Lauderhill, Florida is located between Plantation, Sunrise and caddy corner to Ft. Lauderdale on the coast; this makes it a perfect place to stay that is secluded and quiet, while still giving you plenty of options for recreational activities. This little city was created in 1959 and was originally planned to be named Sunnydale. It used to be an area where there were more cows than people. The city, that is now covered in beautiful parks, was used as grazing grass covered with cows that produced fresh milk for the McArthur Dairy Farm. If you enjoy being outside and having picnics, throwing a football or baseball around, playing Frisbee or any activity that you can do outside, Lauderhill is an outdoor activity lovers’s dream.
1. Central Broward Regional Park and Stadium
Within Lauderhill, Central Broward Regional Park and Stadium is a great place to walk around, enjoy a picnic or even go to an event in the stadium. They host soccer games, music festivals, carnivals and it is the only cricket stadium in the United States certified by the International Cricket Council (ICC). This regional park includes multipurpose fields, netball courts, basketball courts, tennis courts, a water playground and paddle boats!
You can spend all day at this facility and still not get through everything they have to offer. If you want to elevate your picnic game, you can hang out by the picnic shelters to access their grills, water and electricity. On top of all of these options, you can also participate in Geocaching. Geocaching uses GPS coordinates that correspond to where someone has a hidden treasure, which is also known as a geocache. You can learn more about this activity and how to get started at this website.
Central Broward Regional Park and Stadium
Address: 3700 Northwest 11th Place, Lauderhill, FL 33311
2. Roosevelt Gardens Park
Roosevelt Gardens Park is a short walk from Central Broward Regional Park and is open from sunrise to sunset, making it a nice sanctuary for a quieter afternoon. This park includes three playground areas, two basketball courts, three picnic areas with grills as well as a concrete pathway around the park. One unique aspect to this park is that it is home to a Public Art and Design project. Cheryl Foster created the project, which displays artwork panels in the lobby of the park’s community center. The artwork depicts a variety of topics that all surround values that are fostered within a park and playground setting such as sharing and learning.
Like most outdoor areas, this park has a range of wildlife that is indigenous to Florida such as snakes and alligators. If you walk past wildlife, the best thing to do is observe from afar and do not approach. Let the wildlife roam in their home without feeling threatened, that way you can enjoy what Florida has to offer without putting yourself in harm’s way.
Roosevelt Gardens Park
Address: 2841 NW 11th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Website: Roosevelt Gardens Park
3. Florida Swap Shop
Florida Swap Shop is a unique Florida experience. It includes a car museum, farmers market and a flea market. The Swap Shop is one of the largest indoor/outdoor entertainment and bargain shopping attractions in the world. On top of having a car museum, flea and farmers market, it is also home to one of the world’s largest drive-in movie theaters. It encompasses 14 different screens! Originally, the swap shop was opened as Thunderbird Drive-In theater with only 1 movie screen, but the swap shop turned its Drive-In theater area into a flea market during the day. It was an immediate success so improvements were made to the area to encompass more screens and an area for vendors.
Occasionally, music artists performed here such as Willie Nelson, KC and the Sunshine Band and Loretta Lynn. Today, the flea market is the world’s largest daily flea market since it holds around 2,000 vendors that sell everything from video games to food and furniture. You can learn more about what this area has to offer on their website.
Florida Swap Shop
Address: 3291 W Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Website: Florida Swap Shop
4. Playful Art
Playful Art is a studio where you can sit down and follow along with an art teacher while you make a masterpiece of your own that you can take home with you. If you have never taken a painting class, you should take one at Playful Art. You pick a day based on what the painting of that class is. When you show up, you have a blank canvas and the instructor will come around and give you the colors of paint you need for the painting you will create. You can follow along with the instructor while you give it your own creative twist.
Another plus to this activity is it is BYOB. The establishment allows beer and wine while you paint, as long as you are of age. If you want to get your drink on while painting your own creative souvenir, this is an event you won’t want to miss out on.
Playful Art
Address: 660 N State Rd 7 #15, Plantation, FL 33317
Website: Playful Art
5. Veterans Park
Posted by Judy Timber on Sunday, 6 November 2016
Veterans Park is another park you should have on your list to see while in Lauderhill. On top of picnic areas with grills and playgrounds, they have a few other amenities that other parks in the area do not. They have a swimming pool, soccer field, volleyball court and a gym! If you are looking to enjoy a day at the park while getting a workout in or taking a splash in the pool, Veterans Park is the place for you. The park, and all of the amenities are open Monday-Friday 9 am to 9 pm. Saturdays and Sundays the park is open from 9 am to 6 pm and the pool hours change seasonally.
Veterans Park
Address: 7600 NW 50th St, Lauderhill, FL 33351
Website: Veterans Park
A quiet getaway
If you are looking for a quiet place to get away without being completely secluded from busy city life, Lauderhill is the perfect getaway. Located only a short drive away from Ft. Lauderdale, you still have access to shops, the beach and everything else a larger city has to offer. If you are a traveler who enjoys your peace and quiet as well as exploring off the beaten path, Lauderhill is a place you should consider for your next trip. If you are not an outdoors kind of person and all of the park options are not that appealing to you, you should visit this town for the Swap Shop alone. It is a very unique establishment and it will keep you occupied for hours!
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