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Fern Forest in North Broward offers nature walks & astronomy programs

If you’re looking to soak  in the outdoors in South Florida, Fern Forest in north Broward is a lush oasis for nature walks and occasional free astronomy programs with telescopes.

Delight in the scenic setting on your own or register for a guided hike. Most events are free or relatively inexpensive. Entry into the natural area and parking are free. 

Photo/Broward Parks & Recreation

The 244-acre wilderness preserve features walking trails for savoring the sights, scents and sounds of nature.  Highlights include an elevated boardwalk, more than 30 species of ferns, plus resident wildlife.

Fern Forest park naturalist Ashley Grace says the boardwalk excursion winds along forest and swampy wetlands habitats with ferns, air plants, orchids, turtles and mosquito fish.

“A couple of my favorite spots in the park are in the heart of the swamp along our Cypress Creek Boardwalk,” Grace says. “Especially after it rains and the frogs are singing, and walking along the Prairie Perimeter Road in the afternoon when the gopher tortoises are out and about.”

She has tips on what to bring along: “I would say dress comfortable with a good pair of sneakers, just in case you plan on venturing out on the foot trails. It is also always a good plan to carry a reusable water bottle, sunscreen, hat, and bug spray if you’re going to be enjoying the great outdoors for an extended amount of time – and always remember to leave nature better than you found it.”

Photo/Broward Parks & Recreation

Events at Fern Forest 

Phone 954-357-5198 to inquire about events, or register for events that require an RSVP 

  • South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association sets up telescopes in Fern Forest parking lot occasionally, free entry. Phone for information.
  • Guided nature walks, usually 1 p.m. Sundays in English and 1 p.m. third Sundays in Spanish. Free. 
  • Occasional night hikes are $5, phone for information and registration.

Upcoming Fern Forest events

Saturday, October 21, 2023

Night hike in West Broward register prior to event 5

6:45 pm to 8:00 pm | $5.00 | Markham Park

Friday, December 8, 2023

See the full schedule of Fern Forest events here.

Wildlife in Fern Forest

gopher tortoises

raccoons

coyotes

marsh rabbits

great horned owls

migratory birds: “The hottest months for birding here tend to be October and April,” Grace says

Information

Fern Forest is at  201 Lyons Road S., Coconut Creek, FL, 954-357-5198, website

No bikes. No pets.

It’s open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free entry and free parking.

Other Events & Fun

South Florida’s scenic parks & natural areas, plenty are free

Friday, September 22, 2023

Latin Fest in Oakland Park

FREE | Pastorius Park

AMC Theatres: 30% off daily before 4 p.m.

9:00 am to 4:00 pm | Discounted | AMC Theatres

$12 Days at Fairchild

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Discounted | Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Oktoberfest, Doral

4:00 pm | $10.00 | Tripping Animals Brewing Co., Doral

Free Fall Fest in Fort Lauderdale

5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Stranahan House

Food truck gathering at Tropical Park

5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Tropical Park

Art After Dark Fridays; activities & times vary, WPB

5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | $5.00-10.00 | Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach

Night market at Dania Pointe

5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Dania Pointe

Live entertainment at Dania Pointe

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Dania Pointe

Food Trucks event in Pompano

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Sample McDougald House

Free music at Gulfstream in Hallandale

6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Gulfstream Park Village

Jam on percussion for free

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | South Florida Center for Percussive Arts

Free live music at Hollywood beach bandshell

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Hollywood beach bandshell

Live Music at VIVO Dolphin Mall

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Dolphin Mall

Art After Dark: Live performances every Friday at The Norton, WPB

7:00 pm | $5.00-10.00 | Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach

The Miami Sousa Band, Coral Gables

7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | First United Methodist Church of Coral Gables

Live Music at Doral Yard

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Doral Yard

Free outdoor films in Hollywood

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hollywood ArtsPark

Saturday, September 23, 2023

American Indian Day with the Miccosukee, SW Miami-Dade

All Day | FREE | Miccosukee Indian Gaming, Resort, Museum & Village

Farmers markets & vendor fairs

FREE | Broward, Dade & greater Palm Beach

Plantation Farmers Market

8:00 am to 12:00 am | FREE | Volunteer Park Plantation

AMC Theatres: 30% off daily before 4 p.m.

9:00 am to 4:00 pm | Discounted | AMC Theatres

Vintage Family Fun event in Tamarac l

10:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Mainlands Park

$12 Days at Fairchild

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Discounted | Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Meet K9 Claudine, free ice cream & pet adoptions, Miami

11:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Margaret Pace Park

Libations by the River in Fort Lauderdale

12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | $0-38.00 | Esplanade Park

City Briefs City Theatre Library Tour

1:00 pm to 2:00 pm | FREE | Coral Reef Branch Library

Live entertainment at Dania Pointe

1:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Dania Pointe

End of Summer Beach Bash at CityPlace

2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | CityPlace Doral

Fall Fun in Davie with live band & light show

2:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Bergeron Rodeo

Oktoberfest at Stormhouse, North Palm Beach

3:00 pm to 11:00 pm | Stormhouse Brewing, North Palm Beach

Oktoberfest, Doral

4:00 pm | $10.00 | Tripping Animals Brewing Co., Doral

Free film screening of Breakin' in Miami

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Museum of Graffiti, Miami-Dade

Cultural Saturdays at Dania Ponite

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Dania Pointe

Oktoberfest in Hollywood

6:00 pm to 11:00 pm | $5.00-12.00 | German American Society of Greater Hollywood

Free music at Gulfstream in Hallandale

6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Gulfstream Park Village

Free live music at Hollywood beach bandshell

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Hollywood beach bandshell

Trivia nights in Broward

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE

Live Music at VIVO Dolphin Mall

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Dolphin Mall

Free Alhambra Orchestra Hispanic Heritage Concert

7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Miami-Dade County Auditorium

Live Music at Doral Yard

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Doral Yard

THE BLUES CRUSADERS, WPB

8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Northwood Art & Music Warehouse, Palm Beach

Discount late-night movies

11:30 pm to 2:00 am | $5.00 | Coral Gables Art Cinema

Sunday, September 24, 2023

American Indian Day with the Miccosukee, SW Miami-Dade

All Day | FREE | Miccosukee Indian Gaming, Resort, Museum & Village

Farmers markets & vendor fairs

FREE | Broward, Dade & greater Palm Beach

Tamarac Farmers Market

9:00 am to 12:00 am | FREE | Veterans Park

AMC Theatres: 30% off daily before 4 p.m.

9:00 am to 4:00 pm | Discounted | AMC Theatres

$12 Days at Fairchild

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Discounted | Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Live performance for Hispanic Heritage festivities in Fort Lauderdale

12:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | Las Olas Oceanside Park

Sight & Sound Deep Cuts

1:00 pm to 3:30 pm | $5.00 | Bill Cosford Cinema

Free Family Day at Bass Museum of Art

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Bass Museum of Art

Free film 'Honey I Shrunk The Kids' in Hollywood

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Stirling Road Branch Library

Family Sundays at Dania Pointe

2:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Dania Pointe

Live entertainment at Dania Pointe

2:00 pm to 6:00 pm | Dania Pointe

Oktoberfest, Doral

4:00 pm | $10.00 | Tripping Animals Brewing Co., Doral

Tito Puente Jr. for Hispanic Heritage Month Tito Puente, Jr. - Collins Plaza

5:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Collins Park, Miami Beach

Tropical Sundays Live Music

5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Doral Yard

Ocean Drive Promenade Music Series

6:00 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | Ocean Drive Promenade, Miami Beach

Free music at Gulfstream in Hallandale

6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Gulfstream Park Village

Free live music at Hollywood beach bandshell

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Hollywood beach bandshell

Live Music at VIVO Dolphin Mall

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Dolphin Mall

Comedy Night at Nightlife Brewing Co.

8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Nightlife Brewing Co., Miami-Dade

Salsa dance class

9:00 pm | FREE | Ball & Chain

Monday, September 25, 2023

AMC Theatres: 30% off daily before 4 p.m.

9:00 am to 4:00 pm | Discounted | AMC Theatres

$12 Days at Fairchild

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Discounted | Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Free Improv class every Monday in Palmetto Bay

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Palmetto Bay Library

Trivia nights in Broward

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE

T'S EXPRESS JAZZ FUSION, WPB

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Northwood Art & Music Warehouse, Palm Beach

Comedy Night at Sandbar Sports Grill

8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Sandbar Sports Grill, Miami-Dade

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Regal Theatres: Discounted movie tickets on Tuesdays

All Day | $5.00-7.00 | Regal Cinemas Multiple Locations

AMC Theatres: 30% off daily before 4 p.m.

9:00 am to 4:00 pm | Discounted | AMC Theatres

$12 Days at Fairchild

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Discounted | Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Tasty Tuesdays with Food Trucks

5:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Sunset Cove Amphitheater, Boca Raton

Food Trucks Tuesdays

5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Haulover Beach Park

Food Truck Tuesdays at Haulover Park

5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Haulover Beach Park

Trivia nights in Broward

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

AMC Theatres: 30% off daily before 4 p.m.

9:00 am to 4:00 pm | Discounted | AMC Theatres

$12 Days at Fairchild

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Discounted | Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Food truck gathering at Pelican Harbor Marina

5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Pelican Harbor Marina

Free live music at Hollywood beach bandshell

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Hollywood beach bandshell

Trivia nights in Broward

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE

Comedy Night at Pub 52

8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Nightlife Brewing Co., Miami-Dade

Comedy Night at Exit One Taproom

8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Exit One Taproom, Miami-Dade

Thursday, September 28, 2023

AMC Theatres: 30% off daily before 4 p.m.

9:00 am to 4:00 pm | Discounted | AMC Theatres

$12 Days at Fairchild

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Discounted | Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Free movie 'Gidget'

12:00 pm to 2:00 pm | Sunrise library

Food Truck & Music Series, Wellington

5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Wellington Amphitheater

Food Truck Thursdays at Highland Oaks Park

5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Highland Oaks Park

Food Trucks in Plantation

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Plantation Heritage Park

Jimmy Buffett Day: Clematis by Night, WPB

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | West Palm Beach Waterfront

Free live music at Hollywood beach bandshell

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Hollywood beach bandshell

Live music at Doral Yard

7:00 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Doral Yard

Trivia nights in Broward

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE

Live Music at VIVO Dolphin Mall

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Dolphin Mall

Patti Roth

About Patti Roth

Patti Roth, the editor of Fort Lauderdale on the Cheap, scouts out state and national deals, discounts and coupons for our readers, finding the real deals and presenting them in an easy-to-read format. A veteran newspaper and magazine writer and a longtime South Florida resident, she has written for The Miami Herald, The Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida Travel and Life, E Environmental Magazine, Dog Fancy, Cat Fancy, US Architecture and Earth911.com. Send your cheap tips to her at info@fortlauderdaleonthecheap.com.

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