FLIBS 2026 Visitor Guide: Where to Stay, Eat and Get Around in Fort Lauderdale

Coming to the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show? Hotels closest to the show, waterfront restaurants, water taxis, Brightline and the airport, and what to do between days on the docks.

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show runs from Wednesday, October 28 to Sunday, November 1, 2026, and around half of its visitors come from out of state. If you're one of them, this is our local's guide to the week: where to stay, where to eat, how to get around, and what to do when your feet have had enough of the docks.

For show hours, tickets, the six show sites and how to plan your viewings, see our companion guide, Fort Lauderdale Boat Show 2026: Know Before You Go.

Where to stay during the boat show

The show is spread along the Intracoastal from Las Olas Boulevard south to Pier Sixty-Six and the Convention Center, so almost anywhere on the beach, on 17th Street or on Las Olas puts you within a short shuttle or water-taxi ride. With around 100,000 visitors in town, rooms near the show go quickly: book early. The show's official hotel partner, onPeak, offers rates at selected hotels with no booking fees. The link is on flibs.com.

On the show itself

Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale Beach. A DoubleTree by Hilton, 801 Seabreeze Blvd. The hotel sits at the Bahia Mar show site, the heart of the show. The property is slated for redevelopment, so confirm your reservation directly with the hotel.
Pier Sixty-Six Resort, 2301 SE 17th St. Reopened in 2025 after a full rebuild, and itself a show site, with a superyacht marina. A water-taxi stop.

Around 17th Street and the Convention Center

Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, 1881 SE 17th St. Hilton puts it a four-minute walk from the Convention Center, the show's transport hub, and it has its own water-taxi stop.

On the beach (A1A)

B Ocean Resort, 1140 Seabreeze Blvd, on the same road as Bahia Mar, and home of the Wreck Bar.
The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale, 1 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd, at the beach end of Las Olas.
The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, 321 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.
W Fort Lauderdale, 401 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.
Beach House Fort Lauderdale, a Hilton Resort (formerly the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort), 505 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd, all suites.
Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale, 525 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.
Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach, 551 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, 3030 Holiday Dr. South of the show, with its own private beach.

Downtown on Las Olas

Riverside Hotel, 620 E Las Olas Blvd. A good choice if you'd rather be in town than on the beach: the show's water taxi runs from here to Bahia Mar, and the free shuttle from the Brightline station stops here too.

Getting to Fort Lauderdale

By air. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is only a few miles from the show. The Convention Center and Port Everglades sit right beside it, and the beach hotels are a short drive away.
By train. Brightline's Fort Lauderdale station, at 101 NW 2nd Ave, links the city with Miami, Aventura, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Orlando. During the show, free shuttles run from the station to the Riverside Hotel, where you can pick up the show water taxi. Brightline also runs a shuttle between its station and FLL.

Getting around during the show

Show shuttles and water taxis. Free shuttles link the Convention Center, Bahia Mar, Superyacht Village and the Riverside Hotel, and the show's own water taxis ($15 a day, $65 for all five days) connect the sites by water. Full details are in our Know Before You Go guide.
The Water Taxi of Fort Lauderdale. Separate from the show's boats, the city's yellow water taxis run hop-on, hop-off from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, with a boat every 30 to 45 minutes. An adult all-day pass is $38, children 5 to 11 are $18, and an evening pass after 5 p.m. is $25. Handy stops include the Riverside Hotel, Las Olas, 15th Street Fisheries, the Hilton Marina and Convention Center, Pier Sixty-Six, Bahia Mar and Shooters, which makes it the easiest way to go from the show to dinner.
Driving. Traffic on A1A and Seabreeze Boulevard is heavy all week. If you drive, park at the Convention Center and take the shuttle.

Where to eat near the show

Fort Lauderdale does waterfront dining better than almost anywhere, and several of the best places are a short walk or boat ride from the show.

Steps from the show

Coconuts, 429 Seabreeze Blvd. Seafood on the Intracoastal, right by the show entrance. They don't take reservations, so go early or late.
G&B Oyster Bar. Next door to Coconuts, from the same team, for a raw bar and a quicker bite.

Around 17th Street and Pier Sixty-Six

Boatyard, 1555 SE 17th St. Seafood and a raw bar on the water, with dockage for customers' boats.
15th Street Fisheries, 1900 SE 15th St. A Fort Lauderdale institution since 1978, with fine dining upstairs and a casual dock downstairs where you can feed the tarpon. A water-taxi stop.
Southport Raw Bar, 1536 Cordova Rd. A casual local favourite since 1973.
Calusso and Pier Top at Pier Sixty-Six. Riviera-style dining, and a revolving lounge on the 17th floor for the view over the show.

On the beach

Steak 954 at the W. A Stephen Starr steakhouse, famous for its jellyfish tank.
S3 at Beach House. Steak, seafood and sushi facing the ocean.
Casablanca Cafe, 3049 Alhambra St. Mediterranean food in a 1920s house with ocean views.

On Las Olas

Louie Bossi's, 1032 E Las Olas Blvd. Wood-fired pizza and house-made pasta.
YOLO, 333 E Las Olas Blvd. Contemporary American from a wood-burning grill.
Wild Sea Las Olas at the Riverside Hotel. Seafood, a short walk from the water-taxi stop.

Worth the boat ride

Shooters Waterfront, 3033 NE 32nd Ave. Fort Lauderdale's largest waterfront restaurant, further up the Intracoastal. During the show, a show water taxi runs between Shooters and Las Olas Marina.

Show week is the busiest week of the year for Fort Lauderdale restaurants. Where a place takes reservations, make them.

What to do between show days

Las Olas Boulevard. The city's main street for dining, shops and galleries.
Riverwalk. More than a mile of path along the New River downtown, with a free water trolley along the river.
The beach promenade. The white wave wall along A1A between Las Olas and Sunrise boulevards.
Bonnet House, 900 N Birch Rd. A historic waterfront estate and gardens, open for self-guided visits Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, 3109 E Sunrise Blvd. The last stretch of tropical maritime hammock in Broward County, reachable by water taxi.
Historic Stranahan House. Built in 1901, the oldest surviving building in Broward County, beside the Riverside Hotel water-taxi stop.

Walk the show with an Aspire broker

We're a Fort Lauderdale brokerage, and our brokers will be at the show all week, walking the docks with clients. If you're coming to look seriously at yachts, tell us what's on your list before you travel: we'll build your shortlist, arrange the viewings and walk the show with you.

Frequently asked questions

What is the closest hotel to the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show?

Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale Beach, a DoubleTree by Hilton, sits at the Bahia Mar show site, and Pier Sixty-Six Resort is itself one of the show sites. The Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina is a short walk from the Convention Center.

Which airport should I fly into for FLIBS?

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL) is the closest, only a few miles from the show. Brightline trains also connect Fort Lauderdale with Miami, West Palm Beach and Orlando.

Is there a water taxi to the boat show?

Yes. The show runs its own water taxis between the show sites and the Riverside Hotel, the DoubleTree GALLERYone and Shooters, at $15 a day or $65 for five days. The city's Water Taxi of Fort Lauderdale also stops at Bahia Mar and Pier Sixty-Six.

Can I take Brightline to the boat show?

Yes. Take Brightline to its Fort Lauderdale station, then the free show shuttle to the Riverside Hotel and the show water taxi to Bahia Mar.

Where can I eat near the boat show?

Coconuts and G&B Oyster Bar are beside the Bahia Mar show site. Boatyard, 15th Street Fisheries and the restaurants at Pier Sixty-Six are close to the southern show sites, and Las Olas Boulevard and the beach hotels have many more.

Sources: flibs.com for show dates, the show water taxi, shuttles and the Brightline connection; each hotel's and restaurant's own website; the Water Taxi of Fort Lauderdale (watertaxi.com) for stops, hours and prices; Brightline (gobrightline.com); Visit Lauderdale; Bonnet House, Florida State Parks and Stranahan House for visiting details. Hotels, restaurants and prices can change, so check with each before you go.