6 Best Sights in Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, Florida

The Art and Culture Center, which is southeast of Young Circle, has a great reputation for presenting ubercool contemporary art exhibitions and providing the community with educational programming for adults and children. Check online for the latest exhibition schedule.

Formerly known as John U. Lloyd Beach State Park, this 310-acre park was renamed in the 1970s in honor of the duo who led efforts to desegregate the area's beaches. Native sea grapes, gumbo-limbo trees, and other native plants offer shade. Nature trails and a marina are large draws; canoeing on Whiskey Creek is also popular. The beaches are excellent, but beware of mosquitoes in summer. Amenities: ample trails; parking (fee); toilets. Best for: solitude; sunrise; water sports.

The name might be Hollywood, but there's nothing hip or chic about Hollywood North Beach Park, which sits at the north end of Hollywood before the 2½-mile pedestrian Broadwalk begins. And this is a good thing. It's an easygoing place to enjoy the sun, sand, and sea. The year-round Dog Beach of Hollywood, between Pershing and Custer Streets, allows canine companions to join the fun a few days a week. Walk along the Broadwalk for a throwback to the 1950s, with mom-and-pop stores and ice cream parlors, where couples go for long strolls and families build sandcastles. The popular stretch has spiffy features like a pristine pedestrian walkway, a concrete bike path, a crushed-shell jogging path, an 18-inch decorative wall separating the Broadwalk from the sand, and places to shower off after a dip. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; swimming; walking.

In the center of downtown Hollywood, this 10-acre urban park has promenades and green spaces, public art, a huge playground for kids, a state-of-the-art amphitheater, and spaces for educational workshops like weekly glassblowing and jewelry making. There are food trucks and movie nights as well.

Though access is typically reserved strictly to those in the design biz, the Design Center of the Americas still permits visitors to browse the myriad showrooms, which parade the latest and greatest in home furnishings and interior design. Note, however, that this is purely for inspiration, as direct consumer sales are not permitted.

Grab a canoe or kayak, or take a 40-minute guided boat tour at this lakeside park on the Intracoastal Waterway. At more than 1,500 acres, it's one of Florida's largest urban nature facilities. Extensive boardwalks traverse mangrove wetlands that shelter endangered and threatened species. At the Anne Kolb Nature Center, there's a 3,500-gallon aquarium, and a 65-foot observation tower showcases the entire park. The center's exhibit hall also has interactive displays explaining the park's delicate ecosystem.