Thousands of spring breakers were spotted on camera Friday enjoying a beautiful day out on the Fort Lauderdale beach, free from the restraints and curfews that Miami Beach revelers have faced after several shootings marred the festivities.
Fort Lauderdale beaches were covered in bikini-clad students soaking up some sun, playing games or splashing in the surf, with conditions for swimming reported to be perfect on Friday.
At the World Famous Elbo Room, an historic Fort Lauderdale bar that was founded in 1938, beachgoers smoked electronic cigarettes on the patio and enjoyed some alcoholic beverages to get out of the heat of the sun.
Meanwhile, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department were ever-present, with motorcycle cops spotted in the shade of a tent as temperatures hovered around a sunny 76 degrees on Friday.
The majority of beachgoers appeared to have an alcoholic drink in hand, despite the fact that Fort Lauderdale now prohibits drinking on the beach, along with tents, tables, and coolers.
Thousands of spring breakers were spotted on camera Friday enjoying a beautiful day out on the Fort Lauderdale beach, free from the restraints and curfews that Miami Beach revelers have faced after several shootings marred the festivities
Pictured: spring breakers spotted sunbathing in bikinis under the Fort Lauderdale sun on Friday
A packed scene in Fort Lauderdale on Friday, with some spring breakers spotted swimming and others congregating on the beach
Pictured: revelers sport swim trunks and bathing suits during Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale on Friday as some beachgoers take to the water for a swim
Some beachgoers pop a tent while others stay cool under a beach umbrella in Fort Lauderdale on Friday
A cooler and hands full of what appear to be alcoholic beverages in Fort Lauderdale on Friday, despite the fact that the city now prohibits drinking on the beach
Pictured: spring breakers enjoy a sunny Friday afternoon at the beach in Fort Lauderdale, some with coolers, and other with tents, despite beach rules forbidding such items
Pictured: the lifeguard stand in Fort Lauderdale beach on Friday, where conditions for swimming were described as being perfect
But bars, liquor stores and restaurants will be open late into the night for revelers – unlike the other Spring Break hotspot of Miami Beach where wild antics and shootings have forced city officials to enact a midnight curfew.
In addition to a hard curfew for much of the party district, which took effect at 11.59pm Thursday, the sale of alcohol for off-premises consumption was halted from 6pm to 6am – measures that came after two horrifying shootings that left five people injured in recent days.
The curfew will be in effect through Sunday, and could be extended next week as desperate officials attempt to reign in wild crowds.
It meant a quiet Thursday night for the party town.
Last year police, also imposed a curfew after arresting more than 1,000 people over the course of six weeks for street fights and vandalism.
Earlier this week, some spring breakers said they prefer the quieter, tamer atmosphere of Fort Lauderdale, compared to the far more rowdy Miami Beach festivities.
‘Miami is a lot of people, people don’t respect the rules, it’s different,’ Maria Arango told Local 10. ‘You come here, it’s fine, you relax.’
Thus far, festivities in Fort Lauderdale have yet to become as ‘wild and crazy’ as Miami Beach, where a curfew has been in place in an effort to curb gun violence.
The curfew in Miami Beach kicked in on Thursday night and will also be in effect on Saturday and Sunday, and could be extended next week as desperate officials attempt to reign in wild crowds.
Every year in the spring, hordes of partygoers take over the Miami Beach waterfront for late-night drinking parties that can quickly turn ugly.
Cops have made more than 600 arrests in Miami as of Tuesday, with 100 weapons having been seized.
It’s a far cry from the calmer resort of Fort Lauderdale, where there have only been 14 arrests all break.
Pictured: beachgoers play ball games on the beach as other spring breakers socialize and enjoy the beach behind them
Spring breakers dressed in bikinis and swim trunks took over the beach in Fort Lauderdale on Friday, where they could be seen lounging on beach towels and taking a dip in the water
Pictured: spring breakers enjoy a perfect day in Fort Lauderdale Beach, on Friday, with some catching some rays and sun tanning while others take to the water for a swim
A Fort Lauderdale police officer is spotted on a four-wheeler as she patrols the beach on Friday
A Fort Lauderdale police officer rides a four-wheeler as she patrols the beach, while a group play a beach game behind her
Pictured: the Ocean Rescue Lieutenant patrols the Fort Lauderdale beach on Friday as a beachgoers digs his feet in the Florida sand
The Ocean Rescue Lieutenant patrols the Fort Lauderdale beach as beachgoers enjoy the beach
Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Steve Glassman says he’s been reading all the headlines about Miami Beach and reveled in the fact that his city has not seen that kind of violence and pandemonium.
‘All I can say is, “Thank God that’s not us,”‘ Glassman said of Miami Beach.
‘I don’t think there’s any comparison at all.’
‘It’s a whole different world. Fort Lauderdale just has a very different vibe and different reputation. We’re not as wild and crazy as South Beach. For some reason, the crowd we have here is just more well-behaved and more respectful.’
Pictured: a Fort Lauderdale Police Department vehicle parks right by the beach on Friday as a cruise ship can be seen off in the distance
Several other police vehicles could be seen parked along the road by the beach in Fort Lauderdale, however arrests were scarce, with only 14 arrests made as of Friday
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department were ever-present, with motorcycle cops spotted in the shade of a tent as temperatures hovered around a sunny 76 degrees on Friday
Pictured: other revelers were seen playing football on the beach in Fort Lauderdale
Spring breakers stop in at a local restaurant for drinks and food after a day on the beach and in the sun on Friday, as passerbys walk by shirtless and covered in beach towels
A trio of spring breakers sit down outside in a restaurant patio to cool down after a day in the sun in Fort Lauderdale
At the World Famous Elbo Room, an historic Fort Lauderdale bar that was founded in 1938, beachgoers smoked electronic cigarettes on the patio and enjoyed some alcoholic beverages
Pictured: spring breakers pack a local restaurant – World Famous Elbo Room – in Fort Lauderdale on Friday
Pictured: a packed house at the Elbo Room, a historic beach bar that was founded back in 1938
A quieter scene was apparent as people walked on Ocean Drive during Spring Break in Miami Beach earlier on Thursday. Miami Beach has declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew to stem a wave of violence linked to Spring Break
The Miami curfew kicked in on Thursday night and will also be in effect on Saturday and Sunday, and could be extended next week as officials attempt to reign in wild crowds
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