Riverside Park Sits Upriver From Downtown's Newest Waterfront. Here's How to Get There This Fall.

Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale describes its path as a 2.5-mile linear walk along both banks of the New River, and it names Cooley's Landing Park as the place where the Riverwalk begins. Cooley's Landing is at 450 SW 7th Avenue. The Riverside Park community center is at 555 SW 11th Avenue. That makes this neighborhood the upstream end of a corridor whose downstream end is about to get its biggest addition in years.

On October 12, a 292-seat waterfront restaurant called Sweetwaters opens in Huizenga Park, at Las Olas Boulevard and Andrews Avenue. Esplanade Park, which sits between the two, has free festivals on the calendar from mid-October into January. All of it is along one river, reachable by one path, one free boat and a handful of public docks.

The path begins four avenues east of the community center

Cooley's Landing has a boat ramp and a waterfront walkway, and it is the clearest public access point at the western end of the Riverwalk. The City runs its public marine facilities first come, first served from the same 450 SW 7th Avenue address. Cooley's Landing and New River/Downtown Docking share it.

Getting from your street to Cooley's Landing is the part that remains unsettled. Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale names Cooley's Landing as the start of the path. The City's preliminary FY 2027 to FY 2031 Capital Improvement Plan includes a Riverside Park Mobility Project. It totals $300,000, with $80,000 in FY 2027 and $220,000 in FY 2028, and the listing does not describe its scope. The Riverside Park Residents Association says it is working with the city and county to make the neighborhood safer to walk in. For now, the Riverwalk proper starts once you reach the water at Cooley's Landing.

What sits at the other end of the walk

Huizenga Park reopened in January after a $15 million renovation. According to the Downtown Development Authority, more than 200 free activities were planned for the park's first year back, and Mr. Smash Burgers is already serving food there.

Axios Fort Lauderdale describes Sweetwaters as the park's first full-service restaurant. It comes from Specialty Restaurants, the family-owned group behind Miami's Rusty Pelican, and it is the group's first Fort Lauderdale concept. The layout matters if you're arriving from the river. Of the 292 seats, 121 are in the dining room, 90 are on a riverfront patio and 44 are on a second terrace facing the park. Weekday happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the bar. On the menu, the Whole Crispy Local Snapper is $46 and the Yellowfin Tuna Crudo is $18. The Grand Seafood Tower is $98 and serves two to three people. Dinner service starts first. Breakfast and lunch are planned for later, and a public ribbon-cutting with Mayor Dean Trantalis is set for October 13.

A morning option is also on the way. Axios Fort Lauderdale reported in August that Ophelia, the vintage-RV bakery from Coconut Grove, is coming to Huizenga Park this fall. It will be the bakery's first Broward location, serving coffee, pastries and grab-and-go breakfast and lunch. No opening date has been announced.

Four ways downriver, from cheapest to most involved

1. On foot or by bike along the Riverwalk. Start at Cooley's Landing and follow the river east. The 2.5-mile path runs along both banks.
2. On the free LauderGO! Water Trolley. The City runs it daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in partnership with Water Taxi of Fort Lauderdale and Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale. Riverwalk Laura Ward Park is the first stop on its list, followed by Esplanade Park and, further along, Smoker Park. Expect a 20 to 30 minute wait at any stop, plus possible delays when the New River bridges open. As of this writing, the City's trolley page still lists the Huizenga Plaza/Bubier Park and Riverfront Plaza stops as unavailable due to construction. Check the live tracker before counting on a drop-off at the restaurant's door. Getting off at Esplanade Park is the confirmed option.
3. On the paid Water Taxi. Its downtown stops are the Riverside Hotel and Stranahan House at 335 SE 6th Avenue, and the Shops and Restaurants at Las Olas at 904 E. Las Olas Boulevard. The posted adult fare is $38, or $25 after 5 p.m. Children ages 5 to 11 ride for $18. The Water Taxi runs seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with boats every 35 to 45 minutes. The $25 evening fare is the one that lines up with a Sweetwaters dinner.
4. On your own boat. New River/Downtown Docking advertises 100 slips with full utilities. Under City code, anything beyond tying up long enough to apply for a space or ask for instructions requires a municipal dock permit. Dockage rates changed on October 1, 2026, so call the marine facilities office for current pricing. No City source lists the Huizenga Park or Esplanade Park waterfront as a public day dock for private boats. Confirm before planning to tie up downtown.

The fall calendar at Esplanade Park

Every Riverwalk event below is held at Esplanade Park, which the free Water Trolley serves as a confirmed stop.

The free lunchtime series Tunes on Top is almost finished. It runs Wednesdays and Fridays from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Tunnel Top Plaza, at Las Olas Boulevard and 6th Street, and ends October 9. Two sessions remain, on Wednesday, October 7, and Friday, October 9.

The upriver half of the evening

Being at the start of the route also makes it easy to end the night at home. Riverside Market at 608 SW 12th Avenue opens daily at 8 a.m. and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. It stays open until midnight Sunday through Thursday and until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. That's later than the 10 p.m. last run of the Water Trolley or the Water Taxi.

The neighborhood's own parks are on the water too. Coontie Hatchee Park at 1116 SW 15th Avenue covers 2.6 waterfront acres, with a nature trail, a bike rack and picnic facilities. It's open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Riverside Park at 555 SW 11th Avenue is 1.82 acres, with tennis courts, a recreation center, a basketball court, a playground and picnic tables, all on the same 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. schedule. The association scheduled the playground to close January 17 through February 4, 2026, for a new shade system intended to provide UV protection.

The next general meeting of the Riverside Park Residents Association is Wednesday, October 7, at 7 p.m. at 555 SW 11th Avenue. That's the community center just south of the swing bridge. The association's mobility plan, which aims to make the neighborhood safer to walk in, is one of its current initiatives.

If you're deciding what river access is worth on your own lot, or comparing homes by how far they are from Cooley's Landing and the Riverwalk, The Dinh Group can help you look at those tradeoffs street by street. Schedule your personalized consultation with Hanh.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.