Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: tour (37) history (26) house (20) Lauderdale (16) guide (15) knowledgeable (9) Stranahan (9) John (8) great (8) Fort (8)
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  • 5/5 Karen E. 1 year ago on Google β€’ 165 reviews
    If you love history, this is a must stop in Ft Lauderdale! Construction next door makes parking a challenge for the moment, but worth the walk from the street! Can use water taxi to arrive also! You won't believe this home survived in the middle of high rises on the river front! The owner had spunk to keep this home viable through the Great Depression then for years after and forethought knowing how important this place (real estate) was historical to Ft Lauderdale! Great tour guide told us the good, the hardships, the unbelievable about the Stranahans, especially Ivy, while we enjoyed the comfort of AC touring this interesting historical home. Open the door back into time! No elevator to second floor part of the tour and public bathroom requires a step up and not wheelchair accessible.
    3 people found this review helpful πŸ‘

  • 5/5 Stephanie R. 1 year ago on Google β€’ 110 reviews
    Beautiful historic house by the river and it’s history is lovely. Our tour guide John was ver sweet and knowledgeable. It’s a hidden gem in Ft. lauderdale in fact is Broward County oldest home. It’s a must to go place if you live in Florida.
    3 people found this review helpful πŸ‘

  • 4/5 Mark S. 1 year ago on Google β€’ 267 reviews
    Historic house in downtown ft. Lauderdale FL. This was a very nice tour with a very knowledgeable tour guide who really loves the house and history. Well maintained and nicely decorated for Christmas. If you like history then this is a must see.
    2 people found this review helpful πŸ‘

  • 5/5 J.C. B. 7 months ago on Google β€’ 202 reviews
    Awesome piece of history nestled in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. Take a day and travel through some of the history that helped set the foundation for a great portion of south Florida. Also if you pay attention around there are little Jems of nature sprinkled all over.
    2 people found this review helpful πŸ‘

  • 5/5 Linda T. 2 years ago on Google β€’ 138 reviews
    Awesome Experience! It was like going back in history. The tour guides give you a wealth of information. Every child growing up in South Florida should go and learn where they came from and how Ft Lauderdale was created! I wish there was a tour at night too to give it like a haunted experience would be fun too! There is also a gift shop where you can buy souvenirs! Lots of fun! A must see!
    2 people found this review helpful πŸ‘

  • 3/5 C N. 1 year ago on Google β€’ 304 reviews
    I'm a history buff and I love local history. The house is beautiful. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable but she wasn't very engaging so I found the tour to be pretty boring.
    1 person found this review helpful πŸ‘

  • 5/5 eva m. 10 months ago on Google β€’ 5 reviews
    The house is like a little jemstone in between the huge buildings around. It is well kept and the caretaker John has been there forever and he is the nicest guy ever. He was hired at the age of 17 and stayed there even after Ivy passed away. He wrote a little book about a cat that lives there and followed him around. You can buy the books and a little wooden car he carved and colored and numbered. The money goes to the Stranahan House Museum. If you love history and actually meet someone who has lived part of it , you will enjoy the tour.
    2 people found this review helpful πŸ‘

  • 5/5 MistahZ 2 years ago on Google
    I loved coming here! It's a lovely little historical spot beset by modern architecture yet it still somehow managed to fit in so fricken well among it all. The house itself is pretty from a glance, expertly well kept, clean and attentive to all the relics and objects on its premises, it really shows the people who work there care about it as a job point and historical site. The staff in question are great; the tour guide(s) were attentive, very informative and the Museum keeper, a gentleman who has worked on the premises for 30 years is a wonderful well of personal knowledge and experience! The tour itself lasted a little over an hour and was just plain fun and a great guide to the house in question. Prices were reasonable on all fronts, from the tour to the little gift shop, you wont spend a lot to experience a neat place. My only complaint is the usual: PAID. PARKING. I hate it, always will, but that isn't the Museums fault. Go here if you're in the area and feel like looking into some personal history, it is worth it, I assure you! Edit: Adding pictures I took of a lot of thi gs inside and outside the house!
    1 person found this review helpful πŸ‘

  • 5/5 Iris C. 9 months ago on Google
    The guided tour is very high quality and inspirational.
    1 person found this review helpful πŸ‘

  • 5/5 Lisa M. 1 year ago on Google
    Very educational. An amazing history and grand tour. Well worth the hour tour.
    1 person found this review helpful πŸ‘

  • 5/5 Igor B. 1 year ago on Google
    We came when it was closed but a guide spotted us and gave us a private tour. John is a character by himself and very knowledgeable. It was a great start exploring Fort Lauderdale!

  • 5/5 Deb G. 1 month ago on Google β€’ 5 reviews New
    What a wonderful tour - the best one hour tour I have ever been on! Bev was very informative, she really knew the history of the house as well as the area. You could tell she truly was invested in sharing the history.

  • 5/5 Daniel A. 2 years ago on Google
    An informative look into early life in Ft. Lauderdale and the founding family the Stranahans. The museum is full of authentic artifacts from the family. The tours last an hour. Our guide was awesome. He really knew the history and had answers to all of our questions. If you are interested in history, this museum is for you!

  • 5/5 Ted D. 5 months ago on Google
    A wonderful experience. The first house surrounded by highrises, yet when you are there you have the feeling of old Fort Lauderdale. A very special place.

  • 5/5 Richard S. 7 months ago on Google
    I'm glad to have finally visited this place

  • 5/5 Ramsey H. 2 years ago on Google
    We had our wedding at the Stranahan House and had an incredible night. All of our guests raved about the venue and the nice setup on the water. We fit 90 people for dinner very comfortably under the green tent. Ceremony was beautiful under the tree adjacent to the water. Dance floor at the back of the house along the water had plenty of space. Lindsay was amazing from the beginning stages of planning to the final stages of the end of the wedding night. She was so helpful throughout the process and was always very reassuring. She stayed throughout the wedding to ensure everything went smooth and also at the end to help clean up. She was amazing and really made the night special for us. We definitely recommend having a wedding here, we could not have been happier with the outcome.

  • 5/5 Earrings J. 2 years ago on Google
    Guide, Ms. Ortiz was superb! Was great to learn about Stranahan House and Frank & Ivy Stranahan. He was known as one of the founding fathers of Fort Lauderdale but she was an impressive lady who used her status to better the world. Learned a lot today.

  • 5/5 CB S. 1 year ago on Google
    We really enjoyed it more than expected. The woman who provided us a tour was sweet, knowledgeable, and fun. Highly recommend taking a tour with her at this hidden gem!

  • 5/5 Wes K. 9 months ago on Google
    What a wonderful piece of history right in our own backyard! The detail to historic accuracy was impeccable. The tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. She was engaging and showed a true passion for the Stranahan house and preserving the history. Very Enjoyable!

  • 4/5 Candie B. 2 years ago on Google
    Al though we had a very nice tour of the Stranahan House by the caretaker, my Husband and I were expecting a Ghost Tour. We only experienced the historical facts of Frank Stranahan. No mention of the other members who passed away in the home. No mentioned of the paranormal. We were disappointed. I guess they only do that around Halloween. My Husband and I dressed up for the occasion hoping to see some Ghosts. LOL We felt pretty silly leaving.

  • 5/5 brenda f. 1 year ago on Google
    our guide, an elderly gentleman, knew Mrs. Straahan personally, and was able to enrich our tour with personal stories. I suggest someone record his history before it’s too late. I definitely encourage a visit to this exceptional house.

  • 5/5 Sean G. 2 years ago on Google
    This was a great find, a fantastic tour, and if you love locks history I cannot tell you enough to go here.

  • 5/5 Johnny B. 1 year ago on Google
    The visit was well worth the time. You learn a lot about the history of the family and their development and contributions to fort Lauderdale. The tour guide is very knowledgeable also.

  • 5/5 Linda D. 1 year ago on Google
    We were looking for something to do in Fort Lauderdale while killing time before our flight back home to Ohio. Turns out Frank Stranahan was from Ohio! So we had an immediate connection. John, the tour guide was a wealth of knowledge. His story telling style is perfect for delivering the unique history of the house and Frank and Ivy. We loved everything about it. Hopefully, someone will videotape John to preserve his stories and all his connections to this place. The tour stretched to 2 hours because there was just so much information. But it was a perfect balance of in and out of the house and sitting occasionally too. I highly recommend a visit to this historic site. Excellent!

  • 5/5 kimani c. 1 year ago on Google
    If you can go during a weekday, I highly recommend it to avoid weekend crowds. As it stands, the museum and tour itself is quite informative, and doesn't take too long either. Check it out if you want an in-depth look into the history of Fort Lauderdale through the Stranahans.

  • 5/5 Colleen T. 2 years ago on Google
    It was wonderful learning about the Stranahans. Everything about the tour was fascinating! The guide & caretaker have a wealth of knowledge, & are enthusiastic to share it with you. I'll definitely return for another tour some day. Go check it out & learn about how Fort Lauderdale got started!

  • 5/5 Julie B. 3 years ago on Google
    We enjoyed our tour very much! Talking to John Della Cerra Jr after was amazing! He’s a very informative, wise man and I think Ivy and Frank are looking down upon him thinking very highly of his heartfelt thoughts and information he’s shares with people. Thank you to our lovely tour guide and thank you for all of your wisdom John!! -from MN

  • 5/5 Shawn W. 2 years ago on Google
    We had a great time touring this historic house. We were lucky and got the caretaker, who has been there 33 years and knew one of the owners (Ivy)β€” that was very neat! I would say that this tour may not be the best for young children. They did a few things (ringing the bell) that kids would like, but in general would probably be best for adults of families with kids over 6 or 7.

  • 1/5 Chattanooga Property M. 2 years ago on Google
    The sign discriminates against people with disabilities. Not everyone can wear face masks at all times. I hope that you guys can show more compassion as well as help move the world forward to be a place where people can be happy and free.

  • 5/5 George A. 2 years ago on Google
    Beautiful historic house on the river and knowledgeable tour guide. Fantastic way to spend an afternoon while learning the history of the community

  • 5/5 Jennifer C. 2 years ago on Google
    John was great at giving us our tour. We have lived in Fort Lauderdale all our lives. This was so much fun to see and listen to stories about the history of this house. Very affordable and a beautiful location overlooking the river. A must do in Fort Lauderdale.

  • 5/5 Laurie B. 2 years ago on Google
    Oldest house in Ft. Lauderdale.This was a wonderful and informative history tour of Mr. & Mrs. Stranahan their house and times provided by knowledgeable docent Merry, who didn't leave any detail uncovered. Highly recommend you visit.


Call (954) 524-4736 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Accessibility
    • βœ“οΈ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • βœ“οΈ Wheelchair accessible restroom
    • βœ“οΈ Wheelchair accessible parking lot

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