Exercise the same precautions you would during a visit to any major U.S. city: Don't carry large amounts of cash or wear conspicuous, pricey jewelry. Use a safe or hotel vault for valuables—extra cash, traveler's checks, credit cards, passports and plane tickets. Remember: Pickpockets enjoy the South Florida climate as much as travelers do.
Request advice and clear travel directions before venturing into unfamiliar areas. Stay in well-lighted, well-populated areas at night.
Ask your hotel's concierge or the front desk for advice about any area you may wish to visit.
Dos & Don'ts
Do rent a convertible if you need a vehicle: The costs are usually only a little higher, and a drive through Fort Lauderdale with the top down is the best way to take in the wide skies and palm trees.
Do try Cuban coffee—it's an ideal afternoon pick-me-up. Ask for cafe con leche (coffee with steamed milk) or a cordadita (espresso sweetened with sugar while brewing).
Do rise early and head to the beach to see shorebirds feeding on creatures left by the tide. Sunrise over the ocean is an awe-inspiring sight.
Don't get caught on the wrong side of the 17th Street Causeway drawbridge if you're in a hurry to get to the airport or Port Everglades to catch a cruise ship. The bridge rises every half-hour—and can stay up for more than five minutes while drivers sit and stew on the roadway. The traffic jam barely clears before the bridge goes up again. In fact, leave a little time for all bridge crossings in Fort Lauderdale, which has so many canals and waterways that it calls itself the "Venice of America."
Do take advantage of early-bird specials (some offered as early as 3 pm) at area restaurants. The food is typically the same as on the regular menu, but portions are smaller and prices are lower.
