Things to do

Things to Do Near Rio Vista, Fort Lauderdale

By Glen Primak, GLEN PRIMAK GROUP · Updated October 24, 2026

Rio Vista sits between downtown Fort Lauderdale and the Intracoastal: Las Olas Boulevard and the Riverwalk are just across the New River to the north, and the SE 17th Street corridor and the beach are a short drive south and east. Distances and travel times vary by street, so check a map for your exact address.

Coming up

• Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show: October 28 – November 1, 2026. The show’s venues include the Bahia Mar Yachting Center (801 Seabreeze Blvd) on the barrier island. Expect heavy boat and road traffic on the Intracoastal, SE 17th Street and A1A, plus temporary waterway restrictions announced in Coast Guard notices. Show details →

Dining & shopping

• Las Olas Boulevard: the restaurants, galleries and shops of the Las Olas corridor, north across the New River. lasolasboulevard.com
• S Federal Highway and SE 17th Street: shops and restaurants along the neighborhood’s west edge and to the south.

Glen’s local favorites

A few places Glen Primak returns to in Fort Lauderdale. These are personal picks, not paid placements; check each restaurant’s site for hours and reservations.

• Chima Steakhouse: a Brazilian steakhouse at 2400 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, on Las Olas just west of the Intracoastal. chimasteakhouse.com
• Earls Kitchen + Bar (Las Olas): at 1002 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, on the Las Olas dining corridor. earls.ca
• Takato: a Japanese–Korean restaurant at the Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach, 551 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, on the beach side of the Intracoastal. takatorestaurant.com

Parks & outdoors

• Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale: the walkway along the New River through downtown, just west of the neighborhood. goriverwalk.com
• Fort Lauderdale Beach: east over the 17th Street Causeway or the Las Olas bridge. Check the City’s beach information for the nearest public access point.
• On the water: out the Rio canals to the Intracoastal, then south through the 17th Street bridge to Port Everglades. See the boating guide →

Culture

• Bonnet House Museum & Gardens: a historic estate and gardens on the barrier island. bonnethouse.org
• Rio Vista’s own history: the City’s 2023 survey of the neighborhood’s 1920s–50s houses. See the history →

Nearby neighborhood guides

• Idlewyld Guide: the 1920s neighborhood across the New River, south of Las Olas at the Intracoastal.
• Seven Isles Guide: the single-family isles north of Las Olas along the Intracoastal.