Welcome aboard! This is your Sun Boat Rentals guide to the best places to cruise, anchor, swim and eat by boat. Pick the section for the dock you're leaving from. Spots are listed roughly from closest to farthest. Dock space, hours and fees change, so call ahead before you head to a restaurant. Questions on the water? Call us at 754-457-8895.
A riverfront bar and grill right on the New River downtown, on your way east. Famous for its Sunday brunch. Tie up and eat by the water.
Cruise slowly east past downtown's skyline, the Riverwalk and historic Stranahan House, with big yachts and mansions along the way. New River bridges open on request, so allow extra time.
The locals' sandbar where the New River meets the Intracoastal. Drop anchor, float and swim. Busiest on weekend afternoons.
A laid-back raw bar and seafood spot on the water off the Intracoastal near SE 17th St (1536 Cordova Rd). Good for a casual lunch stop.
Classic seafood at historic Lauderdale Marina (1900 SE 15th St). Feed the giant tarpon off the dock, then eat dockside.
Upscale waterfront seafood at 1555 SE 17th St. Free dockage for restaurant guests, and Dock & Dine reservations hold a slip and table. Call 954-525-7400.
A sheltered lake off the Intracoastal in Harbor Beach where locals anchor, float on rafts and pull tubes. Calm water for swimming.
On Seabreeze Blvd, a block from the beach. Coconuts is a no-frills seafood spot with a few first-come docks, and Marina Village next door has a dozen-plus restaurants.
Tie up at the city marina's floating docks for a day fee (9am–4pm) and walk to Fort Lauderdale Beach. Reserve at 954-828-7200.
You're on a canal just off the New River, a few minutes from the Intracoastal, so the sandbar and the Fort Lauderdale dock-and-dine spots are a short ride. Head north for longer cruises.
The closest swim spot, where the New River meets the Intracoastal. Anchor, float and hang out. Busiest on weekend afternoons.
Head west up the New River to this riverfront bar and grill downtown, known for its Sunday brunch.
A short run south on the Intracoastal to the Harbor Beach anchorage. Calm water for rafts, tubes and swimming.
Seafood at historic Lauderdale Marina. Feed the tarpon off the dock, then grab a dockside table.
Upscale seafood with free dockage for diners (1555 SE 17th St). Book a Dock & Dine slip at 954-525-7400.
A casual raw bar on the water near SE 17th St, good for a quick lunch.
Seabreeze Blvd by the beach. Coconuts has a few first-come docks, and Marina Village has more than a dozen restaurants.
A converted ferry turned waterfront lounge near Casablanca Cafe on the beach. Arriving by boat works for boats under 30 feet.
A longer cruise north up the Intracoastal (3033 NE 32nd Ave) to one of the area's biggest waterfront restaurants, with 350+ feet of dock, brunch and happy hour.
You're right on the Intracoastal between Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood. Dania Beach rentals stay inside the Intracoastal, with no ocean use. Head south for Hollywood's lakes and bars, or north for Fort Lauderdale.
The calm tidal creek along John U. Lloyd Beach State Park, next to the marina. Go slow, watch the depth at low tide, and look for manatees and birds.
A tucked-away lake off the Intracoastal to the south. Anchor in the middle to swim or paddleboard, with dock-and-dine restaurants around the edge.
Hollywood waterfront bar and grill with a patio right on the Intracoastal, watching the yachts go by. Call ahead about docking.
A Hollywood institution with dockside seating, burgers and cold drinks on the Intracoastal. Call ahead about tie-up space.
Cruise north past Port Everglades to Fort Lauderdale's favorite anchorage in Harbor Beach. Calm water for floating and swimming.
Keep going north for 15th Street Fisheries (tarpon feeding), Boatyard (free dockage for diners) and Southport Raw Bar, all off the Intracoastal near SE 17th St.
Much of the New River and parts of the Intracoastal are slow-speed or idle zones. Watch the signs, keep your wake down, and keep an eye out for manatees.
Restaurant docks fill up on weekends, and policies, hours and fees change. Call ahead, tell them your boat's length, and bring lines and fenders.
Whoever drives stays sober. Everyone else can enjoy the sandbar.
Plan to head back early enough to return on time. Florida storms build fast, so if the sky turns dark, head in and call us at 754-457-8895.