Sailing the “Venice of America” Aboard Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi

Fort Lauderdale, more specifically Port Everglades, is known as being one of the busiest cruise ports in the world. But even if you aren’t about to embark on a weeklong Caribbean cruise, you can still sail these local waters of Florida by riding on the Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi.

Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi is not only a water taxi taking you from point A to point B, but it’s also a lovely unique way to see the gorgeous million-dollar mansions, yachts and sailboats and experience the waterfront lifestyle of the river that weaves its way through the city.

We had the opportunity to ride through the “Venice of America” and had a fantastic unrushed, relaxed visit. Not only was it a great value, but also it was pretty entertaining. The friendly Captain provides excellent commentary throughout the tour, and you get to learn a bit about the history of the lifestyles of the rich and famous that lived and frequented the area both in the past and present. Some of the past residents whose homes you will sail by are Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, Burt Reynolds, Nick Nolte, Evel Knievel, and Sonny and Cher, to name but a few.

Your one-day “all day pass” ticket includes unlimited hop-on hop-off access to 11 stops, including Fort Lauderdale Beach, Hollywood Beach, Las Olas Boulevard, the Riverfront, Galleria Mall, and the Convention Centre. Many stops are at bars or restaurants along the route, which is perfect if you want to hop off – grab a bite to eat or a drink, and hop back on. (Your ticket does include some discounts at some of the establishments.)

Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi Map

The crew is very welcoming and informative, and they tell some great jokes (albeit some are corny) to keep it exciting and fun. They do go out of their way to ensure you don’t get lost out on the water or stranded at a stop with no return by spending time with each person when they first come aboard to help plan your day.

Metered parking is available at the Riverside Hotel Parking Garage on 6th Avenue.

The boat ride from top to bottom takes about 3 hours if you don’t get off at any stops.

Next time you are in Fort Lauderdale, check out the Water Taxi. This sailing was our second time, and I’m confident we’ll do it again…

Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi Pro Travel Tips:

• Watch the clock and pay attention to the schedule if you plan to hop on and off. There are signs next to the stop, and we find it helpful to take a photo of the schedule on our cell phones to refer to it later.
• Passengers who already possess tickets/ticket vouchers have priority boarding. Those who need to purchase tickets will board afterwards. So, if possible, buy your ticket online.
• Be aware that if the water taxi is full, you cannot board. So, if you are at a popular stop, you may have to wait for the next boat.

Travel assistance was provided by Water Taxi and Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau. The opinions expressed, positive and negative, are entirely that of the author and do not reflect the compensation received.