You'll love the soft sand and lapping waves of the long Atlantic beaches if
it's your first time on Florida's Gold Coast. Fort
Lauderdale's Riverwalk bars and cafes come alive during the evening,
while along the coast, glitzy Palm Beach is the place to spot celebrities.
Background
Florida's famed Gold Coast runs north from Miami, along 75 miles of
soft sandy beaches and the ocean-side cities of Fort Lauderdale and Boca
Raton to the glittering enclave of West Palm Beach. The
Intracoastal Waterway, which runs along the coast, is dotted with
billionaires' winter homes hidden away on the beachside. Inland from
the coastal conurbation, you can escape into the tropical wilderness of Big Cypress
Swamp to spot herons, alligators and maybe even a black bear.
First-time visit
The Blue Flag beach in Fort Lauderdale is the place to catch some rays before
pottering around the Museum of Art, packed with pop art. Hire a motorboat and
chug along the Intracoastal Waterway to Palm Beach, where you can take
in the Beaux Arts interiors of the Flagler Museum. Cool off with an ice-cold
beer around the hotel pool at Breakers Palm Beach. Amuse yourself at the
Kennedy Space Center on Space Coast and clamber around a Space
Shuttle flight deck there.
Return visit
Lounge on golden Dania Beach before exploring the galleries and shops in the
town's colourful Art and Antique District. Later, head to Dania
Jai Alai to catch a game of jai alai, a speedy and ferocious version
of lacrosse. If you fancy getting back to nature, rent a canoe for the afternoon and
paddle across the lagoon at Fort Lauderdale's Hugh Taylor Birch State
Park. Spend your dollars at the discount outlets of nearby Sawgrass
Mills or splash out on designer labels in Palm Beach's chic
Worth Avenue.
The US's third busiest airport, Miami International Airport flies more than
33 million passengers a year. Located seven miles north of downtown Miami, a taxi
takes you there in around 30 minutes.
One, divided into North, Central and South areas, and seven concourses.
Distance from city centre
7 miles (12km) north of Downtown Miami.
Transport between terminals
Allow 20 minutes to walk between concourses C and J.
Airport parking
There is short-stay and long-stay, business and valet parking. An economy
park-and-ride service is situated near the Perimeter Road at NW 14th
Street. A shuttle bus takes passengers to and from the terminus every ten
minutes.
Time Zone
GMT -5 (-4 in summer).
Useful tips
Expect long immigration queues due to the volume of passengers passing through.
Please note that you won't be able to make changes to your hotel or car booking. If you want to change your booking you will have to cancel your current booking and make a new booking. This can be done on ba.com.
We cannot guarantee that the same hotel room or car rental option will still be available if you have to cancel and make a new booking.
