Fort Lauderdale with Kids
A family itinerary for Fort Lauderdale: the science museum, an easy beach with lifeguards, the Jungle Queen, an airboat ride and a backyard pool to burn off the rest.
- Best forFamilies with children
- ShapeShort days, early starts
- Rainy backupScience museum
- PoolPrivate and fenced
Photo: Museum of Discovery and Science (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) by Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)
Fort Lauderdale is an easy city with children. The drives are short, the beach is calm, there is a hands-on science museum and a riverboat, and a fenced private pool does a lot of the entertaining on its own. The trick is short days and early starts — here is a plan that leaves room for naps and meltdowns.
The beach, done the easy way
Pick a lifeguarded beach and go early. Our beach days with kids guide covers the calmest entries, the shade and the parking; Las Olas Beach has a shaded lawn and is the closest to the house. Do the morning on the sand, then come home for lunch and a pool afternoon while the little ones nap.
The science museum and the wet stuff
The Museum of Discovery and Science downtown is the reliable win — hands-on exhibits, an IMAX and enough to fill a morning, and the obvious move on a rainy hour. Pair it with a treat from our ice-cream guide.
Boats and wildlife
Two outings kids remember: the Jungle Queen riverboat, an old-fashioned narrated cruise up the New River, and an Everglades airboat with real alligators and birds. The family nature attractions guide has the gentler animal options, too, for smaller children who might find an airboat loud.
A sample three days
- Day one: beach morning, pool and nap afternoon, easy dinner in.
- Day two: science museum, ice cream, pool, pizza night.
- Day three: Jungle Queen or an airboat in the morning, a relaxed afternoon by the pool.
Add a fourth day for a second beach or a slow one at home. Keep it loose — the pool is the anchor and nobody minds a whole day spent in it.
Little things that help
A few practicalities make a family trip smoother: pack reef-safe sunscreen and a shade tent for the beach, plan dinners early before the little ones fade, and keep the pool toys by the door. Ask about a pack-and-play or a high chair before you arrive, and lean on the full kitchen for familiar meals on the days a restaurant would be a stretch.
Why the house helps
A private, fenced pool, a full kitchen for family meals and early bedtimes, and free parking for the gear all make a trip with kids simpler than a hotel. The beach, the museum and the boats are all short drives from a central base, so a bad afternoon is a ten-minute drive from being over. See the complete guide for the wider picture.
Questions people ask
Is Fort Lauderdale good for families with kids?
Yes. The beaches are calm and lifeguarded, the drives are short, and there is a hands-on science museum, a narrated riverboat and Everglades airboats nearby. A private, fenced pool at the house handles the rest, which makes days with young children easy to manage.
What is there to do with kids in Fort Lauderdale on a rainy day?
The Museum of Discovery and Science downtown is the go-to — hands-on exhibits and an IMAX that fill a morning. The NSU Art Museum, an ice-cream stop and the big indoor malls are backups. South Florida rain is usually a short afternoon shower, so most rainy spells pass quickly.
What is the best beach in Fort Lauderdale for children?
A lifeguarded stretch with calm entry and some shade. Las Olas Beach and Oceanside Park is the closest to the house and has a shaded lawn; the main Fort Lauderdale Beach has lifeguards and easy facilities. Go early for cooler sand and easy parking. See our beach days with kids guide.
Are Everglades airboat tours okay for young kids?
Many families do them, but airboats are loud and fast, which can be a lot for toddlers. Ear protection helps, and some operators have gentler options. For smaller children, the Jungle Queen riverboat or the family nature attractions are calmer ways to see wildlife.
How do I keep a family trip from getting overwhelming?
Short days and early starts. Do one outing in the morning, come home for lunch, a pool swim and a nap, and keep evenings simple. Cooking some meals at the house and using the pool as the anchor means a rough afternoon is only a ten-minute drive from over.
More Fort Lauderdale guides
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Photo: Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0ItinerariesFour Days in Fort Lauderdale
A four-day Fort Lauderdale plan: beaches, the water taxi and Las Olas, a day trip, and a fourth day for a reef snorkel, a museum or a slow pool day.
Read guide →Sources
We checked this guide against these sources in September 2026. Hours, prices and schedules change — confirm before you go.
Read it here. Live it from the nest.
A private pool, room for ten, and every one of these guides a short drive away.
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