3 Scrumptious Places to Get a Frozen Treat in Fort Lauderdale

Some days, a good drink is exactly what you need. Fortunately, there are plenty of good breweries in every state. Florida, especially around Ft. Lauderdale, has some of the best breweries in the state. If you are looking for something new and delicious, check out some of the best breweries that you can find in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. LauderAle LauderAle is a 1,500 square-foot craft beer brewery near the Fort Lauderdale International Airport. The tasting room has 30 craft beers on tap including several seasonal favorites. Plus, they also have several guest brews regularly available. If that is not enough, the brewery hosts live music events, and it is a regular hangout for food trucks. Invasive Species Brewing Another great option is Invasive Species Brewing. It is owned and operated by four well-known brewers and bar owners in the area. It has 10 beers in its rotation, one of which is made in collaboration with 26-degrees Brewing Company, another well-known brewery. Invasive Species Brewing is another example of a brewery focusing on its own craft option using the combined expertise of local brewers. You can enjoy the beer, and the taproom is a fun place to hang out. more Funky Buddha Brewery Funky Buddha Brewery is one of the largest craft breweries in the state and continues to grow in popularity. It has a massive 3,000 square-foot taproom that you can check out. There are 30 beers on tap too. One of the best options that they have is the Maple Bacon Coffee Porter, which won the company several awards. However, there are plenty of other great options to try. It is a place that you will want to visit often. 26 Degree Brewing Company 26 Degree Brewing Company is located at 2600 E Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach. It is consistently rated as one of the top breweries in Florida and works with other breweries to make unique craft beers. It is also Florida's largest microbrewery. You can tour the facility on a guided tour. Plus, it hosts pairing events to help you find the best foods to go along with its beers. It hosts an event every month, so there are always new things to try. American Icon Brewery American Icon Brewery is located at 911 NE 4TH Ave. It is on the smaller side but makes great brews. The list of available beers rotates based on seasons and holidays. That way, you always have something fresh and different to try. You can stop in for a meal any day of the week and there is also a Sunday brunch. There are many more breweries in the area worth checking out that make their own beer in unique and interesting flavors. It could be fun to keep a list of all of the beers that you have tried. That way, you can always point others toward your favorites and support your local breweries. Wherever you decide to go, make sure that you drink responsibly. Image via Flickr by Dark Dwarf used under CC By

If you are craving something sweet, you are in luck. Fort Lauderdale, Florida, might be known for its abundance of sunshine and sandy beaches, but it is also a great destination for sweets. Check out a few of the top bakeries in the area. Paris Morning Bakery The Paris Morning Bakery offers a Korean-French menu with fresh pastries and doughnuts. The dining area is comfortable and inviting, which is perfect for catching up with a friend over a hot Danish or a piece of the Red Bean Bread. Other great items at the bakery include the Cream Puff, the Mocha Cream Bun, or the Twisted Doughnut. In addition to the bakery items, visitors may also enjoy the coffee, fresh juice, green tea, and bubble tea available at the Paris Morning Bakery. more La Bonne Adresse This family-owned-and-operated bakery combines the culinary talents of a brother and sister team. The brother focuses on the French Pastries while the sister whips up the chocolates. You will also find unique bakery items on the menu like the Choux — small, bite-sized puffs which come in a variety of flavors including caramel, mango, lemon, and passion. Popular items on the bakery menu include the croissants, the chouquettes, and the tartlets. You can also order a slice of the cake of the day or order your favorite flavor of cake, freshly baked for your next special event. Joseph's Italian Pastry Shop What began as a home-run cake shop, Joseph's Italian Pastry Shop has turned into one of the most popular bakeries in the Fort Lauderdale area. The menu loosely follows Italian tradition, allowing you to enjoy your favorite Italian bakery items with a unique twist. Joseph's serves a large menu; watch out though, you won't be able to choose just one item from their offerings. Must-try items in the bakery include the mini pastry cakes and the Oreo cheesecake. Each of the desserts at this bakery is also affordable and you can get regular pizzas and sandwiches. You can also order your favorite bakery items online and have them shipped to you. 2000 Bakery If you prefer to pair your favorite bakery treats with a strong cup of coffee, then you will definitely want to check out 2000 Bakery. This bakery houses a cafe which serves authentic Brazilian coffee in addition to bakery items like cheese bread, flan, and dark chocolate cake. The cafe itself is welcoming and you will often find customers sitting around chatting, all while enjoying the delicious items that come out of the kitchen. 2000 Bakery is also known for its freshly baked bread. Many locals will come by the cafe to stock up on their bread needs for the week. Whether you are looking for a dessert doughnut or a pastry that you can pair with a good cup of coffee, you will find it at one of these local bakeries. Try each one out and see which one is truly the best bakery in the area. Some rights reserved by Theo Crazzol

Are you looking for a new place work on your golf game? Perhaps a course that challenges you as you hone your skills or a new course to play with friends? Fort Lauderdale has many options for the golf enthusiast to explore. Bonaventure Golf Club Bonaventure Golf Club is a public, par 72, 18-hole course located just minutes from Fort Lauderdale in Weston. Designed by Joe Lee, this course runs along the edge of the Florida Everglades. One of the favorite holes on this is number three, where you can enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the waterfall on the left. You can sharpen your skills on one of the two practice greens before hitting the course. If you are a new golfer looking for lessons, the course offers them at the Bonaventure Golf Learning Center. You can rent a set of Nike golf clubs from the pro shop, which is open daily from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. For comfort, there are bathrooms located at holes 5 and 13, and there is a snack bar by the driving range to fuel up before your tee time. Grande Oaks Golf Club Grande Oaks is a private golf club in Fort Lauderdale. It is an 18-hole, par 71 championship course designed by Raymond Floyd, measuring 6,680 yards from tip to tip. The playing surface is a mix of celebration grass on the tees and fairways, with TFT Eagle grass on the greens. A recent renovation makes the course more challenging with the addition of more trees and a reshaping of the bunkers. more The club also has a 40-acre practice area as well as a golf academy which offers multi-day group programs as well as private instruction. If you choose private lessons, they offer three packages: one hour, half-hour, and a series of five lessons that are one hour each. Coral Ridge Country Club Coral Ridge is a private country club in Fort Lauderdale that offers two courses. The first is an 18-hole, par 72 championship course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Opened in 1954, the course measures 7,095 yards. It is a challenging course because of its undiluted greens. There are different tee lengths, so members of differing skill levels can enjoy the course together. If you don't have enough time for a full 18-hole game,  check out the Rees 9 course. Rees Jones designed this shorter, par three course that opened in 2015. The design is entirely different from the main course and allows for a more social game — the hole lengths range from 70 yards to 200 yards. Before the game begins, catch up with your friends at the driving range. A large putting green, a chipping green, and two bunkers that allow you to focus on specific skills before you tee off. Bring your friends with you as you check out each course. Explore each on a different weekend until you find a new favorite to add to your regular rotation. Image source via Flickr by Chris Urbanowicz used under CC By