A Dreamy Birthday Mini-Vacation on Fort Lauderdale Beach
All I wanted for my birthday this year was beach, sun, fun, repeat. I craved a relaxing retreat with my girlfriends, a beautiful sunny South Florida sky, and drinks by the water, be it the pool or the ocean. And this birthday girl’s wishes came true!
One-Stop Destination
I checked in at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort on Fort Lauderdale Beach for the weekend. We got a beautiful, two-story suite—three bedrooms, a gorgeous balcony with a direct view of the ocean, several other balconies for the other rooms, a full kitchen, dining room, and conversation pit-style living room. It was a girls' weekend DREAM.
One thing that really worked out staying here is that everything we needed was in one place. I didn’t leave the hotel area all weekend. Everything I needed was right here, from daytime activities, meals, and even nightlife. So, let's get into it.
How I Spent the Weekend on Fort Lauderdale Beach
Friday
After checking in, we headed to the beach. That was the first item on my list—get me to the ocean! There are chairs and umbrellas available for rent ($30), so we snagged one. The hotel’s casual restaurant, Le Marché Gourmet Market, which also serves coffee, tea, breakfast items, pizza, and more, offers food and beverage service to the beach. Listen, give me an umbrella, margaritas on standby, and a fresh salad, and I am in HEAVEN!
We headed to the room, got ready, and dressed for dinner. On the lower level of the hotel is S3 (Sun, Surf, Sand), a popular coastal restaurant that offers a mixture of sushi, steak, seafood, and really great drinks. The espresso martinis (add Bailey’s) were DELICIOUS! The sushi here is always a hit and I love the goat cheese croquettes. S3 has an expansive patio area and open concept—with a front-row view of the ocean.
Saturday
Saturday was for the GIRLS! And the girlies love a pool day.
We started off with breakfast, which is perfectly located on the same floor as the pool with indoor and outdoor seating. We opted for outside to bask in the gorgeous weather, and I’m happy to report that the breakfast definitely outshines your typical hotel breakfast. Sit down, order, have some coffee and avocado toast as I did.
We had a cabana set up with bubbles waiting for us. The cabanas offer a covered area with lounge seats (we were able to fit like six people at one point!), a TV that naturally had a Harry Potter marathon playing (it’s my birthday, I’ll play what I want to!), and food and drink service. The pool is quite large and there was a DJ playing music. There are not one, but two jacuzzis and a stunning view of the beach. The pool area is really spacious, which was nice because it did not feel like hotel guests were cramped up on one another. We ordered burgers, chicken tenders, frozen margaritas, and it was the perfect poolside meal!
To properly celebrate my birthday with a girls' night out, a rooftop bar was necessary! Nube Rooftop Bar has recently opened at the Hilton, offering a trendy bar with indoor and outdoor spaces overlooking Fort Lauderdale Beach. The decor is fun, and the drinks are funky and with very Instagrammable presentations. The ceviche was my favorite food item that night; I’d have ordered three of them! I’d definitely recommend getting in early if you want to bask in the beautiful views the rooftop offers and make a reservation if you want to sit at one of the tables that overlook the ocean. As the sun sets, the seats fill, and the music is on.
Truth be told, I was tired, so we made our way back to our gorgeous suite to enjoy some cake and watch a movie in the living room that easily fit four of us spread out on the couch.
Sunday
Sunday was sadly our checkout day—we weren’t ready to go! Before doing so, we had to end the weekend on a relaxing note: spa day. Up on the sixth floor, right before the pool and breakfast area, is a gym and the spa. I was treated to a full-body massage that was absolutely heavenly. The spa area features lockers and a sauna for those interested.
We said goodbye to our suite but didn’t leave vacation mode just yet. We left our bags with concierge and headed back to the beach to have a repeat of day one—sun, umbrellas, a bottle of bubbles, and friendship.
*this trip was hosted but all opinions are my own, and a schedule that I created alongside the great teams at these locations!