• Greater Fort Lauderdale features water venues like the Coral Springs Aquatic Center and the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex, unique venues like the Bergeron Rodeo Grounds and Gulfstream Park, and major theaters like BB&T Center and the Broward County Convention Center.
• Home to the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame, Greater Fort Lauderdale is a sport lovers' dream, and the perfect setting for your sporting event!
• Broward County is home to more than 250 sporting events each year, including:

• The Greater Fort Lauderdale Sports Development Office, with the support of the Florida Sports Foundation, is your one-stop shop to plan professional, amateur or recreational sports events. 
• Whether you love to watch or play, Greater Fort Lauderdale is heaven for the sports lover. Planning a sports event? Visit the Greater Fort Lauderdale Sports Development section for your sports group needs.
• Watch the Miami Dolphins play at Sun Life Stadium, see the NHL in action at the BB&T Center, home to Florida Panthers ice hockey, or watch the NASL Fort Lauderdale Strikers play at the Fort Lauderdale Stadium. 
• Greater Fort Lauderdale is flowing with water-based activities. Ramp up your vacation with scuba diving, jet skiing, parasailing and sport fishing. If fishing is indeed your thing, don't miss the interactive exhibits at the International Game Fish Association's Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum.  Meanwhile, more than 50 area golf courses offer you the full country club experience as well as public links for any skill level. 

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

• Plunge into a culture as deep as the ocean which frames us. A culture characterized by Seminoles and Broadway shows. Click for a taste of Greater Fort Lauderdale's heritage. Tasty jazz and art festivals. And like the horizon here, the list goes on and on and on. Be sure to check out the concert schedules at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in the downtown Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District, Hard Rock Live in Hollywood and the BB&T Center in Sunrise.
• ArtServe's South Florida arts calendar.

SIGHTSEEING CRUISES & TOURS

• Delight in an Intracoastal Waterway cruise, where you'll see eye-popping mansions along Millionaire's Row, the mega-yachts of the rich and famous and private islands. From popular cruises like the Jungle Queen Riverboatand Riverfront Cruises, to intimate gondola rides, to Water Taxi  -- taxi cabs in the water! --  to kayak tours for an up close and personalized look at Greater Fort Lauderdale's flora and fauna.

FREE THINGS TO DO

• Stroll Hollywood's famed 2 ½ mile Broadwalk along the beach. Snorkel (no boat needed) from shore along Lauderdale-By-The-Sea's three-tiered reef system and discover the many underwater treasures. Meditate as you focus on the sunrise by the pier in Deerfield Beach.  People watch along Fort Lauderdale's beachfront promenade.  Hop on the trolley in downtown Fort Lauderdale's Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District on Fridays and Saturdays to experience the lighthearted energy of Las Olas Boulevard.

EVENTS

• Music: SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch, Riverwalk in downtown Fort Lauderdale. First Sunday of every month; Free concerts and dancing under the stars, Mon-Wed and Sat, Hollywood Beach Theater, Hollywood Broadwalk;Broadwalk Friday Fest, Hollywood Broadwalk.
• Sports: Cheer on the runners at A1A marathon in Feb along the beach;Dolphins Football Training Camp, July-Aug, Davie.
• Free Festivals & Events: 

DAY SPAS

• For those seeking serenity, relaxation and revitalization, Greater Fort Lauderdale offers an impressive choice of day spas and resort spas ranging from upscale, European-style establishments to sites offering a more holistic approach.

KIDS

• Whether you are looking for an educational destination, one filled with sports and shopping for the whole family, the perfect dining spots for kids or South Florida's best family-friendly special events and packages, look no further than Greater Fort Lauderdale.
• Kids of all ages will enjoy the Museum of Discovery & Science in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Young at Art Children's Museum is a great choice for the younger child, while Boomers will brighten your older child's day. For the animal-lover and budding environmentalist, don't miss a visit to the Everglades, Butterfly World and Flamingo Gardens. Scooter, canoe, jet ski and other watersports are sure to thrill the family.

SHOPPING

• Discover the convenience and the value of shopping in everything from boutiques to department stores in Greater Fort Lauderdale. There are special shopping tours for groups and local shuttle buses from the beach. And, most hotels provide easy access to major shopping centers for car-less travelers. You can even shop at The Galleria by Water Taxi. Sawgrass Mills, the world's largest discount and entertainment mall, the Swap Shop, South's largest flea market, Festival Flea Market, a quarter-mile long shopper's paradise, and Westfield Broward, a one level, 1,000,000 sq ft shopping mall in Plantation, are just a few of the venues to begin your retail therapy. Translated "the waves" in Spanish, Las Olas Blvd is known as Greater Fort Lauderdale's "style mile," lined with independently owned boutiques, a restaurant row with acclaimed chefs, and lively lounges and cafés with sidewalk seating. Las Olas also a major stop along Greater Fort Lauderdale's Water Taxi system.

Most of this information is cited from Sunny.org