Morning
☕ Press & Grind Café
🏡 Breakfast and coffee → Turtle Nest Bungalow
Afternoon
💦 Private heated pool
⚡ 60- or 90-minute EZ Raider tour
Lunch
🦞 Marina Village
🍕 Explore the food kiosks
🍹 The Shorely
Evening
🛍️ Las Olas Boulevard
💎 Gemspire
🍫 Kilwins
🌴 Return to Turtle Nest Bungalow and relax
Best for: families, couples, friends, first-time Fort Lauderdale visitors, food lovers, adventure seekers, and anyone looking for a relaxed but full day in South Florida.
← Return home
