Is Port Everglades safe?
Hollywood, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Port Everglades as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Port Everglades
“Go. Port Everglades is a heavily secured, master-planned maritime and cruise hub patrolled continuously by the Broward Sheriff's Office, federal agents, and port security. While it is strictly industrial and maritime rather than a traditional residential enclave, visitors passing through for cruises or harbor tours face exceptionally low violent crime risks.”
Port infrastructure upgrades and enhanced terminal security protocols have continued smoothly alongside record cruise passenger volumes across Broward County.
About the area
Port Everglades is one of the world's busiest cruise and cargo ports, situated across parts of Hollywood, Dania Beach, and Fort Lauderdale. The area is dominated by modern cruise terminals, secure shipping yards, and marina operations rather than neighborhood streets. Travelers visiting the port will find high security, controlled perimeter checkpoints, and heavy commercial vehicle traffic.
- Industrial Port
- High Security
- Cruise Hub
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Port Everglades
Walk score: 22/100 · Bike score: 38/100
Cycling is not recommended within the port due to high-volume commercial truck traffic, rail spurs, and restricted security perimeters, though recreational trails exist across the adjacent Dania Beach barrier island.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Strict access control with continuous presence from Broward Sheriff's Office Seaport District and federal law enforcement
- Virtually non-existent violent street crime within the secure perimeter and terminal zones
- Extremely well-maintained commercial infrastructure, signage, and surveillance systems
- Easy direct highway access to I-595, US-1, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
Cons
- Heavy industrial environment with high volumes of semi-trucks, freight traffic, and fuel tankers
- Zero traditional residential amenities, walkable community streets, or late-night neighborhood dining
- Restricted access areas require valid government credentials or cruise boarding documentation
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is practically zero inside Port Everglades due to strict perimeter checkpoints, access control gates, and continuous law enforcement monitoring.
What Port Everglades is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Bustling with cruise disembarkations, logistics operations, and port personnel under full daylight and heavy traffic control.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Active with boarding cruise passengers and freight logistics; secure and orderly throughout all terminal plazas.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet in passenger areas once cruise liners depart, with commercial freight gates remaining active and secured.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Restricted and heavily patrolled; general public foot traffic is not permitted in secure areas and wandering is not advised.
Transit, parking and getting around
Broward County Transit (BCT) operates local bus routes (such as Route 40) connecting to surrounding corridors, while Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport Tri-Rail Station is approximately 4 miles away, requiring a rideshare or shuttle.
Ample multi-level parking garages and secured open-air lots serve cruise terminals directly, typically costing around $20 to $25 per day, with street parking practically non-existent.
Things to do in Port Everglades
- Board a Caribbean cruise from one of the port's modern passenger terminals
- Take an offshore charter fishing trip or sightseeing boat tour out of the marina facilities
- Watch massive container and cruise ships navigate the inlet from the nearby jetty waters
Local favorites
- Quarterdeck Restaurant · Seafood Restaurant · 4.3★ (3200)Laid-back casual venue near the port access serving seafood baskets, burgers, and cold beers.
- Hyatt House Fort Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port · Hotel · 4.1★ (1650)Convenient extended-stay hotel catering to pre- and post-cruise travelers with airport shuttles.
- Total Wine & More · Liquor Store · 4.7★ (2900)Expansive retail hub near port gates stocking wine, beer, and spirits for travelers and locals.
Scores are safety-driven — recent reported crime and local news plus Census income, poverty, housing, education, household and access data — refreshed nightly. Walk and bike scores are shown separately and do not affect the safety score. A guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.