August in South Florida gets a bad rap. It’s hot, it’s humid, half your friends have already fled north for “vacation,” and yet — this is genuinely one of my favorite months to be outside around here. The light does something different in August. The beach empties out just enough. And it’s peak sea turtle season, which, if you’ve been reading a while, you know is basically my Super Bowl.
Here’s everything on my radar for Fort Lauderdale this August — where I’m going, what I’m watching, and a few reasons to actually get off the couch despite the heat index having opinions about it.
Sea Turtle Season: The Whole Reason I Love August
I’m going to lead with this one because it matters more than anything else on this list. August is peak nesting season for our sea turtles, and the health of our beaches — including how we’re handling the Sargassum situation this year — is front and center for the local conservation community I spend a lot of my time with.
If you’ve followed along on my Conservation posts, you know I’m not going to let a month like this pass without saying something. Our coastline is doing something remarkable right now, mostly invisible, mostly at night, and it deserves more attention than a passing mention on the news.
Sea Turtle Oversight Protection (STOP) runs educational seminars and guided beach walks all month long. I’d genuinely encourage you to go to at least one.
Full schedule is here: seaturtleop.org/events.
A few ways to get your hands (gently, from a legal distance) in this world this month.
- August 1 — Guided Nature Tour at Snyder Park (10:00 AM – 11:30 AM). A relaxed walk through the local ecosystem — good one to bring a kid or a skeptical houseguest to. Tickets on Eventbrite · Preview on YouTube
- August 7 — Yoga, Sound Bath & Nature at Bonnet House Museum & Gardens (9:00 AM – 10:45 AM). On the veranda, which honestly might be the best setting for a sound bath in Broward County.
- August 12 — “Young SEEDs in the Park” at Snyder Park (10:00 AM – 12:30 PM), run by the nonprofit Heal The Planet. A family program introducing kids to local horticulture. This is exactly the kind of thing I wish existed when I was a kid down here.
Slow Mornings and Slower Evenings
Not everything in August needs to be about saving the coastline — sometimes it’s just about being outside before the day gets unbearable, or after it cools off enough to breathe again.
- August 2 — Sunset Beach Yoga on Fort Lauderdale Beach (6:00 PM – 7:30 PM). Ocean breeze, low sun, a mat, and nowhere to be after.
- August 12 — Sunset Beach Yoga & New Moon Meditation (7:00 PM – 8:30 PM). Same beach, same energy, timed to the lunar cycle — because apparently we’re all doing that now, and honestly, I’m into it.
Where I’m Eating and Who I’m Seeing This Month
South Florida’s food scene is at its best when it’s a group activity, not a reservation. A few things on my calendar:
- August 3 — Summer Social at the Gray Box Theater, Wilton Manors (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM). Wilton Manors always shows up for a good community night, and this is exactly that kind of gathering.
- August 21 — “Food From Around the World.” A whole event built around sampling international cuisine and celebrating just how many cultures actually make up this city’s food scene. I’m going in hungry and leaving with a new favorite dish, guaranteed. (Couldn’t track down an official listing for this one yet — worth a quick check with the organizer before you post the date.)
- Also worth a regular check: Visit Lauderdale’s Dine Out FTL page for the latest deals and restaurant events happening around town.
Arts, Architecture & Trying Something New
- August 8 — Charles McKirahan Mid-Century Modern Master Van Tour, departing from Gallery 600 at 10:30 AM, run by History Fort Lauderdale. If you’ve ever driven past one of those low-slung, glass-heavy mid-century houses around here and wondered who built it, this is your answer — and your chance to see a few from the inside.
- August 14 — “Other Desert Cities” at Empire Stage Theater (8:00 PM). A solid pick if you want an actual night out that isn’t a bar. Tickets on Eventbrite
- August 6 — Community outing to Bass Pro Shops, Dania Beach. Half shopping trip, half excuse to look at boats you’re not buying. No notes.
- August 13 — Intro to Bocce, through the city’s Club 55+ program. Low stakes, outdoors, and a genuinely good excuse to get moving without it feeling like exercise.
The Bottom Line
Fort Lauderdale’s calendar is always shifting, so treat this as a starting point, not gospel — double-check times before you head out, especially for anything outdoors in August (afternoon storms don’t care about your plans). But between the turtles, the sunsets, the food, and everything in between, this city gives you a lot of reasons to leave the AC behind for a few hours this month.
Tell me which one you’re actually going to — I want to hear about it. And if you’re new here, subscribe to the newsletter for more of the most properly places in South Florida.
Looking for more SoFlo guides? Browse Things to Do for local eats, events, and hidden gems, or check out Conservation for more on what’s happening with our coastline this season.
Photo credits: Beach at Fort Lauderdale by Daniel Dudek (CC BY 2.0); Loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (public domain); Bonnet House by Jrozwado (CC BY-SA 4.0). All via Wikimedia Commons.
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