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Parks & Recreation

Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach are home to some of South Florida's finest parks, beaches, and outdoor recreation. From oceanfront promenades and fishing piers to state parks, championship courts, and 93-acre community campuses — the region's investment in public space is what makes it exceptional for anyone who values an active, outdoor lifestyle.

Beach Parks

The coastline here isn't just scenery — it's an active, everyday part of how people live

Fort Lauderdale Beach coastline aerial
Free · Oceanfront · A1A

Fort Lauderdale Beach Park

Just south of Las Olas Boulevard, this free oceanfront park is where locals actually spend their weekends — a volleyball court, a full basketball court, a playground, grills and picnic tables, outdoor showers, and a non-motorized boat ramp steps from the sand. Ocean Rescue lifeguards are on duty throughout the day. The park connects seamlessly to the A1A promenade, and every April it transforms into the home of the Tortuga Music Festival. It's relaxed, it's active, and it's the kind of place where you bump into your neighbors.

Fort Lauderdale Beach promenade along A1A beside Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
180 Acres · State Park · Sunrise Blvd

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park

Drive through the entrance and the city just disappears. A canopy of mature trees arches over the road like a tunnel, and suddenly you're in 180 acres of coastal hammock between the Intracoastal and A1A. This was a gift from Hugh Taylor Birch — a Chicago attorney for Standard Oil who bought the land in 1903 and loved this place enough to protect it forever. The Terramar Visitor Center sits inside the Art Deco home he built in 1940. More than 200 bird species have been documented here. Kayak the lagoon, walk the trails, or just sit somewhere quiet. It's $6 per vehicle to get in and worth every cent.

Fort Lauderdale beachfront aerial view near Las Olas
Beachfront · Events · A1A

Las Olas Oceanside Park

One of the newest additions to Fort Lauderdale's beachfront park system, sitting right along A1A where Las Olas meets the ocean. This is where the city goes for its free Fourth of July Spectacular — live bands, a kids zone, beach games, a drone show, and fireworks over the Atlantic that you can see from many of the buildings in this portfolio. It's a statement about what Fort Lauderdale is becoming: a place that invests in the public spaces that bring people together.

Riverfront & Urban Parks

The New River is the lifeblood of Fort Lauderdale — these parks line its banks and define the city's character

Fort Lauderdale Riverwalk at Huizenga Park — brick promenade, palm trees, and yacht along the New River with downtown condo towers
New River · Just Renovated · Downtown

Huizenga Park

Right at Las Olas and Andrews Avenue, on the New River, ten minutes on foot from Brightline. This park reopened in January 2026 after a $15 million, two-year redesign led by Perkins&Will — and the result is the new standard for urban parks in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Central civic lawn. Shaded seating. A children's play moundscape and Poppy's Play Patch. The Dog Spot, downtown's first enclosed dog run. Expanded riverfront seating where you can watch boats pass while the afternoon light hits the water. The restored Spirit of Fort Lauderdale Fountain. Large-scale public art by Manolo Valdés and Cey Adams. More than 13,500 new plants across 58 species and 88 new shade trees.

This is not a park that was renovated — it was reimagined.

New River Tunnel area at Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale
New River · Las Olas · Riverwalk

Las Olas Tunnel Top Park

Opened in December 2023, this roughly $13 million park was built directly on top of the Henry E. Kinney Tunnel — the 864-foot river tunnel that carries U.S. 1 beneath the New River at Las Olas Boulevard. The park transformed what was essentially a concrete cap into one of downtown's most pleasant gathering spaces.

Green lawns, fountains, terraced seating, shaded pathways, brick pavers, and art installations — all connecting directly to the Riverwalk, the historic Stranahan House Museum, and the heart of Las Olas Boulevard. It's the kind of place where you grab a coffee and sit by the river for an hour without meaning to.

New River near Colee Hammock Park, Fort Lauderdale
1.1 Acres · New River · Historic · 1500 Brickell Dr

Colee Hammock Park

Tucked along the New River, Colee Hammock Park is a quiet, 1.1-acre riverside sanctuary with a history that reaches back to the 1820s — making it one of the oldest settled sites in Fort Lauderdale. Before it became a park, this area was part of the William Cooley settlement; the January 1836 Seminole attack on the Cooley homestead, commemorated by a monument in the park, came at the outset of the Second Seminole War and led to the military post that became Fort Lauderdale. Mary Brickell platted the Colee Hammock neighborhood in 1916 and dedicated this riverfront park under that name.

Mature banyan trees create a dramatic natural canopy overhead. Benches face the water. People fish, do yoga, picnic, or just sit and watch boats pass. Open 6 AM – 9 PM daily. A small, shaded, beautiful piece of riverfront in one of the most desirable residential neighborhoods in the city.

Holiday Park

93 acres of recreation, culture, championship athletics, and community — the heart of Fort Lauderdale

Waterfront park green space in Fort Lauderdale
93 Acres · 1150 G. Harold Martin Dr · East Fort Lauderdale

Holiday Park

Holiday Park is Fort Lauderdale's flagship recreation complex — 93 acres of sports, culture, and community gathering space in the heart of East Fort Lauderdale. It's home to the FTL War Memorial — which now houses the Florida Panthers' Baptist Health IcePlex — the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center, a 1.5-acre dog park, and an extraordinary range of athletic facilities that serve everyone from weekend joggers to competitive athletes. This isn't a park with amenities — it's a campus that happens to be surrounded by green space.

For homebuyers in Victoria Park, Coral Ridge and the surrounding neighborhoods, Holiday Park is a genuine quality-of-life anchor. Morning tennis on clay courts, afternoon public skating, evening concerts at the War Memorial — the park provides the kind of active, engagement-rich lifestyle that defines Fort Lauderdale at its best.

Tennis · 20 Clay Courts · Tournament-Grade

Jimmy Evert Tennis Center

Named for the longtime city tennis pro whose daughter, Fort Lauderdale native and 18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert, trained here. Freshly rebuilt with 20 hydro-court clay courts and a 700-seat Chris Evert Stadium Court, it is the new home of the Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships, with instruction and programs from junior development through adult leagues. One of the most respected public tennis facilities in Florida — infrastructure open to the community.

Visit Jimmy Evert Tennis →
NHL · Ice Sports · Public Skating

Baptist Health IcePlex

The official practice facility of the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and a public ice sports complex with two rinks inside the revitalized FTL War Memorial. Public skating sessions, youth and adult hockey programs, figure skating, and the rare opportunity to watch an NHL team's morning skate before grabbing a court for pickleball across the parking lot. A rare amenity for a municipal park anywhere in the country.

Visit Baptist Health IcePlex →
Concerts · Events · Historic Venue

War Memorial Auditorium

A Fort Lauderdale landmark hosting concerts, community events, graduations, and cultural programming for decades. Reopened in November 2024 after a $65 million revitalization led by the Florida Panthers, the roughly 3,500-capacity venue sits at the heart of Holiday Park and anchors the cultural life of the surrounding neighborhoods. The renovation modernized the facility while preserving its character as one of the city's most beloved public venues.

War Memorial Info →
Athletics · Pool · Family

Athletics & Recreation

Dedicated pickleball courts, basketball courts, racquetball, a roller hockey rink, lighted football and baseball fields, volleyball courts, a walking and jogging trail with fitness stations, shaded playgrounds, and picnic pavilions. Youth and adult programming from organized sports leagues to ballroom dancing and zumba. The kind of all-in-one recreation that families actually use every week.

Holiday Park Info →
Healthcare · Fitness · Fall 2027

Broward Health ED & YMCA Wellness Center

A 48,000-square-foot YMCA Wellness Center and a 12,500-square-foot free-standing emergency department operated by Broward Health broke ground at Holiday Park in early 2026. The complex will bring medical access and modern fitness facilities directly into the park campus — anticipated completion fall 2027.

Parking · Vertiport · Public Safety

Parking Garage & Fire-Rescue Station

In January 2026 the City Commission selected a developer for a multi-use parking and public safety project featuring a new parking garage with a rooftop vertiport and an integrated Fire-Rescue substation near NE 8th Street. Final terms are still being negotiated, but the project aims to address growing demand while adding emergency response infrastructure at the park's edge.

Phase 2 · Playground · Dog Park

Phase 2 Park Improvements

Phase 2 improvements — a redesigned playground and dog park under the city's Parks Bond program — received City Commission approval in January 2026. These upgrades modernize the family and recreational infrastructure while maintaining the park's open, community-centered character.

Tennis · Renovation · Complete

Jimmy Evert Tennis Center Renovation

The $9.5 million Jimmy Evert Tennis Center renovation is now complete — 20 new hydro-court clay courts, a 700-seat stadium court, and upgraded amenities for one of the most respected public tennis complexes in Florida. The grand reopening was celebrated on December 8, 2025, reinforcing Holiday Park's position as a premier racquet sports destination.

Beach, Pier & Parks

Pompano Beach has transformed its oceanfront into one of the most compelling beach destinations in Broward County

Pompano Beach Fisher Family Pier from the air
900 Feet · Free to Walk · Fishing · Iconic

Fisher Family Pier

Almost 900 feet of concrete and steel stretching into the Atlantic — with its foot shaped like a pompano fish. The pier is free to walk and features sail-like shade canopies, a signature "fisheye" cutout where you can peer into the ocean below and spot sea life, and a modern design that has made it an architectural icon for the city. Fishing is $7 per person per day; rod rental packages are available for $27 including bait, bucket, and garage parking.

This isn't the old wooden pier of decades past. The Fisher Family Pier is a destination in its own right — spectacular at sunrise, dramatic at sunset, and one of the most photographed spots on the South Florida coastline.

Visit Fisher Family Pier →
Pompano Beach oceanfront near the Fishing Village — W Pompano Beach (rendering)
6 Acres · Beachfront · Dining · Nightlife

Pompano Beach Fishing Village

A transformed six-acre beachfront destination surrounding the pier — casual and upscale dining, a tiki bar, shops, a dual-branded Hilton hotel, and a state-of-the-art parking garage. The Fishing Village is the social anchor of Pompano Beach's oceanfront, and the kind of walkable, mixed-use beachfront district that most Florida cities only talk about building.

For residents of the new luxury towers along the Pompano Beach oceanfront — Ritz-Carlton, W Residences, Waldorf Astoria — the Fishing Village is the neighborhood's living room.

Explore Fishing Village →
Half-Mile Promenade · Splash Pads · Fitness

Oceanfront Promenade

A redesigned half-mile oceanfront promenade with splash fountains, a proper fitness area, outdoor café, electric bike rentals, and wide clean paths that make you actually want to walk. The promenade connects the Fishing Village to North Ocean Park and serves as the daily outdoor living room for Pompano's beachfront residents.

Boardwalk · Lighthouse Views · Nature

North Ocean Park

Head north along the beach for views of the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse — one of the most recognizable landmarks on the Florida coast. North Ocean Park offers a quieter stretch of beach with picnic areas, shaded pavilions, a boardwalk, and fishing spots. Divers know about Shipwreck Park offshore — an artificial reef of sunken ships and sculptures that is among the most accessible underwater parks anywhere.

Aquatic Center · Athletics · Amphitheater

Pompano Community Park

Pompano Beach's primary recreation hub — an aquatic center with an Olympic-size pool, a large playground, pickleball, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, ball fields, an amphitheater, and shaded walking paths. Youth sports leagues, community events, and fitness programming year-round. The everyday recreation infrastructure that complements the beach lifestyle.

3 Miles · Clean · Uncrowded · The Real Beach

Pompano Beach

Three miles of wide, clean, genuinely uncrowded beach — the antithesis of South Beach. This is a beach people actually want to live on: no spring break crowds, no velvet ropes, just turquoise water and soft white sand. The recent oceanfront investment has added a splash pad, lifeguard towers, six wheelchair access points, and a fitness zone without losing the laid-back character.

Courts, Parks & Green Space

Neighborhood parks, championship courts, and recreation facilities across the region

The Fort Pickleball facility, Fort Lauderdale
43 Courts · World's First Pickleball Stadium · Snyder Park

The Fort

Home to the world's first pickleball stadium and one of the largest dedicated pickleball facilities anywhere — 43 courts, 14 of them weatherproof, inside the 93-acre Snyder Park adjacent to FLL Airport. The Fort is far more than courts: indoor and outdoor event space, a two-acre lakeside beach and game yard on a 7-acre lake, the Serves & Thirds courtside bar, and the Florida Room restaurant and patio with scratch-made dishes and signature cocktails.

Daily clinics, social and competitive leagues, skill-based open play, a full pro shop, and comfortable locker rooms. Open seven days a week. This is where Fort Lauderdale's most active residents play — and where the rest of the country comes to see what a proper pickleball facility looks like.

Visit The Fort →
Middle River · Waterfront · Pickleball & Tennis

George English Park

A waterfront neighborhood park along the Middle River offering eight dedicated pickleball courts, tennis courts, a basketball court, a ball field, boat ramps and fishing docks, a playground, and shaded picnic areas. The courts pair with waterfront views and a relaxed neighborhood atmosphere. Open daily from 6 AM to 9 PM at 1101 Bayview Drive. No memberships required — just good courts, good water views, and genuine neighborhood community.

93 Acres · Nature · Dog Park · Butterfly Garden

Snyder Park

A 93-acre natural oasis in the middle of urban Fort Lauderdale — a sprawling green space with walking trails through native hammock, a fenced dog park with its own swim zone and beach, two lakes, a disc golf course, a butterfly garden, and picnic pavilions. Snyder Park offers a completely different park experience from the beach and riverfront parks: quiet, shaded, nature-focused. It's the park where you go to disconnect, and it's especially popular with dog owners and families who want open green space without the crowds. Home to The Fort — the pickleball complex on its eastern edge.

This Is the Lifestyle

Beach parks, fishing piers, riverfront trails, tree-canopy state parks, championship pickleball, and the kind of community spaces that make you actually want to spend time outside. Every neighborhood in our portfolio puts you minutes from the outdoor life that defines Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach.

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