Things to do

Things to Do Near the Las Olas Isles, Fort Lauderdale

By Glen Primak, GLEN PRIMAK GROUP · Updated October 24, 2026

The nine Las Olas Isles run south from East Las Olas Boulevard, on the stretch of Las Olas between downtown’s shopping and dining corridor to the west and the Intracoastal bridge to Fort Lauderdale Beach to the east. Distances and travel times vary by street, so check a map for your exact address.

Coming up

• Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show: October 28 – November 1, 2026. The show’s venues include the Bahia Mar Yachting Center (801 Seabreeze Blvd), on the barrier island south of the Las Olas bridge. Expect heavy boat and road traffic on Las Olas, plus temporary waterway restrictions announced in Coast Guard notices. Show details →

Dining & shopping

• Las Olas Boulevard: restaurants, galleries and shops along the boulevard at the north ends of the isles and to the west. lasolasboulevard.com

Glen’s local favorites

A few places Glen Primak returns to near the Las Olas Isles. These are personal picks, not paid placements; check each restaurant’s site for hours and reservations.

• Chima Steakhouse: a Brazilian steakhouse at 2400 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, on Las Olas just west of the Intracoastal. chimasteakhouse.com
• Earls Kitchen + Bar (Las Olas): at 1002 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, on the Las Olas dining corridor. earls.ca
• Takato: a Japanese–Korean restaurant at the Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach, 551 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, on the beach side of the Intracoastal. takatorestaurant.com

Beach & outdoors

• Fort Lauderdale Beach: east across the Las Olas bridge over the Intracoastal.
• Hugh Taylor Birch State Park: a state park between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal at 3109 E. Sunrise Blvd. Hours, fees and closures change, so check floridastateparks.org before you go.
• On the water: a run down the New River to the Intracoastal, a sandbar day, or fishing offshore from Port Everglades. See the boating guide →

Culture

• Bonnet House Museum & Gardens: a historic estate and gardens on the barrier island. bonnethouse.org

Nearby neighborhood guides

• Idlewyld Guide: the 1920s neighborhood south of Las Olas at the Intracoastal, east of Riviera Isles.
• Seven Isles Guide: the single-family isles north of Las Olas, along the Intracoastal.
• Hendricks & Venice Isles Guide: the condo, co-op and townhouse isles across Las Olas to the north.