The Fort Lauderdale Field Guide for Acton Owners Visiting In April
This year's annual Owner's Conference is being held in Fort Lauderdale. Here's a curated guide written especially for our Acton friends!
Curated with love for those arriving early, staying late, and wanting to the most of your journey. Welcome to the FTL!
Welcome, Acton friends. We’re genuinely stoked you’re coming to Fort Lauderdale.
Because Acton folks rarely travel like passive tourists, I put together a local field guide for fellow founders and families who may be arriving a little early or lingering a day or two longer.
This is NOT a generic “top 10 things to do” list. It’s a curated set of easy wins, memorable outings, and a few distinctly South Florida side quests near your convention home base at the Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach, which sits right on the beach and near Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, and the Galleria Mall.
Whether you want beautiful beaches, family fun, local art, a practical transportation tip, or just one more adventure before heading home, here are a few ways to enjoy our beautiful adopted home here Fort Lauderdale.
Note: Our family is originally from the Northeast (Maine) and moved to South Florida in 2020. With so many cool things to do, it felt like every Monday we would hear about something we missed over the weekend. So for five years I’ve been curating the FFFTL Newsletter and podcast (my way of doing BLDs). I’ve always envisioned it becoming a full-fledged and learner-led project as an extension of our school. This year will be the first one where we open it up for apprenticeships. Fingers crossed 🫰
Shared Adventures To Look Forward To
Thursday Night: Welcome Reception at Funky Buddha Brewery
Before the conference fully kicks into gear, Thursday night will be a chance for everyone to gather at Funky Buddha Brewery. It’s a local brewery with real personality, which is a better start than another forgettable ballroom with beige carpeting and lukewarm coffee. Funky Buddha hosts its private events in Oakland Park, in a backroom with big casks. Your introduction to the FTL will be about reconnecting with old friends, meeting new ones, and beginning the weekend with stories and good energy. The Funky Buddha Floridian is one of my favorites and I would say similar to Sam Adams Summer Ale (we live in perpetual summer here in South Florida).
Friday Night: Dinner On Your Own - Or Join Us For The Jungle Queen Dinner Cruise
Friday night dinner on your own will likely send many people toward Las Olas, and for good reason. It is the city’s most natural “wander, choose, and see what feels right” dining district. Among many options, you might pick from Louie Bossi’s, Ocean Prime, Rocco’s Tacos, Sixty Vines, Timpano, Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse, Vinos, YOLO, Luigi’s, Wiseguy Pizza, Java & Jam, Gran Forno Pronto, and Voodoo Bayou. One of our personal favorites is the Boathouse at Riverside because of the seating right on the river.
Or…
If you want your Friday night to feel more like an actual adventure instead of a table hunt on a busy Las Olas evening, the Jungle Queen Dinner Cruise is a strong play for most memorable photos from your trip. Based on comments in the Owner’s Forum, we already have 30+ owners who are planning to take part.
The Jungle Queen has been running since 1935 and offers a sightseeing cruise through downtown Fort Lauderdale and up the New River, followed by its island dinner-and-show experience, including Polynesian fire dancing. With a growing cluster of Acton owners already planning to go, this is one of the easiest ways to turn Friday night into a shared memory instead of fragmented dinner logistics.
Easy (And Fun) Ways To Move About The City
Use Circuit for Free Local Rides
One of the best local tips is Circuit. Fort Lauderdale’s free Micro Mover, serves downtown, Las Olas, and the beach, and the city directs riders to use the Ride Circuit app to book trips. That makes it perfect for short hops from the Sonesta without bothering with parking, traffic, or the usual small humiliations of trying to be clever with a rental car.
See Fort Lauderdale (and more) from the Water
For visitors with an extra half day and a little curiosity, Water Taxi is one of the best ways to experience Fort Lauderdale. Buy one ticket and the service has more than 30 stops across Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, and Hollywood, which is why it works so well as both transportation and sightseeing. Fort Lauderdale is one of those cities that makes more sense from the water. You will see luxury and celebrity homes. Even the local jail, has a waterfront view! Fort Lauderdale is called the ‘Venice of America’ for a reason. Get on the water and it will make more sense.
If you want just a taste of getting on the water (and for free), the Water Trolley is a good option. It runs along the Riverwalk (great for a evening stroll) with several stops up and down the New River.
Adventures Within Walking Distance
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
Just across the street from the Sonesta is Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, one of the easiest ways to step out of conference rhythm and into nature. It is a slice of coastal wilderness between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal, and it really does feel like a reset button in the middle of the city. It’s a great choice for a morning walk, a reflective pause, or a little breathing room before heading back into the event. Note that it does require an entry fee.
Water Sports Options at Birch Taylor
Birch State Park is not just for strolling. Rentals inside the park area include kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and bicycles, plus beach chairs and umbrellas. Families or adventurous stragglers can easily turn a quiet park stop into something more.
The Bonnet House Is Just Down The Street
Also close to the Sonesta is the Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, one of Fort Lauderdale’s most distinctive historic sites. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the ZimSculpt outdoor sculpture exhibit runs through April 19, 2026, which overlaps with your conference weekend. The Bonnet House is colorful, whimsical, artistic, and just strange enough to feel memorable instead of dutiful.
Take A Walk On The Beach or… Go Wave-Runner Mode
Sometimes the best plan is simply to walk across A1A and dig your toes into the sand. The Sonesta is directly on Fort Lauderdale Beach, which means one perfectly respectable use of free time is sand, sea air, and a reminder that life is not entirely composed of conference schedules and fluorescent lighting. For people who need more action, the beach-and-Birch zone also offers plenty of water sports options nearby, including rentable waverunners right on the beach.
For Owners Traveling With Families (Or Just Big “Kids” That Look Like Owners)
MODS: The Museum of Discovery and Science
If you’re traveling with your children, MODS is one of the most family-friendly options in the city. The museum is downtown in the Arts & Science District along the New River and features hands-on exhibits, science demos, an outdoor science park, and an IMAX theatre. This is not some token stop inserted out of obligation. It is a genuinely one of the best outings for the curious-minded, both young people and adults.
The Riverwalk and Huizenga Park In The Heart of The Downtown
Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale runs through the middle of the downtown riverfront district and connects a string of parks and public spaces along the New River. Huizenga Park just reopened in January 2026 after a major redesign, and the new version includes an event lawn, peaceful riverfront seating, a shaded dog run, and a Manolo Valdés sculpture. It also happens to have a SmashBurger Food Truck, one of the few places downtown where you can find walkable food, to just sit and enjoy the park.
Side note: the park is named after Wayne Huizenga - who I think still holds the distinction of being one of the few (Jobs? Elon? Maybe Jack Dorsey?) entrepreneurs to start three different billion dollar companies. Can you name them?
The Riverwalk is over 2.5 miles of red brick and shaded walkways along the New River. It is anchored on one end by Esplanade Park, MODS (Museum of Discovery & Science) and the Broward Center. The other end blends into the shopping and dining district of Las Olas Blvd. We live nearby and walk on the Riverwalk to Las Olas nearly every day. It is one of the best things about living in Fort Lauderdale (IMHO).
Together, the Riverwalk and Huizenga make an easy downtown outing for families who want room to wander without needing a full production schedule.
Bluefoot Pirate Adventures For Even The Faint-Hearted
For families with younger children, Bluefoot Pirate Adventures is the kind of outing little ones will remember (and adults tolerate surprisingly well). The company runs family-oriented pirate-themed boat adventures and also promotes its Fort Lauderdale launch area near Seabreeze Boulevard, just south of the main beach zone. Pirate boats might seem ridiculous, obviously, but they bring joy and South Florida has a deep history with pirate culture being so close to the Caribbean.
Xtreme Action Park - Because Every City Needs Neon Craziness
If your family needs the “burn off every remaining molecule of energy” option, Xtreme Action Park is the full-throttle pick. The venue has over 200,000 square feet of indoor attractions including go-karts, bowling, arcade games, ropes course, trampoline park, roller skating, mini golf, laser tag, and escape rooms. It is not subtle, not peaceful, and definitely not low-stimulation. That is exactly why families with teenagers will love it.
Take An Everglades Airboat Tour
If you want a true South Florida adventure beyond the beach, an Everglades airboat tour is classic. Everglades Holiday Park offers guided airboat rides through the subtropical Everglades ecosystem, and each tour includes a live alligator show. It is touristy, but it also gives visiting families a real taste of the wider Florida landscape instead of just the sun-kidded beaches and polished coastline.
The Flamingo Gardens Is Better Than A Zoo
Flamingo Gardens is another strong family outing if you have a car and want something more distinctive than an arcade or trampoline park. It is a 60-acre botanical garden and wildlife sanctuary in Davie with native animals, historic grounds, and enough Florida weirdness to feel like authentic South Florida rather than manufactured. It’s open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Snorkeling at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Is A Whole Other Level
For families with older children or confident swimmers, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is a gem. The town’s coral reefs are within about 100 yards of the beach, and the town calls itself Florida’s Beach Diving Capital. That makes it one of the easier places to turn a beach day into a real snorkeling outing without needing a full offshore boat excursion. Hollywood Florida also has a new underwater “museum” for snorkeling. Even if you never touch the water, the photos are amazing!
Wonderfully Weird… The Mermaid Show At B Ocean Resort’s Wreck Bar
Some folks who ran into super expensive rooms after the registration window at the Sonesta, have been looking at other places to stay. B Ocean Resort is just down the beach from the Sonesta, and its Wreck Bar is famous for mermaid performances viewed through giant porthole-style windows into the pool. The resort promotes family-friendly “Brunch Under the Sea” mermaid experiences, maybe one of Fort Lauderdale’s more unusual entertainment options. I say maybe because… this is the land of “Florida Man” headlines. So anything goes.
But if you have never watched live mermaids swim past while you eat, Fort Lauderdale is prepared to serve that up for you.
For My Art Loving Friends
Start with NSU Art Museum
For McKenzie and any other art lovers in the group, the NSU Art Museum sits at One East Las Olas, near downtown and the Huizenga/Riverwalk area, which makes it the natural starting point for an art-focused exploration. Current exhibitions include Robert Rauschenberg: Real Time through April 26, 2026, Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Surrounded Islands Documentation Exhibition through spring 2027.
Then Take A Ramble On Las Olas
Las Olas is not just for dinner. It is a mix of restaurants, boutiques, museums, and a broader mix of design-forward shops and stroll-worthy stops. This works especially well for people who enjoy the slower kind of wandering where the plan is simply to notice interesting things. Worth noting - several times a year they shut down the Boulevard for the Las Olas Art Fair. It is quite an event to see but the calendar did not cooperate for this weekend.
Want Something Quiet and Chill? Try Savor Cinema on Friday Night
If Friday night finds you pleasantly maxed out after a full day of owner-conference brain stuffing, Savor Cinema is an excellent alternate path. FLIFF’s schedule shows The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist playing there on April 17, and the film’s own tagline on the schedule asks what is happening with “all this AI insanity” and what is at stake if we get it wrong. That is almost offensively relevant to a room full of Acton owners thinking about young humans and the future.
Get A Feel For The Real South Florida: The Paper Bear
This one does not line up with the conference dates, so it belongs in the bonus category. But for anyone staying a little longer or just look it up online, The Paper Bear plays at Savor Cinema on April 22. It is a feature-length film combining live-action wilderness footage with animation to explore Florida’s ecosystems through a father-and-son journey to find the Florida black bear. That is will be one of the best Hero’s Journey films of the year.
Honest Review For The Shoppers In The Group
The Galleria Is Convenient… (and a bit ho hum)
The Galleria is within easy steps of the Sonesta but don’t get your hopes up. If you forgot something or want a quick shopping stop without making a half-day mission out of it, it is perfectly serviceable. But to me it feels like a “sad” Mall that has seen better days.
But If Shopping Is the Actual Mission, Go Big (or Go Home Empty-Handed)
If someone really wants a shopping excursion, Aventura Mall and Sawgrass Mills are the big enough to overwhelm. Aventura promotes itself as having 300-plus stores, 50-plus dining options, and more than 20 museum-quality art pieces. Sawgrass Mills is billed as the largest shopping destination in the US, with 350-plus stores and outlets. Translation: Galleria for convenience, Aventura for a more elevated experience, Sawgrass for scale and bargains. As you can see… shopping is not really my thing.
Here’s The TL/DR Version For Those Who Scrolled This Far
If you have just one free morning, walk the beach and maybe Birch State Park, then come back to the Sonesta feeling reasobably restored.
If you have one free afternoon/evening, take the Water Taxi, wander Las Olas, and stop at NSU Art Museum. Pick the dining that suits you best. You will have lots of options. Even a Smash Burger in the park.
If you’re traveling with children, do MODS, then the Riverwalk and Huizenga Park.
If you want historical beauty without over-planning, visit Bonnet House, then stroll the beach.
If you want the most shared-memory version of the weekend, join us on the Jungle Queen for dinner and a cruise. I am super stoked to have friends already signed up so it will be a fun evening.
If you want a quieter Friday night after a full day of big ideas that will change the world, hide away at Savor Cinema and let The AI Doc do the heavy existential lifting for two hours, then go sleep on it.
The Wrap Up
We hope this guide helps you enjoy your short stay in Fort Lauderdale not just as conference attendees, but as friends and fellow Acton owners.
We are proud of our newly-adopted city. I grew up in very rural Maine and we are enjoying big city life (not as quite as big as Miami) here in South Florida. My wish is that your visit will be filled with good conversation, a few small wonders, and at least one next great adventure you almost didn’t take.
Welcome to Fort Lauderdale.
~ Tobin
Curator for Family Friendly Fort Lauderdale
CoFounder at Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale
Head Tinkerer at vPAL.ai