LauderGO! Water Trolley — Attraction in Fort Lauderdale

It's a great way to get around Riverwalk in Downtown Fort Lauderdale. It operates from The Museum of Discovery and Science and goes to The Tunnel area of Las Olas. The ride is free. However, the boat captains do appreciate tips.

The Riverwalk Water Trolley in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is a delightful and convenient way to explore the city’s scenic waterways. This free service, provided by the Downtown Fort Lauderdale Transportation Management Association, offers a unique and enjoyable experience for both locals and tourists1.

The trolley operates along the New River, making stops at eight different points, including popular spots like Esplanade Park, Riverfront Plaza, and Huizenga Plaza1. The ride is smooth and quick, taking less than five minutes to cross the river, which makes it an efficient mode of transport for those looking to explore the area without the hassle of driving or parking1.

One of the best aspects of the Riverwalk Water Trolley is its accessibility. The estimated wait time at any stop is between 20 to 30 minutes, and you can easily track the trolley in real-time using the Sun Trolley Tracker App1. This makes planning your day around the trolley’s schedule a breeze.

The staff on the trolley are generally friendly and helpful, adding to the pleasant experience2. The ride itself offers beautiful views of the river and the surrounding cityscape, making it a great way to see Fort Lauderdale from a different perspective3.

Overall, the Riverwalk Water Trolley is a must-try for anyone visiting Fort Lauderdale. It’s a fun, free, and efficient way to get around and see some of the city’s best sights. Highly...

It was our first experience on the Ft. Lauderdale Water Trolley this past weekend (August 2025). My dad was celebrating turning 🥳83 years young and I wanted he and my mom to get out of the house for a little change of scenery. He is not able to do much walking along Las Olas Blvd so this was a great alternative to see the downtown area (mainly high rise buildings). I was able to drop my elderly parents off at the Historic Stranahan House Museum on SE 6th Ave and find parking nearby. This area is stop #1 for pickup and drop offs for the water trolley. The trolley only accommodates up to 19 passengers and when we took the ride on a Saturday evening around sunset… the boat was full to capacity. Captain Russ was our guide and he was very friendly and helpful. There are approximately 6 stops on the water trolley. You can get off at any one of the stops or return to the same pickup point #1 within about 30 minutes. It is a very nice outing for all ages. The Florida East Coast Railroad (FECR) drawbridge also goes up and down over the New River. We felt very comfortable, safe and secure while on the water trolley. I appreciate the city of Ft. Lauderdale making this service available for anyone - visitors and residents - to enjoy for free. Just show up at one of the stops and if there is room, you can hop aboard, no ticket or reservation needed! 🚤 Hope you enjoy it as much as we did! By the way… There is also a water taxi (Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi) service for a fee. A weekday one day pass is $25 and $15 for children. This ride is a bit longer and a...

Today we had a racist experience that left us deeply upset. After waiting for the boat for 45 minutes because the previous two times it came by, it was completely full, we asked from a distance if we could get on. The captain, very rudely, told us no because the boat was full, which wasn’t true as it wasn’t at capacity. We finally managed to get on the boat. Before that, the captain, in a rude tone again, mentioned that we wouldn’t be able to do a full tour because there were too many people waiting along the route. We understood, but his tone was inappropriate. When we reached the second stop on our trip, he asked us to leave the boat because others were waiting to board. I kindly asked why only us and not everyone else who had been on the boat longer. He insisted we had to leave. From the very beginning, he saw us with a toddler. I told him it was our child’s first time on a boat, but he couldn’t care less. Horrible situation, horrible experience. This was a tourist boat, full of tourists. We were wearing a Mexico T-shirt, and I wonder if that was why he was rude to us and not to others. We came to Fort Lauderdale to have a great time, but we were unlucky enough to meet Captain Jeremy, who basically ruined our time and left our toddler with a very bad experience. 45 minutes of waiting, only to stay on the boat for two stops while everyone else remained onboard. Unbelievable. I really hope Fort Lauderdale can do something to stop these kinds of...