The Perfect 3-Day Luxury Escape to Greater Fort Lauderdale

Live it up like royalty by booking a suite at the recently renovated Pier Sixty-Six, which features some of the best views of the Intracoastal Waterway, Port Everglades, and Fort Lauderdale beach. Each of the 325 guest rooms fits a modern-meets-midcentury design, oozing with sophisticated style. 

When not in your room, get lost exploring one of the 12 new dining and lounge venues or enjoying a golden-hour stroll along the marina. The crown jewel of the property is the reimagined Pier Top Lounge, a sumptuous outpost for all things cocktails and caviar. The lounge slowly revolves, completing a full 360-degree rotation every 66 minutes, so you get the best views of the city no matter where you’re sitting. 

Another great spot to call home base is the Four Seasons Hotel & Residences Fort Lauderdale. Once you drop your bags, relax in a poolside cabana and order lunch. Highlights include a spa, afternoon tea in the lobby bar, and culinary delights at every turn. 

Of note is MAASS, the hotel’s signature restaurant, whose Chef’s Counter earned the city its first Michelin star. Keep things moving at the limited-time aperitivo lounge ViceVersa in the hotel lobby, where you can imbibe Milan-inspired cocktails from a bar ranked No. 56 on North America’s 50 Best Bars.

Just a short walk away is Nubé, the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort’s rooftop bar perched on the 26th floor. Wraparound ocean views, inventive cocktails, and shared bites make this a favorite spot for locals and visitors alike. 

New to town is the Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel, conveniently located next to the recently expanded Broward County Convention Center. A stay here includes an expansive outdoor pool deck, six dining venues, a luxurious spa, and a sports and entertainment bar with a Topgolf Swing Suite featuring two bays. At night, head up to the Ibis Sky Lounge for an indoor-outdoor rooftop bar setting, complete with the city’s skyline.

If you’re staying closer to downtown, consider a reservation for dinner at the locals’ favorite that earned its spot on the Michelin Guide: Daniel’s, A Florida Steakhouse. The food is locally sourced and features indulgent cuts of meat paired with strong martinis and sides that deserve just as much of the spotlight. Think house-made potato chips served with a caramelized onion and Florida sour cream dip topped with Umai caviar. 

Kick off your weekend with brunch at Ocean Prime near Fort Lauderdale beach, and order the mimosa bottle service. Your server will pour you a chilled glass of Veuve Clicquot, “Reserve Cuvée topped off with orange juice, guava, or pomegranate Chinato juice. From there, take your pick from the raw bar to crab cake eggs Benedict to the Sakura wagyu cheeseburger with a fried egg.

Other classic breakfast and brunch hotspots include The House on the River, Café Bastille, and YOT Kitchen & Bar. 

Make today all about outdoor adventure. Fort Lauderdale's 300 miles of inland waterways—165 of which wind straight through the city—didn't earn it the nickname “Venice of America” by accident. Get out on the water however you like, whether that's snorkeling, diving, or a laid-back paddleboarding session on the Intracoastal.

Or, charter a yacht through Coastal Yacht Charters and spend the afternoon aboard the Marquis 690, drifting along the waterways with the sun on your face. Romantic sunset cruises and private dinner experiences are also on the menu if you want to make an evening of it.

Want to take things airborne? Book a helicopter ride with Keen Fly and trace the coastline from above—spotting wildlife cutting through the water, stingrays gliding below, and luxury yachts lined up along the shore—before landing near the Guitar Hotel at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. 

After a full day of activities, freshen up and settle into dinner at one of many hotspots, such as classic steakhouses like Jay’s Steakhouse and Eddie V’s, or go Italian with Anthony’s Runway 84 for Italian supper club vibes and classic red-sauce menu items. There’s also YOLO on Las Olas Boulevard, which attracts an energetic crowd nightly—and it’s great for people watching. 

Every great trip must come to an end, but you’ll leave Greater Fort Lauderdale with unforgettable memories of its finest luxuries.

Spend your final day savoring moments of serenity with a spa treatment. There’s something for every couple or group of friends to enjoy. Favorites include The Spa at Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale to EVARA Beach Spa tucked inside Auberge Beach Residences. 

Inspired by Florida’s natural springs, Mokara Spa inside the Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel is a newer option for nature-forward treatments and Hammam rituals. Pier Sixty-Six’s Zenova spa boasts nine luxury treatment rooms, a couples spa suite, and a Via Aquae journey, complete with the city’s only “Snow Room.”

If you haven’t made it to Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood yet, carve out some time. The 18-acre pool oasis alone is worth a visit. Lagoon-style pools, waterfalls, a lazy river, and a private Bora Bora Cabana enclave with personal butler service make it very easy to lose track of time. When you're ready to pull yourself away from the water, the resort offers fine dining, luxury shopping, a sprawling casino and nightly live entertainment. 

While on property, visit Marky’s Caviar Lounge, an elegant venue blending French cuisine with modern American influences. Choose from courses such as caviar fries, duck à l'orange or a king crab leg hot dog. 

Back in downtown Fort Lauderdale, a 1980s-inspired luxury lounge dubbed Caviar Club is on the horizon, promising an over-the-top spread for anyone who takes their caviar seriously.