Cosmopolitan Boutique Hotel in Lively Arts District

Since the 1930s, the Riverside Hotel has sat on the banks of the New River, looming over the sapphire waters like a life-size sandcastle. The boutique hotel, centrally located near downtown Fort Lauderdale, is also adjacent to Las Olas Boulevard, a trendy, bustling thoroughfare lined with sidewalk cafés, shops, and nightclubs. From the private balcony of your 500-square-foot executive tower king room, you can watch as yachts and water taxis glide down the river, and glimpse the crowds along the boulevard.

Palm trees and recumbent beach chairs line the hotel’s outdoor pool. After dipping in the water, dine and sip on the included frozen cocktails poolside or kick back with the included Swedish or deep-tissue massage from Planet Massage. In contrast to the sun deck's relaxed vibe, the fitness center pulses with energy; its selection of free weights and Cybex machines keeps figures in top shape. At the onsite Indigo Restaurant, executive chef Toby Joseph crafts entrees such as slow-braised lamb shank and rigatoni with meatballs.

Las Olas Boulevard: Trendy Fort Lauderdale Thoroughfare

Riverside Hotel opens to the palms and porticos of Las Olas Boulevard, home to outdoor art installations and chic boutiques. From the hotel’s back steps, you can book an all-day pass aboard a water taxi and cruise northbound on the Intracoastal Waterway or westbound on New River as it flows toward downtown Fort Lauderdale. Along the way, hop on and off at waterfront stops, including stop 11’s Las Olas Riverfront, just steps from shopping, nightclubs, and the Fort Lauderdale History Center.

A 10-minute walk or a 25-minute piggyback ride west along SW Second Street yields the IMAX-outfitted Museum of Discovery and Science as well as Broward Center for the Performing Arts, a riverfront arts complex with riveting live productions and local theater performances. At the boulevard's eastern edge (nearest to water taxi stop 5), the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale brims with contemporary and traditional works of Caribbean, Cuban, American, and European art. To the north, the Atlantic Ocean's waves lap up against miles of white sand to create Fort Lauderdale Beach, complemented by a boardwalk bustling with outdoor entertainment and restaurants.