{"id":2137,"date":"2009-11-03T15:33:29","date_gmt":"2009-11-03T21:33:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=2137"},"modified":"2016-12-17T00:45:11","modified_gmt":"2016-12-17T06:45:11","slug":"holiday-travel-in-ft-lauderdale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2009\/11\/holiday-travel-in-ft-lauderdale\/","title":{"rendered":"Holiday travel in Ft. Lauderdale"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"up-north-033\"

Fort Lauderdale Beach off of Las Olas Boulevard <\/p><\/div>\n

By John George<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always had relatives in Fort Lauderdale,<\/a> Fla., and my family lived there in the early aughts. We are returning for a week around Christmas, and will definitely utilize the following tips to help make our trip go smoothly. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Find Appropriate Accommodations<\/strong><\/br>
\nWe’re lucky enough to be staying with relatives this trip, but have spent enough time visiting to know some of the better hotel options that suit our needs. Our current favorites in town are the Marriott Harbor Beach <\/a>and the Riverside Hotel<\/a>\u2014we used to love staying at Ireland\u2019s Inn Beach Resort, but it closed two years ago for renovations and no new information is currently available. We have also used the Embassy Suites<\/a> on the 17th<\/sup> Street Causeway; although this hotel is about two miles from the beach, the suite layout is very family friendly.<\/p>\n

Pack for the Weather<\/strong><\/br>
\nDecember weather in southern Florida<\/a> is definitely unpredictable. We\u2019ve enjoyed marvelous beach time and also some chilly days in late December\u2014and even early January (we, of course, console ourselves by remembering the weather back home up north. If you are planning on visiting before about mid-January, be sure to monitor weather conditions before packing for your trip. One year, we had some of our cousin\u2019s visit for New Year and during their stay, the weather turned cool\u2014shorts and tank tops gave way to jackets and sweaters. Good thing we were there to lend some clothes!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\"View\n

Have Gifts. Will Travel?<\/strong><\/br>
\nNow, the question on the mind of every kid traveling at Christmas time<\/strong> is, “How will Santa find me? I\u2019m going to be hundreds of miles away from home!” Actually, our son, Zeke, is past that age, but we\u2019re still left with the matter of getting gifts to our vacation spot. As everyone knows, with scant few exceptions airlines now charge fees to check luggage, and there are pretty strictrules about bringing already-wrapped presents along in carry-on baggage. After considerable discussion, we determined that we\u2019d each carry a single gift and that we\u2019d use the free or reduced-rate shipping from many online retailers to ship anything more bulky than a book or CD. We\u2019ll see how this works out.<\/p>\n

When you Want to Pray<\/strong><\/br>
\nIf you want to attend Christmas Mass during your vacation, you can likely find a local church. Most denominations have online listings of their churches and service times. We\u2019ll be attending Mass at St. Anthony, our old parish in downtown in Fort Lauderdale<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Christmas Festivities<\/strong><\/br>
\nFort Lauderdale<\/a> fancies itself as the Venice of America. There\u2019s a fun (and free) Holiday Boat Parade a couple of weeks before Christmas, part of Fort Lauderdale\u2019s Winterfest<\/a> activities. Hundreds of boat owners decorate their boats with lavish holiday d\u00e9cor and lighting. You can view the parade from many vantage points along the Intracostal\u2014why not bring a picnic dinner and make an evening of it? In addition to the parade, there are other family activities, including a tree lighting at the Riverside Hotel<\/a><\/p>\n

Another holiday event that we\u2019ve enjoyed inthe past is the Fantasy of Lights in Coconut Creek<\/a>, a short drive north of Fort Lauderdale<\/a>. Thousands of lights are strung up in Tradewinds Park, which is also home to an interesting butterfly zoo. There\u2019s a small drive-in charge, and the loop takes 20 to30 minutes.<\/p>\n

Speaking of lights, a closer option, which also happens to be free, is to drive or stroll up the Las Olas shopping strip<\/strong>. While this is definitely a different experience than Fifth Avenue in New York or Chicago’s Michigan Avenue, the holiday decorations are pretty and unique\u2014how often do you see Christmas lights on palm trees?<\/p>\n

A Florida vacation<\/a> in December gives families from the North the chance to experience the holidays in a different fashion. No doubt there will be some cognitive dissonance\u2014hearing \u201cFrosty the Snowman\u201d<\/strong> while driving with the convertible top down, for example. Remember that in one of the all-time favorite Christmas movies, White Christmas, the plot started out in Florida!<\/p>\n

Related Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n