I have a complicated relationship with Florida. To me, it represents everything that’s wrong in America. And yet when I actually go to Florida, I like it.
So I’m not a Florida person. When Liz Lemon makes fun of Florida (via “30 Rock”), I snicker. But many members of Mike’s family have relocated to there from Connecticut, so I have to keep my snickers in check and go visit. What a wonderful surprise the Pelican Grand in Fort Lauderdale was. When my long-time friend/travel agent Heather suggested three places for us in South Florida when planning this trip, I immediately chose the Pelican. I mean, just look at this place.
The Pelican is right on the beach and has a nice restaurant with outdoor dining. We ate our breakfasts, lunches and dinners on the hotel’s back porch facing the ocean. There’s a nice a bar, a spa and a zero-entry pool. I never really “got” why people love zero entry pools, but after seeing parents with toddlers getting in and out of the water, I get it. The pool was salt water and open at night, which meant we could take a dip after dinner when it was still 90+ degrees at 9pm (did I mention this trip was in August?). The best part was the lazy river.
The second best decision we made in Fort Lauderdale, after deciding to stay at the Pelican, was to rent bikes instead of a car. We relied on a cab to get from Fort Lauderdale airport to the Pelican (Uber was not operating in Broward County when we visited), and then rented bikes to leave the hotel and go to dinner and do some exploring. We cruised down to Green Isles Taverna on our bikesand then rode back along the Intercoastal Waterway. It was a perfect long weekend in Fort Lauderdale (and a cheap/quick flight from Bradley!).
Itinerary: Where We Went in Fort Lauderdale
We spent four days at the Pelican in Fort Lauderdale and basically just hung by the pool or floated in the lazy river while enjoying fruity cocktails. At night we went for walks on the beach. This is all by way of saying that we didn’t do a lot in Fort Lauderdale other than what I’ve described above.
Pelican Grand Beach Resort
2000 North Ocean Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305
Greek Islands Taverna
3300 N Ocean Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308