Hugh Taylor Birch State Recreation Area
Volleyball, horseshoes, canoe rentals, nature trails and more await amid tropical greenery at this 180-acre park sandwiched between 3.5 miles of shoreline and the Intracoastal Waterway. Wishing to protect his subtropical paradise from development, Hugh Taylor Birch donated his estate for use as a public park. It has several distinct biological communities, a freshwater lagoon system, and assorted endangered and threatened animals and plants. A self-guided nature trail or ranger-led walks are available, and a scenic park road allows exploration by bicycle. Birch’s home is now open as the Terramar Visitor Center with exhibits and a short orientation video. Other amenities include a playground, pavilions, barbecue grills, shaded picnic areas and an underground walkway leading from the parking area to the beach.
3109 East Sunrise Boulevard. (954) 564-4521
IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum
Next to Outdoor World - Bass Pro Shop, the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum immortalizes sportsfishing. Seven galleries include a virtual-reality opportunity to chase marlin, sailfish, tarpon, and more. Among some three dozen Hall of Famers are Dame Juliana Berners (credited with writing the first tract on fishing ever published in English); William C. Boschen (first to catch a broadbill swordfish on hook and line); George “The Fox” Bransford (pioneer of black marlin angling off Australia), Zane Grey (Western novelist and one-time holder of more than a dozen saltwater world records); Ernest Hemingway (Nobel Prize winner for the Old Man and the Sea); and James W. Jump (King of Light Tacklers).
300 Gulfstream Way, Dania Beach. (954) 920-1511
International Swimming Hall of Fame
When not hosting international competitions and events, two 10-lane pools are open to the public. An exhibition building features photos, medals, and other souvenirs, and a theater shows films of Esther Williams and Johnny Weissmuller.
One Hall of Fame Drive. (954) 468-1580
Jungle Queen Riverboat
For more than 60 years, the Jungle Queen paddlewheeler and sisters in the fleet have plied Fort Lauderdale’s New River, transporting some 14 million guests past eye-popping waterfront homes, historic Stranahan House and other points including the vicinity of the 1836 Cooley family massacre. Cruise options departing from the Bahia Mar Yacht Basin include 3-hour sightseeing cruises daily at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m, and daily dinner cruises featuring an island variety show and all-you-care-to eat barbecue and shrimp. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, an 8-hour cruise heads to Miami’s Bayside Marketplace.
A1A at Bahia Mar Yacht Center. (954) 462-5596
Mai-Kai
Reigning with South Seas tranquility along Federal Highway since 1956, the landmark Mai-Kai captivates with a torch-lit, wooden plank bridge entrance leading to a thatched roof Polynesian Village. Giant tiki sculptures stand guard over the gardens, and cuisine includes Cantonese and American dishes from fresh seafood and steaks to house specialties like Peking Duck, Rack of Lamb and Lobster Bora Bora. There’s also a tamari (child’s menu) with items like Capt. Cook’s Rib’s in Secret Sauce. Each room, off the main showroom, reflects a different Polynesian region, overlooking a waterfall or lagoon. The Molokai Bar serves potent concoctions a la Zulu, Zombie, Shrunken Skull, and Yeoman’s Grog. Gift shop stock ranges from apparel and collector tiki mugs to dashboard hula guys and girls. Polynesian dancers perform a fiery 45-minute Islanders Revue twice nightly.
3599 North Federal Highway. (954) 563-3272
Markham Park
This sprawling 666-acre park, perched at the edge of the Everglades Conservation Area, has interlocking lakes yielding opportunity for fishing, boating, and there’s a swimming pool complex with mist pool, snack bar, lockers and showers/restrooms. An outdoor target complex includes 50-yard and 100-meter lighted rifle/pistol ranges, lighted skeet/trap fields, a mile-long automated sporting clays course, computerized 5-stand, and a clubhouse. Also on premises are the Fox Observatory, a model airplane field, and a mountain bike trail. A campground has 86 sites for RV and tent camping. Other facilities include bike and boat rental, tennis/racquetball center, a biking/jogging path, volleyball, nature and equestrian trails. Picnic shelters are available for rental, and picnic tables and grills are scattered throughout the park. A 1,600-square-foot clubhouse next to the target range also can be rented. Admission is $1 per person on weekends and holidays, and free through the week.
16001 West State Road 84, Sunrise. (954) 389-2000
Museum of Discovery and Science / Blockbuster 3D IMAX Theater
More than 200 hands-on exhibits are at this playground of the mind, with eight themed areas: Florida EcoScapes, KidScience, Gizmo City, Space Base, Sound, Choose Health, No Place Like Home and the Traveling Exhibit Hall. The five-story screen of the IMAX Theater showcases a changing schedule of film adventure for family entertainment.
401 Southwest 2nd Street. Museum (954) 467-6637. Theater (954) 463-4629
Office Depot Center
Home to the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers, the Office Depot Center also attracts name entertainers for concerts and other performances.
2555 Panther Parkway Drive (N.W. 137th Way), Sunrise. (954) 835-7000.
Old Dillard Museum
Originally Dillard High School, built in 1924 as the first for blacks in Fort Lauderdale, this landmark has been restored as a cultural and educational center.
1001 Northwest 4th Street. (954) 765-6952
Pompano Park Harness Track
Pompano Park Harness Track is Florida’s only pari-mutuel harness racetrack, and South Florida’s only nighttime horse racing facility, ideal for entertainment after a day at the beach, on the golf course, or deep-sea fishing. Guests can also wager on simulcasting events and dine at the Top O the Park with a view of the horses and track. Tours are available for groups seeking an up close look at the trotters and pacers.
1800 Southwest 3rd Street, Pompano Beach. (954) 972-2000
Quiet Waters Park
Despite the “Quiet” name, awaiting action includes Splash Adventure, a high-tech water play system with slides and tunnels. The 430-acre water-oriented park also has a lake for cable waterskiing, and boat rentals. Fishing is permitted on the shores of several lakes (freshwater fishing licenses may be required for ages 16 and up). A campground with 16 Rent-A-Tent sites provides pre-setup tents with equipment. Primitive camping is available for nonprofit groups, and rental picnic shelters include 150+ capacity, six 50+ capacity, and two 30+ capacity sites, all with grills, water, and tables. Quiet Waters also has a large playground, a biking/jogging trail, and a snack bar.
401 South Powerline Road, Deerfield Beach. (954) 360-1315.
Riverwalk Downtown Fort Lauderdale
Downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Riverwalk stretches for more than a mile along historic New River from near the Sailboat Bend neighborhood to near Stranahan House.
Along the north bank of New River. (954) 468-1541
Secret Woods Nature Center
This 56-acre Designated Urban Wilderness Area on the south fork of New River opened in 1978 as Broward’s first interpretive nature center. The New River Trail, a 3,200-foot, wheelchair-accessible boardwalk, travels through an oak hammock to an overlook on the river, showcasing a brackish-water wetland. The Laurel Oak Trail, a 1,200-foot, wood-chipped trail runs through the drier oak hammock, and an exhibit building has interpretive displays on the nature center's flora and fauna. Parking and admission are free.
2701 West State Road 84, Dania Beach. (954) 791-1030
