A perfect Fort Lauderdale day from the nest

Wake up in a quiet Fort Lauderdale neighborhood, and the hardest choice of the morning is how to start it. That’s the appeal of a house over a hotel room: you can spread out, cook if you feel like it, and build the day around the pool instead of a checkout time. Here’s a full day, the way we’d spend it, with the stops that make it easy.

Coffee in Flagler Village

Brew a pot in the kitchen, or drive five minutes to Colada Cuban Cafe in Flagler Village. Their coladas — small, strong shots of Cuban espresso built for sharing — are the move, alongside a Cuban breakfast sandwich on toasted bread or a guava pastelito. Flagler Village is the arts-and-warehouse district just north of downtown; it’s an easy first stop and a good area to wander if you have time.

A morning by the pool

Head back and ease into the day in the private pool while the rest of the house gets ready. The backyard is a genuine oasis — no rush, no crowd, and a shallow sun shelf for anyone who just wants to sit in the water with a coffee. This is the part guests tell us they underestimate: having a private pool to come back to changes the whole rhythm of a trip.

The beach

The beach is about a ten-minute drive. Most public beach parking uses the PayByPhone app, so download it before you go and add time from your chair. For a quieter stretch, aim for the end of Sunrise Boulevard, across from Primanti Brothers; for a livelier scene, head south along A1A toward the beach bars. Keep an eye on the lifeguard flags — green is calm, yellow means caution, red means strong surf, and purple flags warn of marine life like jellyfish. The beach and promenade guide has more on the different stretches of sand and where to park.

Lunch

Plenty of beach bars and cafes sit right across from the sand. For a picnic, stop at The Fresh Market a few minutes from the house for prepared food and cold drinks. A local classic is Primanti Brothers, across from the quiet end of Sunrise Boulevard, famous for Pittsburgh-style sandwiches piled with fries and slaw — and it’s cash only, so bring a few dollars. We keep umbrellas, beach chairs and bikes at the house so you can travel light. For groceries and takeout options near the nest, see the groceries and markets guide.

Evening

Head back to freshen up — with two full baths, nobody waits for a shower — and pour a drink on the patio as the string lights come on. For dinner, Il Mulino, about ten minutes away, is a long-running Fort Lauderdale Italian spot with homemade pasta and a warm, family-run feel that works for a couple or the whole group. If you’d rather be on the water, the waterfront restaurants guide has the Intracoastal tables.

Getting around, and stretching it out

You’ll want a car for a day like this, but rideshare is quick if you’re planning drinks, and the water taxi is a fun way to move between waterfront stops downtown — the getting-around guide covers all three. If you’re here for a few days, don’t try to cram everything into one; the weekend guide spreads the highlights across a couple of days. We love this city, and we’re glad to point you toward the spots that fit your trip. Book direct on our website for the best rate, and come enjoy the nest.

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