LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA -- One of the rare gems along the South Florida coastline is one of its smallest towns, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea. While small in size, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is just 1.5 square miles, the town is big in stature offering a wide assortment of sports, activities and entrainment for both locals and visitors.
“Only 2 miles long and half a mile wide, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is a picturesque seaside village on A1A nestled between Ft-Lauderdale and Pompano Beach. We have some of the best restaurants, fishing, snorkeling, boating and general outdoor activities in all of Florida,” says Malcolm McClintock, Executive Director of the LBTS Chamber of Commerce. “With several beautiful, independently owned hotel properties right on the beach, it has become the ideal spot to savor the sights and sounds of the ocean.”
The Windjammer Resort Hotel is just south of the famous Anglin’s Fishing Pier. “One the more appealing aspects of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is it’s pedestrian friendly, “states John Boutin, general manager of Windjammer. “You can just park your car and walk to everything because it’s so close and everyone is friendly, there’s less hustle and bustle.”
Lauderdale-By-The-Sea has just about 6,000 year-round residents with another 4,000 to 9,000 visitors and winter residents.
The High Noon Beach Resort, just north of Anglin’s Pier, attracts guest from around the world. “We have guests from Europe, South America and Canada, as well as the US,” says Bruce Novak, manager of High Noon. “They like the fact that everything is close by and they get sun all day because we don’t have high rises blocking the sun creating shadows on the beach. The town does not allow buildings over three stories high.”
Lauderdale-By-The-Sea offers a great assortment of dining and entertainment that includes casual dining and live music on the ocean, and fine dining on the intercostal with open air restaurants around Pelican Square in the center of town.
“The Town has many iconic eateries such as the famous Aruba’s, the Village Grille, Athena-By-The-Sea and the highly touted Blue Moon Fish Co. to name a few,” states McClintock. “Thanks to an ever increasing number of visitors from many countries, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is quickly becoming a destination of choice for tourists from around the globe.”
One of the most popular weekly events is Jazz-on-the-Square every Friday Night in Pelican Square adjacent to the Village Grille, Village Pump and 101 Ocean restaurants. “This series of concerts is one of the most popular things to enjoy in town and brings visitors back week after week,” says Anthony D’Elia, general manager of 101 Ocean. “We close off a section of the street and put out tables and chairs, but leave plenty of room for dancing.”
Athena-By-The-Sea sponsors “Music-By-The-Sea” with live music every Saturday Night outside its restaurant on A1A and Commercial Blvd.
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea isn’t just about food and entertainment. The town has original artists like Fran Scheffler of Art by Fran Scheffler, who paints with acrylic, watercolor and oil; photographer Ken Merrifield of the Merrifield Gallery; and jewelry designer Mark Silver, who owns Argenti Designer Jewelers. “I custom design all my jewelry,’ says Silver. “I can work from a client’s design, redesign old jewelry or design something original.”
“We also offer a plethora of entertaining events throughout the year from arts & crafts shows and ‘Taste of the Beach’ food fest, to Family Fun Week and Christmas-By-The-Sea. There is always something exciting going on,” says McClintock.
Some of the events coming in May include “Mother’s Day Jazz-By-The-Sea” in El Prado Park and the “Memorial Day Beach Blast” at Aruba Beach Café. In June is the “27th Annual Corporate Volleyball Challenge”, sponsored by UCP at the Lauderdale Beachside Hotel, and Lauderdale-By-The-Sea presents “Family Fun Week.”
In July, the town of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is celebrating lobster mini-season with “BugFest-By-The-Sea” and the 4th of July celebration with its annual parade, cookouts and fireworks display.
Lauderdale-By-The-Sea really does have it all for active outdoor enthusiasts and vacationers to local residents; from beautiful wide beaches, jogging and biking, to scuba diving, snorkeling, beach volleyball, kit and skim boarding. Add to this great restaurants, hotels and shops and you realize why people love living here and visitors come from all over the world.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A LIVE VIEW OF THE FAMOUS BEACH AND PIER IN LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, FLORIDA.
