Memorial Day

Honor the day. Welcome the season.

By Memorial Day weekend, Greater Fort Lauderdale already feels like summer. The sand warms up by late morning, boats cut across the Intracoastal, and restaurant patios fill with families, friends, and travelers settling into the three-day break.

The weekend leads into Memorial Day itself, when local communities gather for ceremonies, parades, and tributes honoring the brave men and women who gave their lives while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Around those moments of reflection, there’s plenty of room to slow down, get outside, and enjoy the first real taste of the summer season.

Explore the Outdoors

If your weekend calls for saltwater and sunshine, start at Bahia Mar Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, where Sea Experience offers snorkel, scuba, and glass-bottom boat trips just offshore.

2026 Brand Campaign LBTS

For a beach day that goes beyond the sand, make your way to Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, one of the area’s best places to snorkel or shore dive. The town’s reefs sit within 100 yards of the beach, and the Shipwreck Snorkel Trail off Datura Avenue adds a little adventure without requiring a full boat trip.

2026 Campaign Pier Sixty Six Pool

If the pool is more your speed, cool off at Pier Sixty-Six, where you’ll find both an adults-only pool for a more relaxed escape and a family-friendly pool complete with a waterslide. Settle into a cabana, order something cold from the bar and soak up the sunshine while enjoying the resort’s newly reimagined waterfront atmosphere.

2026 Brand Campaign Pier

Prefer to keep your head above water? Head to the Pompano Beach Fisher Family Pier, where you can watch anglers cast their lines, take a stroll over the Atlantic or simply soak in the ocean views. The modern pier is a favorite for both locals and visitors, offering plenty of space to wander from sunrise into the evening breeze.

Then slow things down on the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk, a 2.5-mile oceanfront path made for bike rides, open-air dining, and live music along the sand.

Raise a Glass to the Weekend

Everyone Under The Sun Beer

If your Memorial Day plans call for something cold and local, Greater Fort Lauderdale has plenty of ways to keep the good times flowing. Start with the Visit Lauderdale Ale Trail, a free mobile passport that guides you to craft breweries and distilleries across the region, with deals and discounts along the way. Go for a crisp lager after the beach, a hoppy IPA before dinner, or a fruit-forward sour that tastes like summer in a glass.

Want to turn the afternoon into an outing? Gather your group for a Cycle Party pub crawl, where you can pedal through town between bar stops with music playing and everyone doing just enough work to earn the next round. Or take it to the water with Pontoon Party, a private charter experience in Fort Lauderdale made for cruising, sipping, and soaking up the scenery with your favorite people.

For even more waterfront fun, head to The Cove Waterfront Restaurant and Tiki Bar for its Memorial Day Weekend celebration, featuring live music, tropical drinks, waterfront dining and laid-back holiday vibes perfect for closing out the long weekend.

Savor Classic Bites

Memorial Day cravings usually lean simple and satisfying: burgers, hot dogs, milkshakes, and sundaes with a spoon for everyone at the table.

Gilbert's 17th Street Grill

In Fort Lauderdale, Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill delivers beloved burgers in a casual, family-friendly setting. For a retro experience, BRGR STOP serves juicy burgers, loaded fries, and creamy shakes in Fort Lauderdale and Coconut Creek. Meanwhile, Batch New Southern Kitchen & Tap offers scratch-made comfort food and garden-to-glass cocktails.

Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlor & Restaurant And make sure to save room for something sweet! Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlour & Restaurant in Dania Beach is a local classic with homemade ice cream, a candy-filled country store, and sundaes built for sharing. Cleveland’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream brings decades of homemade flavor to Miramar and Lauderhill, with scoops ranging from black cherry and butter pecan to passion fruit, grapenut, and soursop. For full retro charm, Cherry Smash in Coral Springs serves shakes, banana splits, and over-the-top sundaes surrounded by vintage décor. Adults can cap things off at Spiked Rich in Davie, known for alcohol-infused nitrogen ice cream, boozy shakes, and playful frozen treats.