How to Get Around Fort Lauderdale Without a Car

One of the most popular ways to get around Greater Fort Lauderdale is by Water Taxi. These signature yellow boats offer a safe and stress-free way to enjoy the fresh breeze while cruising along 30 stops from Hollywood to Fort Lauderdale to Pompano Beach. You can purchase day passes, which cost $38 for adults, $33 for seniors and veterans, and $18 for kids ages 5 to 11 (children younger than 5 sail for free). The full circuit runs about three hours, but you can take advantage of the hop-on, hop-off option and use the live tracker if you want to make a day of it. 

If you’re headed to Hollywood, board the Water Taxi from Hilton Marina & Convention Center, stroll the 2.5-mile Broadwalk, and visit the vibrant 5 o’clock Somewhere Bar at Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort.

In Fort Lauderdale, you can explore historic Stranahan House, shop on Las Olas Boulevard, indulge in a seafood lunch at 15th Street Fisheries, go kayaking at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, and toast to happy hour at Shooters Waterfront, among many other stops. 

A ride to Pompano Beach gives you easy access to Roy L. Rogers Family Park with its green spaces and water views, Lighthouse Point Marina with the option to vibe to live music and nurse a loaded Bloody Mary at Nauti Dawg Marina Café, and enjoy high-quality eats along the intracoastal at Blue Moon Fish Co.

If you have a set itinerary in mind, you can opt for LauderGo!, the free Water Trolley. The trolley operates daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the route includes eight stops with 20- to 30-minute wait times: Riverwalk Laura Ward, Huizenga Plaza/Bubier Park, Riverfront Plaza, Esplanade Park, Tarpon River, New River Yacht Club, Downtowner Saloon and Smoker Park.

Local tip: If you’re planning to take the Water Trolley to a reservation or ticketed event, pad your departure time, in case you experience delays from the New River Bridge. 

If you’re traveling to Greater Fort Lauderdale from Miami, Aventura, Boca Raton, or West Palm Beach (or even as far as Orlando), the high-speed Brightline train offers a comfortable one-way or round-trip in a fraction of the time, when compared to a car ride. The Fort Lauderdale train station is conveniently located just a short walk from bustling Las Olas and the surrounding scene. It’s also a great option if you’d like to visit one of the above stops for the day or evening, and then return to Greater Fort Lauderdale. 

Premium train tickets, which offer lounge access and food and beverage service, come with a $10 Uber voucher to help with your final destination. Plus, airport connector shuttles are available to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) ($10 for the first guest and $5 for every additional ride in the party), and complimentary shuttles are offered from the station to select events, like the GOOOL GETTER, which offers transportation to Inter Miami CF at nearby Chase Stadium. 

The LauderGO Shuttle is a free and convenient community ride service with five route links to help you get around Greater Fort Lauderdale with ease. Whether you’re headed out on a shopping day or craving fun in the sand and sun, LauderGo! can get you to your destination and back.

The Beach Link runs along Fort Lauderdale Monday to Sunday, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the weekend Las Olas Link operates Friday to Sunday, from 12:45 p.m. to 5 p.m.; the Downtown Link from BCT Central Terminal, the courthouses, and Flagler Village runs Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the NW Community Link along and north of Broward Boulevard with connection to the Tri-Rail operates Monday to Friday from 6:20 a.m. to 7:18 p.m.; and the Neighborhood Link with service to Life Net Cooporate Feeding, ChildNet, Dillard High School, and the African American Research Library runs Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 1:10 p.m.

You can pedal and glide seamlessly from point A to point B — with stops along the way — with the Broward BCycle (currently operating as AvMed Rides) eclectic bikeshare program. There are 24 docking stations within Broward County, which makes it convenient to locate a pick-up or drop-off kiosk via the BCycle app or website. For example, you can cruise from Holiday Park to Willingham Park or Las Olas to Galleria. 

While BCycle isn’t free, it’s an inexpensive way to get around. Single rides are $7.49; two-hour passes cost $19.26; seven-day passes run $43.87, and an annual pass is $110.21. Keep in mind that each pass type has time limits, and currently, there are only electric bike options and no classic bikes to rent.

The LauderGO! Micro Mover makes getting around Fort Lauderdale effortless and eco-friendly. This free, on-demand service uses a fleet of all-electric vehicles to connect riders to downtown, the beach, neighborhoods, cultural hubs, and shopping districts. With service areas expanding across the city — including the Northwest Community, Galt Mile, and Coral Ridge Mall — the Micro Mover offers residents and visitors a sustainable and convenient way to explore without the hassle of driving or parking. Booking a ride is simple: just download the free “Ride Circuit” app from the App Store or Google Play to request a pick-up

Whether by sea, train, shuttle, or e-bike, you can visit all the best parts of Greater Fort Lauderdale without driving, renting a car, or spending too much money on rideshares. And the best part is, several of these options are free or low-cost, so you can focus your budget on local attractions and dining out instead.