Las Olas Boulevard has to be one of the most fun streets to visit while in Fort Lauderdale. Filled…read morewith everything from the best cocktail bars, foody haunts, some gorgeous little boutiques and a few museum spots, too. It's one of those areas that's amazing to visit in the early evening (after a long day of exploring). it is one of Fort Lauderdale's main shopping, dining, and entertainment hubs. This space has morphed into a massive coastal space encompassing many of Fort Lauderdale's best-known businesses. Las Olas is divided into four distinct areas: the modern business district, its shops, the village, and Millionaires' Row Cars drive up and down the popular shopping street but speed bumps and pedestrian crossings make it safe for those exploring on foot. There are plenty of parking lots one block behind the boulevard.

It's not often you check in at a street but when you're as iconic and memorable as Las Olas…read moreBoulevard, you get that privilege! Truly, there is no Fort Lauderdale without Las Olas. This boulevard has it all, shops, restaurants, parks, bars, cozy sitting areas, and dessert spots. There is something for everyone to enjoy. It's the perfect place to spend a few hours just wandering. On this beautiful Sunday, we had lunch at Louie Bossi, grabbed coffee at Ann's Florist & Coffee Bar, and strolled through the art festival. Such a fun way to spend an afternoon! It's very walkable, though the street isn't always closed to traffic like it was for the festival , which made it even more enjoyable today. Whether you're planning a full day out or just popping in for one stop, Las Olas never disappoints.

Several of the businesses here operate on appointment only concept which consume a majority of the…read morefree parking for thirty minutes to an hour. The Your Patio Store is the anchor of the plaza. There are a few eateries which include Porfa Coffee, Times Square Pizza and PS Green Cafe but parking is a frustrating disaster with decrepit ancient meter parking monitored by the City of Fort Lauderdale - unsure if they actually work. The traffic is influenced by the intersection of the Coral Ridge Mall. Not a fan of this plaza, although a few decent businesses. A weak three stars is pushing the limit.

Located at one of the busiest intersections in Broward County, N Federal Hwy and East Oakland Park…read moreBlvd, you will find this MiMo gem, the Times Square shopping center. MiMo refers to the architecture style Mid-century modern. Started in Germany after WWII, it is a style that was popular from the mid-1930s to mid-1960s. The hallmarks of the design are simplicity and functionality. Expect to see sleek lines, little ornamentation, gentle organic curves, and mixed materials. Mid Century Modern is considered Broward's signature architecture. The Time Square shopping plaza was designed by architect Charles McKirahan in 1954 and built in 1957. McKirahan was one of the most noted mid-20th-century architects in Fort Lauderdale. He married his architect school girlfriend and together they founded a firm with more than 100 architects which they expanded internationally. McKirahan's architectural studio was located in the shopping center. He is responsible for the stunning A-frame of the the original Mai-Kai. For this plaza his design elements included screen block walls, geometric forms and glazed curtain walls. Sadly he passed away at the young age of 44 in a car accident. His son Charles "Chuck" McKirahan followed in his parents footprints and also became a celebrated architect. While the Ft. Lauderdale historical society did a great job of preserving the pioneer history of Ft. Lauderdale along the New River, this shopping center did not receive the same treatment from the Historic Preservation Board. It was renovated in 2019. The most prominent building on U.S. 1, a curved building with red brick screen wall, had the defining wall removed and replaced with sliding glass doors. Today you can still see some of the MiMo design elements McKirahan added but it is looking a little run down. The plaza has a furniture store, Times Square Pizza, and Smarty Pants, a bar to name a few of the businesses. If you are a local you have probably passed this plaza a thousand times without a second glance on your way to the beach. True fans of architecture and history know however that is worth a second glance.

As a fan of public art, I was delighted to discover this gorgeous wildlife themed mural on the side…read moreof World of Beer in Miramar Park Place. It features one of my favorite artistic subjects, native wildlife. Curiosity is by artist Ernesto Maranje. I recognized his style because he also painted another mural I admire, Rebirth in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. Maranje is a Cuban-American artist born in Chicago, Illinois in 1983 and raised in Miami, Florida. He discovered his interest in art at 27 while serving in the Coast Guard. The subjects of his murals focus on flora and fauna, biological evolution, and plant and animal relationships. Maranje has created murals all over the United States and abroad. Curiousity features a native Florida panther and Monarch and Zebra Longing butterflies. The mural takes its name from the curiosity the panther has for the butterfly. The mural also represents the fascination we have for the wildlife around us. Native firebush which attracts zebra longwings and tickseed surround the panther. I loved finding the Monarch on the panther' neck in the mural because I plant milkweed at my house to help them on their journey. This beautifully rendered mural really brightens up an otherwise unused space in the plaza.

Great House !!! Swimming pool, on the water, fishing off the porch, boatdock, beautiful landscape…read moregrounds, Rolls-Royce in the carport

Built in 1971, the Moreth House is not a business, it's a private residence and neither it nor its…read moregrounds are open to the public. What it is, is an amazing point of visual design architecture as well as a matter of local flavor. Located next to the extreme northwest corner of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park it actually extends out over the Intracoastal Waterway. Being so unusual and unique, it abounds with all sorts of rumor and gossip. Any young local child will tell you it is the home of the legendary Captain Nemo while some tour guides claim it to have been the "playhouse" of Burt Reynolds while others say it was that of Hugh Heffner; all of which I believe to be hogwash. Some claim it as being a Bill Bigamy design in which every other floorboard is glass to watch the water underneath. The same architect that built 17th street bridge But I think the most credible statement is that of Dan Duckham, the architect who said: "The client was a bachelor and a general contractor who owned a unique lot on a very wide section of the Intracoastal Waterway. The unique part was that a portion of the lot was actually under water as indicated on the legal survey. The design proceeded with the bold assumption that we could actually do it, and amazingly it was approved by the Corp of Engineers. Part of the structure is on dry land but overhangs the seawall and the main living/dining/kitchen is suspended over the water, supported on two large pile caps. Columns and long span concrete beams were formed and poured on the site and lifted in place by crane. The landside part contains the owner's office, Master Bedroom and Guest Bedroom, and is connected by the Foyer. Miraculously, it's still there." But no matter, it's a site of local flavor and architecture not to be missed.

The Unity Beacon is public art installed at the roundabout at 13th St. and Old Dixie Hwy in 2017…read more The project was headed by H.O.M.E.S., Inc and the it was created by artists Yves Gabriel and R. Todd Schwing. The sculpture was named United Beacon because it is designed to represent the strength of this community and how the people in it support each other. The planter at the base of the sculpture represents roots and growth, the middle of the sculpture represents the obstacles the community has had to overcome, and the top represents four people hugging to show how people who are different can find common ground and come together. The sculpture lights up at night symbolizing a guide that lights the way for all of the progress that will take place in the city in the years to come. I enjoy discovering art and learning about it. I especially love the symbolism in this piece. Unity is an important idea especially during a time when our country seems so divided by race and politics. During Election Day I was ruminating on how far apart everyone seems to be in their views. Learning about this sculpture gives me hope. The message on how to make things better is in this sculpture, we need to come together and help each other. Unity is how we overcome.

Located in the middle of the roundabout at the intersection of NE 13th Street and Dixie Blvd, this…read morepretty piece of art was installed about two years ago. From their web page, "The Unity Beacon of Central City is a community inspired project to help unify and strengthen our community. A project involving the participation of local artist Todd Schwing, Yves Gabriel and members our community. Today Unity Beacon stands tall at the intersection on Ne 13 Street and Dixie Highway." I don't know that I've seen art that has its own Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/unity.beacon/posts/d41d8cd9/1950929165165677/ [Review 13286 overall, 604 of 2020.]

Thunder Blue is a 14 foot, tall rabbit sculpture, currently sitting in Justin Flippin park in…read moreWilton Manors. It is the creation of American artist Hunt Slonem who took inspirations for the sculpture from a mosaic he did on a building in West Palm Beach. Slonem is known for his paintings of butterflies, rabbits, and tropical birds. His work has been on display in more than 250 museum exhibitions including 60 permanent collections and is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Thunder Blue is covered in 6500 pieces of bright blue mosaic glass and is worth $300,000. It was first shown at the South Florida for the Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary Art Fair in 2022 and it is currently on loan from New River Fine Arts in Fort Lauderdale. As a rabbit mom, I love the subject and how it sparkles in the light. It is a very eye catching piece and Hopper approved. The sculpture is such a nice addition to the park but unfortunately not everyone thought so. On May 25th a Florida man intentionally rammed his car into the statue damaging the base. He is also responsible for destroying other art work in the city supposedly because he was angry that Mayor Justin Flippen allowed birds to be in Wilton Manors. He is currently in custody and commissioners will be meeting soon to discuss how to proceed with repairs.

Worthy of a stop, if you pass by. I was in the area and was surprised to pass it. I therefore…read morepulled over as being English I miss historical buildings, especially as Miami is so modern. You can find this historic fountain, which is called Fulford-By-The-Sea Monument in North Miami Beach, Florida. It was built in 1925 as part of the development project by the Fulford-by-the-Sea Company. The fountain was one of the largest built in South Florida in the 1920s. There were intended to be 4 other similar fountains at other access points to the development. However, the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 and the end of the Florida land boom prevented their construction. The fountain is a Dade Historical Site and its image is part of the North Miami Beach city logo. On November 29, 2010, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Fulford by the Sea Entrance.

The historic Fulford-by-the-Sea fountain is located in North Miami Beach. It was built in 1925 by…read moreMerle C. Tebbetts and Edgar C. Linn of the Florida Cities Finance Company during Florida's land boom years when ornate Mediterranean Revival and Neoclassical Revival architecture like you see in this fountain were the fashion. At 32 feet it is one of the tallest fountains in South Florida and was built of cast stone. It was placed at the main entrance to the development. The plan had been to create four fountains and put them at the other entrances to the Fulford-by-the-Sea development which began selling lots in 1922. The Great Miami Hurricane in 1926 followed by the Great Depression put an end to the fortunes of Florida and the other fountains were never built. Features of the fountain include four triumphal arches on a circular base that contains a shallow pool. My favorite part of the fountain are the four unicorn busts around the mosaic tile dome. I never would have thought that I could find a unicorn let alone four of them in Miami. The fountain it still in operation today and pretty much in its original condition. It was designated a Dade Historical Site in 1983 and it is featured on the North Miami Beach city logo. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 29, 2010. In 2017. Florida marker F-952, detailing the history of the fountain was placed next to it by the City of North Miami Beach and the Florida Department of State. In 2016 the fountain received a 5 month restoration by RLA Conservation of Art + Architecture that cost $100,000. It was paid for by state funding and donations to the city and the city had a dedication ceremony when it was completed. I love when I find a piece of architecture from the 1920's in Florida. Not a lot of it was preserved and unlike in Coral Gables, there is very little left in North Miami. It was a real treat stumbling on this exquisite fountain. It is worth a stop and a picture if you are in the area.

I found out about El Galeón Andalucía visiting Fort Lauderdale from the Sun-Sentinel. It is a…read morereplica of 16th century treasure ships, similar to those used to explorers like Ponce de Leon. It looked impressive in the article, and seemed like a fun and different activity, so I decided to check it out on my day off. Given that it was a Wednesday, I wasn't entirely surprised that I was pretty much the only person on board the ship. I got to explore at my leisure, and they have signs at various parts telling you what it is you're looking at and how it was used. The very front was roped off, so you couldn't go past a certain point, and the same for the back. It's too bad I couldn't get a photo while holding the ship wheel (yep, it was behind the rope), because that would've been a pretty sweet photo op. Once you've explored the deck, you can head down below where the cannons are, and read all of the information about these kinds of ships and how they were used. They even have iPads with information on various explorers and shipwrecks near Florida, as well as a game for kids on them. Then you can head down one deck lower and watch a movie on how the ship was built. I originally thought the $16 price tag was a bit high to visit this ship, but after seeing how incredibly detail-oriented they were in crafting it and everything in it (even the furniture was hand-crafted), I gained a new appreciation for just how complex a task it was to make such a fantastic replica. The movie doesn't have any narration, just music, but it's well worth watching. El Galeón Andalucía is only in town until December 14th, and is well worth the visit. Parking at the Las Olas Marina is super easy and cheap ($1 an hour), and you only need about an hour to see everything on the ship and take pictures, maybe longer if it is crowded.

El Galeon Andalucia is as exact a replica as possible of one of Spain's 16th-17th century galleon…read moreships and the only galleon class sailing ship in the world. Its sparred length is 171 feet, 495 tons. 7 sail square rigged, with a freeboard of 11'9", a daft on 9'9", 33'3" beam, a 10,010 square foot sail area, working crew of twenty based out of Spain that travels the world but attempts to schedule a docking a Las Olas Marina to coincided with the Fort Lauderdale Boat Parade. Boarding her offers a fascinating 500 year step back in time to the days of Spain's West Indies Trade, arrival of Juan Ponce de León, and the time of pirates, explorers, gold and treasurers of the New World. Thanks to a first review tip off by Yelper Cherine A. I was able to board El Galeon Andlaucia, look her over and visit with her Spanish crew. I've been aboard many a replica ship, in fact my primary Yelp profile picture has me standing in Barcelona in front of a replica of Columbus's ship, but of all the historic replica ships I've been aboard, this one is the best as well as the most outstanding of them all. It's a fully functional ship, has traveled around the world, and has its officer and crew quarters, cannon and most everything else as historically accurate as possible. If you have any interest in the early sailing ships when Spain ruled the West Indies Trade as well as our home state of Florida, the El Galeon Andalucia is a must see.