Campervan Rental Fort Lauderdale — Las Olas, the Everglades, Alligator Alley, Naples and Tips for 2027

Fort Lauderdale lies on Florida's Atlantic coast, between Miami and the Palm Beaches, and is crossed by hundreds of kilometres of canals, which is why it is often called the Venice of America. For a campervan trip it is a convenient base with a big airport and good roads: wide beaches are on its doorstep, the Everglades start just west of the city, and Alligator Alley leads across the peninsula to Naples and the Gulf of Mexico. This guide explains where to go, where you may stay overnight, what to know about driving and when it is best to travel.

Fort Lauderdale itself

Las Olas Boulevard, with its shops and restaurants, runs from downtown to the beach. Along the New River, the Riverwalk links the old Stranahan House with the arts district, and a water taxi runs along the river and the canals past large waterfront houses and yachts. The beach promenade with its low white wave wall is lined with palm trees; at its northern end, Hugh Taylor Birch State Park preserves a strip of coastal forest. Downtown car parks often have low height limits, so with a taller campervan use surface lots.

West: the Everglades

• Airboats at the edge of the Everglades (about 30–40 km): parks such as Sawgrass Recreation Park offer airboat rides through the sawgrass, often with alligators and wading birds nearby.
• Shark Valley (about 110 km): on the Tamiami Trail in Everglades National Park, with a 24 km loop road for bikes and tram tours, and an observation tower over the open wetland.
• Flamingo (about 140 km to the park entrance near Homestead, then another 60 km): the southern end of the park on Florida Bay, with a campground, boat tours and a chance to see crocodiles and manatees.

Across the peninsula: Alligator Alley and Naples

The I-75, known as Alligator Alley, crosses the Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve to Naples on the Gulf of Mexico, about 170 km away; it is a toll road with few services, so fill up first. The older Tamiami Trail (US-41) further south is slower but more scenic, with the Big Cypress visitor centre, the Clyde Butcher gallery and Everglades City, the gateway to the Ten Thousand Islands.

For more of Florida, read our guides to campervan rental in Miami, Orlando and St. Petersburg, as well as our guide to campervan rental in the USA for European travellers.

Where to stay

• County parks: Markham Park in Sunrise and C.B. Smith Park in Pembroke Pines have RV sites with hook-ups, close to the city and the edge of the Everglades.
• Big Cypress and the Everglades: Midway and Monument Lake campgrounds on the Tamiami Trail, and Flamingo in Everglades National Park; book ahead in winter.
• Private RV parks: there are several around Broward County, often with long-stay guests in winter.
• Overnight parking: sleeping in a vehicle on streets, in beach car parks or in parks is generally not allowed. Some shops allow overnight parking, but local rules vary, so always ask first.

Driving tips

• Tolls. The Florida Turnpike, the I-595 express lanes and Alligator Alley use cashless tolls; check with your rental company how they are charged.
• Bridges. Drawbridges over the canals and the Intracoastal Waterway open regularly for boats, so allow extra time in the city.
• Wildlife. Watch for alligators, turtles and birds on roads through the Everglades, especially at dusk; never feed alligators.
• Storms. In summer, heavy afternoon thunderstorms can flood low-lying streets for a short time; wait for them to pass.
• Hurricanes. From June to November, keep an eye on the forecast and always follow evacuation orders.

When to go

• November to April: dry, sunny and warm, the best time for the Everglades, with more wildlife at the water holes and fewer mosquitoes. This is also high season, and in March and April spring break makes the beaches busier.
• May to October: hot (often above 32 °C) and humid, with almost daily afternoon thunderstorms and many mosquitoes in the wetlands.
• Hurricane season runs from June to November, peaking from August to October.

A campervan in Fort Lauderdale with Crystalium Booker

We are still building up our campervan offer in Fort Lauderdale. Send us your dates and number of travellers through the contact page and we will look for a vehicle for you, and keep an eye on the campervans in Fort Lauderdale page for new listings. Do you rent out a campervan in or around Fort Lauderdale? List it with us.