​​Where to Celebrate Valentine's Day in Greater Fort Lauderdale

With  24 miles of golden beaches, world-class restaurants, casinos, and cruises—plus natural beauty that stretches from the sand to the swamps—Greater Fort Lauderdale offers couples a "choose-your-own-adventure" Valentine’s Day experience. 

Whether you treat your valentine to a luxurious stay along the beachfront or a lavish dinner for two on a private boat, you’ll find endless ways to spark romance and make Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart—or the entire weekend—truly special.

Romantic Restaurants 

One of the city’s most intimate and memorable meals to share is at Wine Garden in North Beach Village, just a few blocks from Fort Lauderdale beach. This popular nook specializes in pizza, handmade pasta, and plenty of wine to enjoy while cozying up to a fireplace in the wintertime or enjoying alfresco in the quaint garden setting throughout the year. 

Book a reservation for you and your partner at Anthony’s Runway 84 for an old-school ambiance that has garnered a following from locals and visitors alike for more than 40 years. Following a recent renovation, this Italian hotspot is sure to impress with steaks, seafood, and super-size portions of Southern Italian fare, plus live music, making this one memorable Valentine’s dinner you don’t want to miss.  

For a different take on dinner, head to one of Las Olas’ most famous eateries, Chima Brazilian Steakhouse, located just minutes from the beach. This famous churrascaria offers a rodizio service, where gauchos bring different selections of perfectly cooked meats right to your table. There’s also a grand salad bar and plenty of delicious cocktails and wine to go around. 

What could be more romantic than a working fireplace, wooden ceiling beams, spiral staircase, and terrazzo floors dating back to the 1920s? That’s what you’ll find when dining inside Casablanca Cafe, overlooking Fort Lauderdale beach. The historic property transports guests with a modern take on New American and Mediterranean fusion. You can’t go wrong booking a reservation here, as seating is plentiful–thanks to an upstairs dining area, a main dining room, and an outdoor patio complete with ocean breezes and sweeping views. 

Find a variety of restaurants under one roof at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. This resort-style complex offers an array of dining and entertainment options, along with luxurious accommodations at The Guitar Hotel–perfect for when you’re ready to call it a night. 

For Craft Cocktail Aficionados 

Start the evening on Las Olas Boulevard at Rooftop @1WLO, an open-air lounge overlooking downtown Fort Lauderdale’s stunning skyline. Grab a seat at a high-top table, where fire pits serve as the centerpiece, adding to the romantic atmosphere—especially as the sun sets. Savor an eclectic selection of bar bites paired with handcrafted and custom-made cocktails.  

Another local favorite for its sky-high views is Sparrow on the top floor of the 25-story The Dalmar. The trendy rooftop bar features sweeping views of Fort Lauderdale from its coastal-chic patio or through the floor-to-ceiling windows inside the bar’s buzzy, 60s-inspired space. Here, the Asian-style “bar snacks”—an expansive list of sushi, bao buns, lobster mac and cheese, and dumplings—are just as much part of the experience as the tropical-themed classic cocktails. 

The speakeasy concept has made a mark on our city with sultry spots like Fort Lauderdale’s Rm. 901 inside the Hyatt Centric Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale. With sultry lighting, plush furnishings, antique carpets, retro-style lamps, and vintage artwork, this hotspot transports patrons to the roaring 1920s. Head here before dinner or for a nightcap, and be sure to enjoy playfully named libations, like the Stormy Passion, made with Coconut Cartel rum, ginger syrup, Chinola passion fruit, and fresh lime. 

For a scene out of “The Great Gatsby,” take a seat at one of the gilded bars at The Wilder or cozy up at a table on the tree-encased outdoor patio, where you can sip on Instagram-worthy drinks topped with gorgeous garnishes and snack on dinner plates. This is the place to get out of your normal gin and tonic comfort zone and go with the bartender’s choice of whimsical creations, like Bloom, an infusion of gin, creme de flora, jasmine honey, and sparkling rosé.

Hands-on Activities 

If you’re a couple who likes to take date night a step further than dinner, this section is for you. Greater Fort Lauderdale abounds with unique things to do to make your Valentine’s Day memorable. Try an immersive cooking class at Sistrunk Marketplace in Fort Lauderdale, where you’ll learn how to master basic techniques and create a delicious meal to enjoy afterward. Classes rotate often, so be sure to check online for the latest. 

Looking to get your hands a little dirty? Head over to Mingo Makes It in Oakland Park, where you and your partner can experience the art of throwing on the wheel and crafting unique pieces together. Whether you're shaping clay or creating something one-of-a-kind, it’s the perfect way to connect and unleash your creativity. 

The recently renovated Mai Kai restaurant redefines dinner and a show. Here, you can experience Pacific Island traditions through  stage shows that celebrate vibrant music, dance, traditional costumes, and dramatic fire performances. Pair this experience with inventive rum cocktails and a reimagined food menu underscoring Polynesia’s bold flavors. 

Since the 1950s, the  B Ocean Resort on Fort Lauderdale Beach has delighted guests with a one-of-a-kind experience at the world-famous Wreck Bar. Here, you can enjoy live mermaid shows viewed through portholes while sipping tropical cocktails and savoring fresh seafood. Choose from unique experiences like Brunch Under the Sea, Siren Serenade: A Splash of Elegance and Allure, Siren Seduction, and more for an unforgettable underwater adventure

Take your romance to new heights with an unforgettable helicopter tour over South Florida. Whether you're soaring above the sparkling beaches of Fort Lauderdale, gliding past the iconic Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, or taking in breathtaking views of the Everglades, this is an experience you won’t want to miss while visiting Greater Fort Lauderdale.

For a fun way to enjoy a glass of wine, try a blind wine tasting with your partner. This fun experience will test your senses and show you how well you know different types of wine. Rebel Wine Bar in Oakland Park offers this experience, which requires you to rely on your sense of taste and smell.

For the Foodies at Heart 

Fort Lauderdale has no shortage of seafood spots by the water, ranging from casual toes-in-the-sand to sophisticated and chic. 

Acclaimed Japanese-Korean eatery Takato inside the Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach is an excellent spot to enjoy a beachfront dinner, as is its hidden omakase room dubbed OKU that offers the ultimate culinary experience: a guided, hand-served 15-course meal.

You can also take your omakase on the water at Casa Sensei on Las Olas Boulevard and dine on a spread of the eatery’s Latin-Asian fusion from the privacy of your own gondola dinner cruise, which weaves throughout Fort Lauderdale’s waterways.  

For the Adventurous Couple

Start your Valentine’s weekend on Friday evening with a sunset kayak or paddleboard tour on Dune Coastal Lake at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. Tandem kayaks are available if you don’t want to split from your second half.  

Greater Fort Lauderdale is a paradise for scuba divers since more than 76 artificial reefs are lining the ocean floor. It’s also the only place in the continental U.S. where you can snorkel and dive over living coral reefs just off the beach. A five-minute swim off the coast in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea and Hollywood places you right over the first reef.          

For equestrians in the area, Tree Tops Park in Davie—one of the county’s older conservation areas—features wetlands and oak hammocks that couples can traverse on foot or horseback. 

If you really want an adrenaline rush but can’t quite fathom jumping out of an airplane, you can spend the day “flying” at iFLY Fort Lauderdale’s indoor skydiving facility in Davie.

Spa Experiences 

Fort Lauderdale’s infinite waterways inspire The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale, which is equally chic and calming. Find ultimate R&R with treatments like the Couple’s Hearts of Calm Massage, a delightful side-by-side Free Flow massage with upgrades available, including warm sea salt stone to the cradle of life. Afterward, treat yourselves to a pre-fixe dinner or themed brunch at Evelyn’s, one of the property’s fine dining concepts. 

Unwind at EVARA Beach Spa inside the Auberge Beach Residences & Spa along Fort Lauderdale beach with couples treatments that range from a private couples shower and body scrub to a Napa mudslide. 

Book a Swedish side-by-side massage that ends with a glass of champagne at the St. Somewhere Spa inside the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort. Turn the experience at Margaritaville into a staycation, checking into a sumptuous suite with a private balcony that opens up to ocean views that’ll have you instantly slipping into vacation mode—especially after that first margarita hits. 

Couples who prefer a more Old World feel will fall head-over-heels (again) while staying at the Pelican Grand Beach Resort. With its private stretch of sand, you will feel like you’ve slipped away to an island in the Caribbean. Start your day with a visit to the rooftop Pure Spa and book the Premier Suite Couples Massage with a private suite overlooking the Atlantic. If you book your treatment on a Sunday, head to brunch afterward at the newly reimagined Ocean 2000 restaurant, featuring elevated classic brunch favorites alongside fresh seafood paired with breathtaking ocean views.