| Greater Fort Lauderdale's Las Olas Boulevard: The New Wave of the World's Greatest Streets Boulevard St. Germain in Paris, New York's Fifth Avenue, Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills...every great city has a particular place where the chic shop, fashion trends are set, strolling window shoppers chat in a dozen languages, and visitors young and old gather to please their palates, to be entertained and delighted. So, make way for the latest place to be, the newest of the "great streets" – Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Appropriately named (Las Olas means "the waves" in Spanish), this city's most charming street is suddenly at the forefront of everything from fashion boutiques and art galleries to world-class cuisine, sidewalk cafes and jazz houses. Like many American neighborhoods undergoing a renaissance, Las Olas is not actually new; the elegant, newly expanded 220-room Riverside Hotel, a destination landmark, has been entertaining Broward County's movers and shakers since 1936 and Fort Lauderdale's old money still gathers there to be pampered with gracious hospitality. Even older, the historic Stranahan House, just steps away from the Riverside Hotel, built in 1901 as a home and trading post by one of the region's pioneers is now a museum with exhibits and furnishings of the turn-of-the-century. Running almost parallel to Fort Lauderdale's New River on its way to the Atlantic Ocean, Las Olas is a broad avenue divided by a wide, landscaped median of flowers and towering shade trees. To the east is Fort Lauderdale's famed beachfront with its $26-million promenade. Las Olas' western most point is anchored by the Museum of Art and gateway to a downtown area of cultural activity known as the Riverwalk Arts and Entertainment District featuring Las Olas Riverfront, Fort Lauderdale Historical Museum, the Museum of Discovery & Science/Blockbuster IMAX 3D Theater, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts plus many dining and nightlife establishments. On the main, Las Olas Boulevard presents the elegance of the area's glamorous origins; the architecture of its shops, restaurants and cafes are a rich reflection of South Florida's Spanish heritage. Horse-drawn carriages still transport sightseers and shoppers from one end of the boulevard to the other. But don't be fooled by Las Olas' historic charm; this center of entertainment, dining and shopping for Greater Fort Lauderdale is also on the cutting edge. From morning until far past moonlight, young people, old people, visitors from the capitals of Europe as well as the small towns of America gather here to enjoy the sidewalk cafes and restaurants of Las Olas. Given its weather, one might assume that dining and entertainment al fresco has been a fixture in South Florida. In fact, it has only been recently that locals and visitors in Fort Lauderdale have adopted a lifestyle that Europeans have thrived on for generations. O'Hara's Pub, with its nightly jazz entertainment, and Sidewalk Café began the trend on Las Olas. Shortly after, others followed suit, like Mangos which offers a perfect viewing spot to watch the parade of shoppers, window watchers and boulevard strollers. Indoors or out, Las Olas Boulevard has a restaurant to treat any taste and a cuisine to please any palate. The boulevard is the home of Mark's Las Olas, featuring the trendsetting 'Floribbean' cuisine of award-winning South Florida chef Mark Militello. Contributing to the continental ambiance are Brasserie, Jackson's, Le Café de Paris, Las Olas Café, La Bonne Crepe Café and The French Quarter, while Timpano satisfies the appetites of diners yearning for Italian and Samba Room specializes in Latin dishes. For those with a yen for Japanese cuisine -- raw or cooked -- the Japanese Village offers a variety of fine dishes just like Mama-san used to make. Man does not live by vinegared rice alone, so for a meal with a taste a little closer to home, Cheeburger, Cheeburger offers that most American of sandwiches along with a selection of traditional accompaniments like fries, onion rings and milk shakes. Or stop into Café Europa for a refreshing iced cappuccino and dessert. From classy thrift shops to designer fashions, the shopping scene is another major reason Las Olas has become South Florida's newest old place to be. While many of the "shops of Las Olas" offer the very latest in men's and women's fashions, such as Moda Mario for men and Zola Keller for women, the boulevard also offers antique shops that feature everything from collectibles to investment-quality pieces; art galleries, including the New River Gallery, Call of Africa, and Shades of Light Gallery, feature subjects ranging from wildlife to one-of-a-kind lamps to fine examples of Haitian and African art. |
 |
|||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
 |
|
|||||||
 |
||||||||
Places, Cities and Towns of Florida / Features and Articles About Florida / Annual Events and Festivals in Florida / Florida Hotels and Resorts / Florida Spas and Wellness Oriented Destinations / 4 and 5 Diamond Hotels / Pet Friendly Hotels / Florida Beaches / Florida Theme Parks and Family Oriented Destinations / Waterparks / Zoos / Florida Parks / Wildlife in the Sunshine State / Florida Trails / National Historical Landmarks / Florida Museums / Golf in Florida / Fishing in Florida / Shopping in the Sunshine State / Dining in Florida image: Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Burea |
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
| About Us: Travel Tidings Florida features vacation travel information for the cities and regions of Pensacola, Destin/Ft Walton Beach, Seaside/Beaches of South Walton , Panama City Beach , Marianna , Apalachicola/Port St. Joe , Tallahassee , Live Oak/Lake City , Cedar Key/Steinhatchee, Jacksonville/Amelia Island, Gainesville, St. Augustine, Flagler Beach/Palm Coast, Crystal River, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Tampa, Ocala, Orlando/Kissimmee, Lakeland,Daytona Beach/New Smyrna Beach, Cocoa Beach, Fort Pierce/Vero Beach, Sarasota/Bradenton, Charlotte Harbor, Fort Myers/Sanibel, Naples/Marco Island, Sebring/Arcadia, Florida Keys & Key West, Fort Lauderdale, Lake Okeechobee, Miami, and Palm Beach and more than 500 destinations throughout the state of Florida. Activities, entertainment and speciality interestes include everything from romantic getaways, spas and secluded parks to family themeparks and holiday resorts, busy places popular for adventure, sports and surfing. General topics covered include dining, lodging, shopping, travel accommodations, attractions, hotels and more. Do not hesitate to contact us for further information at info@traveltidingsflorida.com! |
||||||||
FORT LAUDERDALE