Visit Lauderdale Invites Everyone Under The Sun To Discover What’s New & Reimagined

Tuesday, Jan 11, 2022 0

Experience diverse offerings and experiences throughout Greater Fort Lauderdale’s 31 neighborhoods

Visit Lauderdale, the official destination marketing organization for Greater Fort Lauderdale in South Florida, welcomes everyone under the sun to experience new and reimagined hotels, restaurants and attractions throughout the destination’s 31 cities. The Yachting Capital of the World continues to grow with more offerings and experiences for those seeking wanderlust.

The destination had 10 new hotels open in 2021 including the dual-branded Marriott and AC Hotel Fort Lauderdale Airport in Dania Beach, the dual-branded Home2Suites and Tru by Hilton at Pompano Beach Pier, the Courtyard Fort Lauderdale Downtown, which includes The Easton rooftop bar and lounge, and more. Seven more hotels are on schedule for opening in 2022, including the highly anticipated Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale.

“2022 is a great time to visit Greater Fort Lauderdale, as visitors will find not only a place with gorgeous beaches, but a thriving and cosmopolitan destination that is vibrant with chic accommodations, a buzzy culinary scene and a diverse range of events in a gorgeous setting,” says Stacy Ritter, president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale. “Whether you visited six months ago or six years ago, there is always more to discover here as Greater Fort Lauderdale continues to evolve.”

New & Renovated Hotels in Greater Fort Lauderdale

The first two hotels to open in 2021 were Cambria Fort Lauderdale Beach and Hotel Maren Fort Lauderdale Beach, with its centerpiece restaurant Riviera, offering coastal Italian cuisine with Mediterranean influences by celebrity chef Fabio Viviano, known for his turn as a “Top Chef” contestant.

Courtyard Fort Lauderdale Downtown opened in March 2021, bringing 137 rooms into the trendy, arts-oriented Flagler Village section of downtown Fort Lauderdale.

AC Hotel Fort Lauderdale Sawgrass Mills/Sunrise opened in March 2021, located adjacent to Sawgrass Mills mall and steps away from the BB&T Center. The eight-story hotel is the first new hotel in Sunrise, FL in the past 15 years. The European style designed hotel features 174 guest rooms, a lavish onsite lounge and a rooftop bar called Horizon Bar and Lounge.

Kimpton Goodland Hotel Fort Lauderdale Beach opened in April 2021 at the location of the former and historic Escape Hotel (opened in 1949 as the first hotel near the beach to have a swimming pool and stay open year-round). The 96-room hotel offers a tucked-away oasis with two pools, a coastal-inspired restaurant called Botanic and the poolside Good Bar.

Tru by Hilton and Home2Suites by Hilton Pompano Beach Pier opened a 150-room dual-branded hotel in June 2021. The hotel features a fitness area, a saline pool and a rooftop deck featuring spectacular 360-degree views of the Atlantic Ocean, Pompano Beach Fishing Pier, the Hillsboro Lighthouse, the Intracoastal Waterway and all the action below in Pompano Beach Fishing Village.

Located in the heart of Dania Pointe, Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport at Dania Beach and AC Hotel Fort Lauderdale Airport opened in September 2021. Comfort meets sophistication at the 350-room dual-branded property with thoughtfully designed open spaces, meeting rooms, an infinity pool with cabanas, and restaurants and bars.

In October Hillsboro Beach Resort, a 99-room property with the oceanfront ROI restaurant, opened on the exclusive Hillsboro Mile. With direct oceanfront access as well as Intracoastal dockage, guests can enjoy the waves roll in on the serene private beach, lounge at the resort pool, or enjoy watersports from the Intracoastal mooring.

The Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina renovated all 595 guestrooms in 2020. The upscale, nautically inspired hotel continued renovations with its meeting space inclusive of the 7,800 sq. ft. ballroom and 4,000 sq. ft. junior ballroom. Total meeting space renovated was approximately 18,000 sq. ft. Renovations to the meeting space, lobby and public space were completed in November 2021. The hotel is currently constructing a new 5,000 sq. ft. waterfront ballroom and a rooftop bar and restaurant overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, scheduled to be completed in late 2022.

New Hotels in 2022

In January 2022, AC Hotels by Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach will open, just steps away from Sebastian Street Beach. The 171-room hotel will boast ocean views, an open kitchen for European-style breakfast and specialty culinary events, a library, an expansive resort-style pool with cabanas and dining services, and 1,000 square feet of meeting space.

Four Seasons Hotel & Residences Fort Lauderdale opens its doors in early 2022 overlooking Fort Lauderdale beach. The new 22-story luxury hotel will feature two restaurants, a spa, fitness center, children’s recreation room, “Beach Butlers” and ballroom and meeting facilities.

Other planned 2022 openings include Avid Dania Beach (100 rooms), Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miramar (100 rooms), Fairfield Inn & Suites Fort Lauderdale Northwest (110 rooms), Wyndham Dolce Kosher House Hotel in Hollywood (100 rooms) and Holiday Inn Express Hollywood (95 rooms).

Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center Expansion

The first phase of the highly anticipated Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center expansion – the newly updated 800,000 sq. ft. pre-existing center with an expanded 350,000 sq. ft. exhibit hall – opened Oct. 27, 2021. Work on the remainder of the $1.1 billion expansion continues, including the new eastside expansion with waterfront ballrooms, meetings rooms and kitchen facilities, a five-acre outdoor waterfront plaza and an 800-room, five-story headquarters hotel interconnected with the convention center. Full completion will increase the facility’s size to 1.2 million sq. ft. and is expected in late 2025.

New in Arts & Culture

The Weiner Museum of Decorative Arts (WMODA) hosts “Through the Looking Glass” on Jan. 22. At noon, glass art comes to life as iconic characters from “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” show off their zany costumes in a fashion show featuring wearable art. Also on Jan. 22, multi-disciplinary artist Dave Rosenthal and glass artist Rob Stern are collaborating to explore sound and glassmaking in their live performances of Resonance @WMODA.

Follow the light to IGNITE, Greater Fort Lauderdale’s new family-friendly immersive art experience showcasing exciting interactive light and video installations by leading contemporary artists and designers. Site-specific artworks will illuminate and activate locations in Fort Lauderdale and Dania Beach from Jan. 26 – 30, 2022. Admission to all Ignite Broward art experiences and talks is free to the public.

The Museum of Discovery & Science in Fort Lauderdale welcomes a STEM exhibit Planet Pioneers: Journey to Space on Jan. 28-May 16 and an engaging STEAM exhibit Dinosaurs in Motion: Where Art & Science Meet on May 27-Sept. 6.

New Dining & Nightlife

With more than 4,000 eateries, Greater Fort Lauderdale’s eclectic dining scene offers a variety of delectable offerings for every palate. From food halls to speakeasies and restaurants to rooftops, the destination’s culinary scene continues to flourish.

In September 2021, Mama Hank’s, a kitchen and full-liquor speakeasy lounge, opened in Flagler Village. Behind a 400-pound bulletproof vault door, an intimate area awaits with 30 seats, an island bar and warehouse bay door that rolls up for alfresco drinking.

In November 2021, the elegant beachfront restaurant inside the Auberge Beach Residences and Spa reopened under new owner and Michelin-star chef Laurent Tourondel. DUNE by Laurent Tourondel offers an elevated dining experience and contemporary American cuisine characterized by an emphasis on creativity and innovation.

Also in November 2021, Fort Lauderdale hotspot YOLO reopened after a multimillion-dollar renovation to the restaurant and O Lounge next store.

In December 2021, The Angeles, part restaurant and part nightlife/entertainment venue, opened inside a transformed church in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The two-story nightclub destination features a 220-seat, full-service restaurant called Holly Blue, with indoor and outdoor dining, along with an event space. The club can accommodate 700 people, including 75-100 in the VIP area overlooking the dance floor.

The Katherine, a seafood- and vegetable-focused restaurant, opened in January 2022 in downtown Fort Lauderdale. James Beard-nominated chef Tim Balloo showcases his quintessential home-style dinners infused with the cuisine of his Chinese, Indian and Trinidadian roots.

More dining and nightlife venues coming soon:

Ya Mas! opens in January on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Meaning “Cheers” in Greek, Ya Mas! will transport guests to a lively taverna found on Mykonos or Santorini.
Moréa is a Mediterranean oceanfront dining oasis opening in January on Fort Lauderdale beach. The spacious 275-seat dining destination will offer an indoor dining room, spacious bar/lounge area, and a gorgeous waterfront patio and bar. Award-winning artist and Chihuly protege, Doug Frates, designed the interior with a breathtaking two-story glass wall installation as well as several signature hanging pieces imported from Italy.
Sunset Club Rooftop Bar & Lounge opens at Costa Hollywood Beach Hotel in February.
The Bite Eatery, the first food hall in Pompano Beach, will open in March just a few blocks away from the beach and the Pompano Fishing Pier. The 250-seat venue will feature The Beach Bar, a central full-liquor bar, plus nine food vendors.

On the horizon for 2023, when the three-story Victory Entertainment Complex opens in Fort Lauderdale’s historic Sistrunk neighborhood, it will include a distillery, cigar bar, wine and whiskey lounge and rooftop area.

New in Entertainment & Sports

The Parker, formerly Parker Playhouse, debuted in September 2021 after a $30 million remodel. The Pompano Beach Amphitheater reopens in February after a $3.5 million renovation.

On May 10-23 Greater Fort Lauderdale will welcome the National Senior Games presented by Humana, the world’s largest multi-sport championship event for adults ages 50+. For the first time in history, open registration is now offered for the Games. Anyone 50 and over by December 31, 2021, can register and compete in the 2022 Games without first qualifying.

The City of Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation Department debuted The LOOP (Las Olas Oceanside Park System), a $65 million parks project located in the Central Beach area of Fort Lauderdale beach. Encompassing Las Olas Oceanside Park, Las Olas Intracoastal Promenade Park, The Sunset Terrace at the Las Olas Beach Garage, The LOOP is a destination in and of itself for authentic experiences. The project’s final phase to finish the build-out on the complete redesign of DC Alexander Park is estimated to be completed in late winter 2022. It will feature a multi-level signature play area surrounded by a 25-foot sweeping observation deck with a 42-foot-tall shade canopy and restroom facility.

The Florida Panthers organization’s revitalization of the War Memorial Auditorium and construction of a new state-of-the-art practice and community ice facility in Fort Lauderdale is fully underway and slated for a summer 2022 debut. Upon its completion, the new ROSSETTI-designed 144,000 sq. foot sports and entertainment venue will house South Florida’s first-of-its-kind ballroom-style concert and performance venue, capable of accommodating up to 3,800 people for intimate live music and events.

The historic Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center and International Swimming Hall of Fame complex, home to Florida’s first Olympic-sized swimming pool that opened in 1926, is undergoing a $47 million renovation and expansion that includes five swimming pools and support amenities that will welcome new generations of aquatic sport enthusiasts to sporting activities and competitions. A major highlight for the new venue is a 27-meter dive tower with springboards and nine platform levels. Visitors will be able to experience “Top of the Tower” tours with scenic views of the Intracoastal Waterway and Fort Lauderdale beach. Pools are projected to open in late 2022 along with expanded operations and meetings facilities.

New Air Service at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport

Greater Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is conveniently located near the beach, Port Everglades, the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center and downtown. Traffic continues to increase at both domestic and international terminals as airlines resume service to established routes and new routes are added.

Avelo Airlines launched nonstop routes with low fares between FLL and Tweed-New Haven (HVN) airport in New Haven, Connecticut as part of its new U.S. east coast expansion.

New international service to FLL is now available on low-cost carrier Flair Airlines from Ottawa and Toronto, with service to the Canadian cities of Kitchener-Waterloo and Montreal soon to follow.

Startup Norse Atlantic Airways will operate transatlantic routes beginning in 2022 on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners from FLL to Oslo, London, and Paris. The airline will also establish its new headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, creating hundreds of jobs. Founded by former Norwegian executives, Norse Atlantic’s Oslo route will launch first, followed by London and Paris.

Frontier Airlines will soon launch 12 new nonstop routes. Beginning Feb. 17, the airline starts daily flights from Atlanta (ATL), Buffalo, New York (BUF), Islip, New York (ISP), Orlando (MCO), Philadelphia (PHL), Providence (PVD), Stewart, New York (SWF), and Trenton, New Jersey (TTN). On Feb. 18, daily flights will start to Albany, New York (ALB) and Rochester, New York (ROC). Service to Green Bay, Wisconsin (GRB) and Portland, Maine (PWM) begins Feb. 19 with one flight weekly.

Cruise News

Cruising returned to the United States after a 15-month pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the June 26 sailing of Celebrity Edge from Port Everglades. Celebrity Equinox and Royal Caribbean’s new Odyssey of the Seas began sailing a few weeks later.

Balearia Caribbean celebrated its 10^th anniversary at Port Everglades in December, providing fast ferry service from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini and Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Cruise Lines Sailing in 2022 from Port Everglades

Viking Ocean Cruises – 4 ships
Celebrity Cruises – 6 ships
Cunard Line – 2 ships
Holland America Line – 7 ships
Princess Cruises – 7 ships
Royal Caribbean International – 6 ships
Silversea Cruises – 7 ships

Balearia Caribbean – High-speed ferry to Bimini (3 hours) and Freeport, Grand Bahama (4 hours)

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Evrima ship will sail from Port Everglades in February 2023. Azmara Cruises’ Onward ship sets sail in fall 2023. Disney Cruise Line will begin sailing from Port Everglades from a reimagined cruise terminal at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale as early as October 2023.

Upcoming 2022 Events