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How To Successfully Vacation In Ft. Lauderdale, Florida With A Baby

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Looking for an incredible beach vacation with your baby? Look no further than Fort Lauderdale, Florida! With over 23 miles of golden beaches, tons of restaurants, a new, beach-front hotel, and plenty of things to do with a baby, this Florida city and the surrounding Greater Fort Lauderdale area are amazing options!

Where To Stay In Ft. Lauderdale

Choosing the right hotel can set you up for success or could completely derail your plans for a successful beach trip with your baby. That’s why I have no hesitation recommending the Hotel Maren! Instead of writing a short novel about this new, beach-front hotel here’s a list of why you need to book your stay here.

  • Options of beautiful rooms and spacious suites (we loved our oceanfront balcony suite!)
  • On-Site Restaurant (yum!)
  • 5th Floor Pool & Deck
  • Fitness Center
  • There are pet-friendly rooms (so bring your furry friends!)
  • Walking distance to amazing restaurants (bring your stroller or carrier)
  • Yoga in the morning (leave the baby with your partner and enjoy)
  • Free 2 hour bicycle rental
  • 2 beach chair rentals (you can purchase an umbrella rental)
  • 2 daily signature drinks (because as baby parents you deserve this)

…Have I convinced you yet?

Enjoy The Pool Deck At The Hotel Maren

On the 5th floor, you’ll be able to enjoy an incredible pool deck at the Hotel Maren! With lots of seating and lounging options, there’s plenty of space for everyone to spread out. Perhaps the best part is the views you’ll be greeted with. Nothing is better than catching some rays and watching the waves roll in.

Enjoy The Beaches in Ft. Lauderdale

Did you know that there are over 300 sunshine days a year in Fort Lauderdale? So chances are you’ll score amazing weather no matter the time of year you visit.

Although we didn’t get the chance to explore every beach, I don’t think you could go wrong in choosing a spot along their 23 miles of sandy shores. We really enjoyed the beach right outside the Hotel Maren because of the soft sand, beautiful water and the lack of crowds. It seemed to be a very family-friendly beach.

Visit The Bonnet House

The “Bonnet House Museum & Gardens preserves the unique historic estate of Frederic and Evelyn Bartlett.  Through enjoyable and enriching cultural experiences, the museum connects today’s community to the Bartletts’ architectural, artistic, and environmental legacy.”

We ditched the beach and dusted off the stroller for a few hours to enjoy the vibe of this 20th-century estate. Although our baby slept during the entire self-guided tour, we really enjoyed it! Definitely recommend going in the morning to beat the heat.

Where To Eat In Fort Lauderdale

What I love about Fort Lauderdale was that dining with a baby was stress-free! There are plenty of options including on-site dining, delivery, takeout, and even curbside services. What’s even better is that you can enjoy an array of international choices from Italian, Mexican, Japanese, Thai, Peruvian, etc.

Lona

There are plenty of incredible options for lunch and dinner in Fort Lauderdale but if you don’t stop by Lona you’ve missed out! You’ll find quality Mexican food here with so many different options such as Ahi Tuna Tostada to the Lobster Quesadilla and the Chicken Tortilla Soup. You’ll also want to enjoy their delicious, craft cocktails while there!

We loved this restaurant because we got a table with stunning ocean views and it had a laid-back vibe. Which if you have a baby, know that’s important to feel like you can get up and stand to rock the baby if they start fussing without feeling like you’re out of place.

La Tinta Breakfast

The next meal that you need to pencil in your schedule is La Tina Breakfast! You can find this incredible menu at Lona (so you get to enjoy the incredible atmosphere and views a second time!) If I were to give you a specific dish recommendation I would say get the Dulce de Leche Chocolate Chip Pancakes and the Crab Tostada Benedict. Delicious!

Enjoy a Beach Picnic

The next activity that you need to enjoy during your time in Ft. Lauderdale is a beach picnic! But not just any beach picnic. You need to enlist the help of a company called The Little Gatherings. This boutique, pop-up picnic company promises you a magical experience with boho vibes.

This was definitely a highlight of our trip! The two hours that we spent on the beach enjoying good company, great food, incredible views will be memories that I will cherish forever.

For your pop-up picnic, you’ll obviously need to bring some food. I can’t recommend enough the restaurant, Riviera! Enjoy coastal Italian eats and craft cocktails by the famed chef, Fabio Viviani. My favorite dishes were the black hummus, the citrus cured shrimp, the tuna poke, the charcuterie board…the list goes on! Even if you’d don’t decide to do a picnic while there, still make a reservation and enjoy the approachable yet refined cuisine at Riviera!

Pro-tip: Schedule your picnic to take place right outside the Hotel Maren so it’s easy to walk your take-out food from Riviera right to your spot.

Get Drinks & Food At The Acqua Lounge [Enjoy The Pool, Too!]

The Acqua Lounge was one of our favorite places that we visited while in Fort Lauderdale! You can find this lounge on the 5th-floor pool deck at the Hotel Maren (just another reason to book a stay there!)

You’ll find a beautiful pool, plenty of sun chairs and loungers, a cocktail menu, and food from their full-service restaurant, Riviera (more on this restaurant later). Top off this list with breathtaking views of the ocean and you’ve got yourself an entire afternoon planned out!

Explore Ft. Lauderdale by Water Taxi

If you’ve read previous articles on my site you know that I love exploring a new city by hop on hop off buses. In Fort Lauderdale, you can do exactly that, just with a unique twist! The water taxi boasts narrated tours along their 10 stop routes along the Fort Lauderdale waterways.

So while your little one enjoys a fun ride on a boat, you learn interesting facts from the captain and crew members about the gorgeous homes, yachts, and history of the area.

Make sure you buy those hop on hop off tickets to fully take advantage of your time in the “Venice of America”.

A big thank you to the Hotel Maren and Visit Fort Lauderdale for hosting us! All opinions remain our own.

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AMAZON AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER

This Site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo or trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.