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Moving to a new city is always challenging. And a large part of that challenge is looking for a place to live, especially when you have a family. There are so many things to consider when weighing your options, and it can be quite overwhelming. That’s why we’ve researched the best suburbs in Fort Lauderdale for you, so you don’t have to. You’ve most likely seen the neighborhood section in our Fort Lauderdale City Guide.
This list is a more in-depth guide to Fort Lauderdale’s best suburbs (oh, and by way of introduction, we’re Bellhop— Ft. Lauderdale movers and movers throughout the country).
A Little About Fort Lauderdale’s Suburbs
In the 1970s, Fort Lauderdale’s growth stagnated, allowing suburbs around the city to gain more prominence. Fort Lauderdale actually shrank in population size for a while. Since that time, the city has regained its population growth, but its suburbs remain a popular area for residents looking to get away from busier areas of town.
If you’re moving to Fort Lauderdale but don’t want to move into the city, this guide is for you. The Fort Lauderdale suburbs are close enough to enjoy all that urban living offers—the culture, the food, the excitement, and the energy—but removed enough to avoid the less desired aspects like traffic, parking hassles, and the expensive housing prices. So, here are some of the best suburbs in Fort Lauderdale.
Plantation
Plantation is a city about seven west of downtown Fort Lauderdale. It has safe, friendly neighborhoods among the city’s thousands of trees. Though it’s close to downtown, Plantation feels like a small, rural setting because of its large tree population. Major companies such as Motorola Solutions, National Beverage, Magic Leap, and Kaplan University are based there. Since its incorporation as a city in 1953, Plantation has expanded into a vibrant community with a population of more than 90,000 residents.
What’s Happening in Plantation
If you love golf, then Plantation is the place to live. It’s home to the Fort Lauderdale Country Club, Plantation Preserve Golf Course, the Jacaranda Golf Club, and the Lago Mar Country Club. There are also plenty of great restaurants, such as the Mustard Seed Bistro and Kukai Japanese Restaurant. If you like chain restaurants, Plantation has Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, Padrino’s Cuban Cuisine, Applebees, and J Alexander’s.
For nightlife action, there is Congas Nightclub and Melodias Taberna, a sizzling Latin hot spot that attracts fun seekers from all over Broward County for its great atmosphere. And as far as shopping goes, the ever-popular Broward Mall offers the name brands that shoppers expect. The Fountains of Plantation has recently expanded and welcomed top-name stores such as Kohl’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Total Wine, and Jos. A. Bank.
Schools in Plantation
The schools in Plantation offer a wide variety for families with kids of all ages. As far as public schools go, there are six elementary schools, which rank above average in student test scores, two middle schools, and two high schools, along with charter schools. There are seven private schools, including American Heritage School, Broward Campus, which is ranked the second-best private school in the state. There are also more than 20 preschools and daycares.
Homes in Plantation
Plantation has 18 neighborhoods, and housing costs are among the highest in the nation. There are plenty of affordable single-family homes with a median price of $480,000 and sprawling multi-million dollar estates. The beach is less than 30 minutes away, but many townhomes and condos offer community swimming pools and playgrounds as well. Apartment rentals average $2,247 per month.
Wilton Manors
Just three miles from downtown Fort Lauderdale, the island city of Wilton Manors is a mostly gay community, where diversity isn’t tolerated but embraced. It’s a unique blend of family and single residents, traditional and non-traditional, where everyone is treated equally. The city is small and very walkable and is home to a dozen parks, a weekend farmer’s market, and a nature trail that winds throughout a mangrove-lined preserve. The city is surrounded by forks in the Middle River, and is home to a variety of wildlife.
What’s Happening in Wilton Manors
An amazing array of restaurants are in Wilton Manors, such as the award-winning Georgie Alibi and the mouth-watering Galanga Thai Kitchen and Sushi Bar. There’s also the popular Tropics Grille Restaurant & Bar and Rosie’s Bar & Grill. If you like candy, To The Moon Marketplace has a huge selection of popular and rare candy. There are two great thrift stores, Poverello and Out of The Closet. The City of Wilton Manors has embraced its reputation as a destination for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community with its Stonewall Street Festival and Parade that takes place every June, attracting more than 15,000 visitors a year.
Schools in Wilton Manors
Wilton Manors is part of the Broward County school district and is zoned for five public schools, including Wilton Manors Elementary School, the only public International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme School in Broward County.
Homes in Wilton Manors
Wilton Manors is home to three active neighborhood associations and has single-family homes, condos and townhomes. Home prices average $749,000, while apartments rent for $1,685 per month.
Davie
The city of Davie is where the Miami Dolphins come to train. But that’s probably not why you’d want to move here. Maybe you’d move here because the film Caddyshack was filmed at its Rolling Hills Golf Course, now known as the Grande Oaks.
Not enough to convince you, either?
How about this: Davie’s western border is right of the Florida Everglades. It’s home to more than 104,000 residents who live across a lush 35 square miles within central Broward County and just 12 miles from downtown Fort Lauderdale. It’s got a rural atmosphere that separates Davie from other cities in the county, with plenty of green spaces, lots of parks and more than 165 miles of trail system. Take note this is a university and college town, so there is a certain laid-back charm that goes with that.
What’s Happening in Davie
Davie boasts the phenomenal Buehler Planetarium & Observatory on the campus of Broward Community College, along with one of the oldest botanical gardens in South Florida, Flamingo Gardens. The restaurants are just as phenomenal, from the family-friendly Florida chain Bucca di Beppo, to the always-packed Tijuana Taxi Co or My Big Fat Greek Restaurant. For shopping, there is Tower Shops at the corner of University and I-595, where you’ll find everything from Costco to TJ Maxx to Home Depot. Or head to Lakeside Town Shops further down University Drive. Here you’ll find Target and dozens of other shops.
Schools in Davie
Davie is home to the South Florida Education Center, a group of educational institutions within the town of Davie. They include Broward College, Florida Atlantic University – Broward, McFatter Technical Center, Nova Southeastern University, and the University of Florida. The town also contains 38 primary and secondary schools, as part of the Broward County school system. The Charter School of Excellence Davie was ranked the number one standout elementary school in Florida.
Homes in Davie
Davie has 15 neighborhoods, and its residents are a mix of white and blue-collar workers in single-family homes. If you want to purchase a house, the average cost is $469,000. The area has an assortment of condos, townhomes, and apartments, which have an average rental price of $2,500.
Dania Beach
Dania Beach was incorporated in 1904 as Broward County’s first city. It’s immediately south of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Port Everglades and the Broward County Convention Center and a quick five miles from downtown Fort Lauderdale With over 30,000 residents, Dania Beach plays a major role in South Florida’s academic, Marine and tourism industries. The American Maritime Officers Simulation, Training, Assessment, and Research Center is there, along with Derektor Shipyards and SeaTech, Florida Atlantic University’s Institute for Ocean and Systems Engineering. The city’s marina is a major attraction for people interested in outdoor sports, boating, and fishing.
What’s Happening in Danie Beach
Dania Beach has a beach and fishing pier, swimming pools, tennis courts, neighborhood parks and community centers that provide a wide variety of programs for youth, adults and senior citizens. The Dania Beach Pier is a great spot for fishing or spending a pleasant afternoon. For those of you who are old enough to remember Miami Vice, you’ll recall how the show introduced Jai-Alai to the rest of the country.
The Casino at Dania Beach is the place to see the sport in action. You can also visit the casino and check out world-class entertainment, from concerts to comedy shows. If the casino isn’t your thing, Dania Beach is best known for its Antique and Arts District, with places like Akiba Antiques, Grace Cafe and Galleries, and Maurizio’s Antiques.
Schools in Danie Beach
Danie Beach is part of the Broward County Public Schools system. It has two elementary schools and one middle school. The city also has one private school and there are other schools close to the area as well.
Homes in Danie Beach
Dania Beach has a program called the Dania Beach Oasis, with the goal of fostering neighborhood pride and improvement. It’s a proactive approach to crime prevention that makes improvements to residential and public property to deter crime, anti-social behavior, and property neglect. The city has multiple neighborhoods with single-family homes starting at $376,000. , There are also condos, townhomes, and apartments available for an average of $2,271 a month.
Coral Springs
Coral Springs is a master-planned community in Broward County about 30 miles northwest of Fort Lauderdale. The city has a population of around 132,000 residents. In 2007, Coral Springs became the first local government in the nation to receive the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award for improving the way the city does business. It was also ranked 94th and third in Florida on Money Magazine’s “Best Places to Live” list in 2012. The city has few tall or prominent structures due to its strict building and landscaping codes. Because of this, Coral Springs is a picture-perfect city, but the real estate is much higher than the rest of Broward County.
What’s Happening in Coral Springs
Coral Springs is best known for its arts and nature scenes, from the landmark Coral Springs Museum of Art to the Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital and the Tall Cypress Natural Area. Like beer? The Big Bear Brewing Company is a great place to go to eat and drink quality brew. And the Coral Square Mall has plenty of shopping.
Schools in Coral Springs
Part of the Broward County Public Schools system, some of the schools zoned for Coral Springs are Eagle Ridge Elementary, Westchester Elementary School, and Coral Glades High School, which ranks in the top 20 best public high schools in the county.
Homes in Coral Springs
As we mentioned earlier, Coral Springs has strict building codes designed to maintain the city’s distinctive aesthetic appeal. This means higher real estate value. The average home value is around $565,000. Apartments rent for around $2,365 a month.
There you have it: The Best Suburbs in Fort Lauderdale!
Neighborhoods are about location and lifestyle, to be sure. But they are also about the people who live in them. These neighborhoods offer a variety of lifestyles to meet almost anyone’s needs. We hope this guide to the best suburbs in Fort Lauderdale helps you make the right choice to fit your lifestyle.
If you’re looking to make the move, we have local movers in Fort Lauderdale ready to help. We also offer long-distance moving services in Fort Lauderdale. Need to move quickly? We also provide last minute moving services in Fort Lauderdale!
Other Fort Lauderdale Guides
- Fort Lauderdale City Guide
- The Best Neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale
- Best Up and Coming Neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale
- The Best Neighborhoods for Families in Fort Lauderdale
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