*Disclosure: The 2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid and all other accommodations were provided to me for testing purposes and editorial consideration. All opinions are 100% my own*
If you have followed my journey over the past few years, you already know that I am a huge fan of the Toyota brand. So, when I was invited to explore the hip city of Fort Lauderdale in the 2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid I was pretty stoked.
Check out a few of the cool places I visited while exploring this iconic city…
Visit Fort Lauderdale, FL
Hotel Maren Fort Lauderdale Beach
I have driven past the ocean view hotel several times. However, this was the first time I actually experienced it up close and personal.
Hotel Maren Fort Lauderdale is located directly across from Fort Lauderdale beach and is only a five-minute walk from Downtown Las Olas, which is great if you are not in the mood to Uber or drive.
The Ocean View Hotel Amenities:
- Fitness center
- Yoga studio
- Fifth-floor pool deck with an ocean view
- Dine in celebrity chef restaurant
- Star Bucks for all the coffee lovers and much more.
Note: Love birds who are looking for romantic hotels in Fort Lauderdale with oceanfront rooms…this is definitely it!!!
Click below to check out my oceanfront room/view…
Location Information:
- Address: 525 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
- Phone: 954.524.9595
Riviera by Fabio Viviani
If you don’t feel like heading out for the evening, head downstairs to experience their on-site restaurant, Riviera by Fabio Viviani, which offers a dine in celebrity chef.
This restaurant is fabulous. The atmosphere and service was great, and I was even more impressed by the menu that was prepared to fit my dietary restrictions. Due to food allergies, most times my meals are not as delicious as what they would be if I didn’t require substitutions. However, that was not the case at the restaurant, everything was spectacular.
Location Information:
- Address: 525 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
- Phone: 954.524.9595
Fort Lauderdale Beach
You can’t visit Fort Lauderdale and not experience the iconic Fort Lauderdale Beach. This lively place is only a few miles from Las Olas Blvd., and is full of beautiful hotels, great restaurants, live music, shopping and totally epic scenic views.
Location Information:
- Address: 1100 Seabreeze Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
- Phone: 954.828.727
Hugh Taylor Birch Park
Hugh Taylor Birch is simply gorgeous, and another Ft. Lauderdale must see. This picturesque park Is located across the street from Ft. Lauderdale Beach and features mature trees that canopy every turn.
Click below to check out picturesque park…
Park Experiences:
- Bicycling
- Camping, Devel. Group
- Camping, Primitive Group
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Roller Blading
- Snorkeling
- Swimming (Swimming is available on the beach adjacent to the park)
- Tours
- Walking and Running (Hugh Taylor Birch Park to take a ranger guided walk every Friday and Saturday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.)
Location Information:
- Address: 3109 E Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderdale 33304
- Phone: 954.564.4521
Hours:
- 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., 365 days a year
Fees
- $6 per vehicle
- $4 single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle
- $2 pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass
Las Olas
Las Olas Boulevard not only provides a primary connection to the beach, it also allows locals and visitors to:
- Eat at delicious restaurants
- Shop
- Take in the beautiful scenery
- Attend different events
- Grab drinks and lite bites during happy hour
Fun Fact: The name “Las Olas” means “The Waves” in Spanish.
Location Information:
- Address: Las Olas runs from SW 1st Avenue in the Central Business District to Florida State Road A1A in Fort Lauderdale Beach
Thrive
While in Las Olas, don’t forget to check out “Thrive”. This insanely beautiful sculpture was created in 2020 by talented artist Daniel Popper, and is simply breathtaking.
Click below to get a better look at “Thrive”…
Location Information:
- Address: 301 SW 1st Ave. , Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Rooftop Lounge
Situated above Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Boulevard and the New River is the chic, hip and very trendy Rooftop Lounge.
The Rooftop Lounge is simply gorgeous, and the DJ on duty, along with the cool mixologists definitely assisted in setting the tone for the evening. If you are looking for laid-back bar, with good music, delicious cocktails, lite-bites and an extraordinary view of the city’s skyline then this is the one!!!
Location Information:
- Address: 1 West Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33301
- Phone: 954.523.1956
- Note: The Rooftop Lounge only serves lite-bites. However, if you are looking for a place to have an amazing dinner make reservations at TRP Taste that is located just downstairs (Keep reading for more details).
Hours:
- Monday & Tuesday – Closed
- Wednesday & Thursday – 4pm to 1am
- Friday – 4pm to 2am
- Saturday – 2pm to 2am
- Sunday – 12pm to 10pm
TRP Taste
After enjoying Fort Lauderdale’s majestic skyline we headed downstairs for a six course dinner at TRP Taste. This intimate 26-seat venue is built around an ever-evolving schedule of unique culinary-driven experiences.
On this night, the interactive pop-up dinner was prepared by guest Chef Russel Arnold. We had the pleasure of conversing with the chef, while watching him prepare our dishes. Needless to say the experience was extraordinary and the food was incredible.
Again, although they needed to adjust my meal a bit to fit my dietary restrictions, everything was spectacular and I walked away feeling incredibly satisfied.
Taste Dinner Experience
Our taste dinner experience w/Chef Russel Arnold consisted of:
- Charcuterie Plate – Salami, chorizo, manchego, camembert, almonds, marinated olives & crostini
- Snapper Ceviche: Coconut, aji amarillo, celery, fresno chili & tostone
- Garden Party: Baby gem lettuces, heirloom carrot, hearts of palm, brioche crumble, cherry tomato & avocado green goddess
- Seared Scallops: Mascarpone polenta, grilled asparagus & tomato relish
- Short Rib Pappardelle: Caramelized onion & lemon whipped ricotta
- Valrhona Chocolate Mousse: Raspberry foam, mint & sea salt
(Note: Some of the ingredients in my dishes were a bit different than what is listed above due to food allergies).
Location Information:
- Address: 1 West Las Olas Blvd Suite, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
- Email: Reservations@1wlo.co
- Note: Upcoming experiences are posted 60 days prior
Weather – Visit Fort Lauderdale
Most would say that anytime is a great time to visit Fort Lauderdale. However, because it is such a tropical climate and can get extremely hot and rainy, it’s always good to know what you are walking into when visiting.
Check out a brief breakdown by season:
- Spring (Warm/sunny) – Spring in Fort Lauderdale is like summer in most places. Highs averaging around 82 and low around 68.
- Summer (Extremely hot w/occasional thunderstorms) – Since the city is so close to the equator summers are usually extremely hot. The highs average 89 degrees and lows are around 76 degrees. Additionally, the weather can be a bit unpredictable during this time.
- Note: 89 degrees here might not feel like 89 degrees in a cooler, less tropical climate. It can feel A LOT HOTTER.
- Fall (Warm/mostly clear) – It starts to cool down during the fall. The average high in October is 85 with lows in the 70s. This is a great time to explore the city. Also, keep your eye out for leftover summer storms.
- Winter (Beautiful, and A LOT COOLER) – I love this time of year in South Florida. It cools down a lot during November and December. It is generally mild and extremely enjoyable with highs in the 70s and lows in the 60s. The weather is perfect in my opinion.
2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid
The Fort Lauderdale area is such a cool and lively place that is filled with fabulous hotels, beautiful art, incredible landscaping, delicious foods, and an amazing and very iconic beach. The 2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid (Starting MSP: $23,650) was the perfect vehicle to visit the above locations in style and comfort.
The Toyota Corolla Hybrid offers so many great features. Check out 5 that I love...
- Exterior – Although I may be a bit biased because red is my favorite color, I still love the exterior of this baby. It’s not only cute, it’s also sassy.
- Smart Key Locking and Unlocking: I was definitely spoiled by this feature. It was so convenient, and yes very cool, for the door to unlock as soon as I approached the vehicle. (Note: The key fob must be in hand, purse, pocket Etc. Etc. for this feature to work.)
- Fuel Efficiency (MPG: city53/hwy52/combined52): The 2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid gas mileage is literally insane. When we filled up the tank, it showed well over 500 miles until empty. I can not tell you how many times I drove from Ft. Lauderdale to Boca Raton and back without the needle moving.
- Toyota JBL Audio System: Y’all already know I’m all about a killer sound system. We kept it on SiriusXM – Channel 47 the entire time and let me tell you that my ole skool faves were hitting on the JBL Premiere Sound System.
- Trunk Space: For such a compact car the trunk space is everything. All our luggage, and shopping bags fit easily and we still had room left.
Click below to get a better look at the 2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid…
It was so great having the opportunity to indulge in a few of Fort Lauderdale’s simple pleasures while hanging out with old/new friends. When you visit Fort Lauderdale, I highly recommend that you check out all of the places listed above! Taking the time to explore and create memories is always good for the soul.
Have A Happy Healthy, and Remember to Always…Stay Sassy!
Leave a Reply