When we went to Florida, we loved exploring both Miami and Fort Lauderdale. We were thrilled to get to book an evening with Jungle Queen Riverboats for their World Famous cruise and dinner show while we were there.

The evening of our cruise saw the worst weather of our trip, with some heavy rain. Fortunately for us, it started to clear up right as our departure time arrived and we embarked on our sightseeing cruise. We boarded the charming riverboat and found ourselves seated in the prime location at the very front of the boat on the upper deck. Ideal for seeing everything!

Because it was still drizzling and rain flaps were down to protect us from getting drenched, I unfortunately don’t have great photos to share, although, we were able to see incredible things.

Our sightseeing cruise was fully narrated and as we explored the river ways where manatees are in abundance, we quickly learned that so was prosperity. All along the New River, we saw “The Venice of America”. There were more luxurious homes than we had even seen in Miami. This is the Millionaire’s Row of Fort Lauderdale, and I have to say, I loved it even more than what I had seen with the impressive homes further south.

While on board, you can explore the ship and visit the bartender for signature cocktails, if you are so inclined. In between narration, we listened to music, creating a wonderful ambiance.

The river feels hidden and takes you along the nooks and crannies, behind the scenes, if you will, of an extravagant lifestyle you wouldn’t even realize was there. Lining the waterways were unbelievable yachts belonging to some very famous people and some of the most beautiful homes I have ever seen. We even got to see one of Al Capone’s homes. I had no idea he had a home there! Each home was more spectacular than the last and we we treated to the stories surrounding them.

The cruise in and of itself was relaxing, beautiful and informative. Seeing the sun go down and the homes illuminating along our ride was so pretty. I would have been happy if this was all we got to do for the evening, but after an hour, we arrived at our private island for more entertainment.

We got off the boat and worked our way through the pathways and into the common area of the island. This is where the dining area was and dinner was awaiting us. After dreaming about living in those incredible mansions, we had worked up quite an appetite.

Good thing because there was so much food! We were treated to an All-You-Can-Eat BBQ, featuring baby back ribs and chicken tenders, freshly made coleslaw, corn on the cob, and cornbread, all served family-style. The food was so good! The ribs were so tender, you could eat them with a fork. For those that are vegan and vegetarian, you can select special menus when booking ahead of time. While we enjoyed our dinners, we were entertained by a singer on stage.

Our wait staff was so courteous, attentive and friendly. In fact, every single employee we encountered throughout the entire evening was this way. They know how to treat their guests!

When you were done eating, you could venture off and explore the entire island. Huts with desserts and drinks were available to enjoy.

They even had animal exhibits to peruse. I loved seeing the colorful birds and alligators in their enclosures.

Under ordinary circumstances, after dinner and exploration of the island, entertainment would grace the outdoor stage for all to enjoy. Because the night we visited the weather was not cooperating, they seamlessly improvised and brought the entertainment under the roof where we had enjoyed dinner and the show went on, with the audience none-the-wiser that it should have gone differently.

At 8pm, we were called back in for the start of the nightly entertainment. This can change every night with a variety of performers. There could be singers, magicians, comedians, or impressionists. For our entertainment, we had a comedic magician and another comedian. Our entertainment was very interactive and loved to get the audience involved, which was fun in this family-friendly setting. We all laughed and thoroughly enjoyed our time, forgetting anything but the moment we were in. To complete the entertainment portion, it concluded with their famous Polynesian Review. We had Polynesian dancers and drummers exhibit their cultural heritage and they enlisted the help of some audience members to join in the fun, as well.

We loved our time on this private island and as we had time to explore it between dinner and the entertainment, learned that this tourist attraction has been operating since 1935! This beloved institution has established a reputation and I can see why. It is so well done, so enjoyable, and one I would definitely bring my entire family back to experience and enjoy. If I lived local, I could also see coming and celebrating special occasions there, as a few of the other patrons were doing that night.

When the entertainment for the evening had finished, we worked our way back to the boat to ride the river in the opposite direction. While one might think we had seen it all on the way there, there was still much to learn and enjoy and we loved the extra time we had to enjoy the humid breeze on our skin and see the moonlit river as the lights twinkled on the water. Keeping in theme with our trip, we even saw another house where Miami Vice was filmed.

The next time you find yourself in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area, do yourself a favor a book a trip on the Tropical Isle Dinner & Show Sightseeing Cruise. You will love the experience and enjoy the time you spend with your favorite people on a hidden private island.

To learn more about Jungle Queen Riverboats and book your own experiences, visit them online. There are many different experiences to choose from and you can’t go wrong with what you pick! We can’t wait to come back again.

^{*we were invited to facilitate a feature, all opinions are our own*}