Tortuga Music Festival This Weekend: Best Places to Hang Out in Fort Lauderdale

The Tortuga Music Festival is hitting Fort Lauderdale beach this weekend. And with it comes an eclectic mix of performers, from country music stars like Kenny Chesney to modern hippies like Michael Franti & Spearhead and Ben Harper.

So it should come as no surprise that concertgoers will include a mix of environmentalists, rock aficionados, country fans, and a bunch of people looking to get wasted and have a good time.

Not exactly the champagne-sipping crowd of the W.

That being said, we've decided to compile a list of Fort Lauderdale's best places to party after the festival.

See also:
- Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at Tortuga Music Festival
- Plan Burrito: the New Spot on Fort Lauderdale Beach
- Ten Best Place to Party in Fort Lauderdale for Spring Break

10. Original Fat Cat's For anyone looking to get away from other festivalgoers or the ridiculous tourists of the beach, this could just be your option. Live cover bands, great beer selection, dark atmosphere, and local crowd make this spot a prime location postfestival. For those looking to soak up the booze, the spot does not serve food, but there are multiple greasy options in the downtown vicinity. 9. LuLu's Bait Shack One of the ever-so-slightly less-touristy spots to inhabit Beach Place, Lulu's is a great option for those who want to keep on looking at the ocean. The bar features nightly live music and drink specials -- Saturday night, it's offering $17 Camarena margarita fishbowls and $5 Camarena margaritas. And if you're looking to wash down those fishbowls with a bit of food, the spot serves Cajun-style bar delicacies like catfish fingers ($8.95), blackened chicken nachos ($12.95), and alligator bites ($9.95)

8. Quarterdeck You've been dancing and drinking all day: it's probably about time to stuff your face. For anyone looking to chill out and sober up -- slightly, that is -- postfestival, Quarterdeck on the beach is probably your best bet. With numerous drink specials, outdoor tables, a laid-back environment, and, well, food, this would be your place to keep the party going while kicking back to relax. Keep an eye out for the $10.99 specials: Saturday it's a half rack of baby back ribs and fried shrimp; Sunday it's full rack. 7. Poorhouse For those of you searching for more music, this is the place to be. On a side street off of downtown Fort Lauderdale's Himmarshee Street, it's the ultimate spot to find tattooed, local music lovers throwing back beers while listening to live sets. The typical dark dive bar offers a wide range of beers and some new bar snacks.

6. Elbo Room Any visit to Fort Lauderdale would be incomplete without a stop at this institution. The bar climbed to fame with the crazy antics of Fort Liquordale's historic and notorious spring break. While the city has changed over the years, this spot has not. It's still just as rowdy and filled with drunks now as it ever was. If you're looking to keep the drinks flowing after the festival, this should be your spot. Note to the wise: Plan your bathroom trips before you arrive. 5. Parrot Lounge This beach-area neighborhood bar specializes in food, fun, and libation. At least, that's what it says above the door. The Parrot Lounge has been serving locals since 1970. While it might be more of a sports bar -- with a rather strong Philly connection -- it gets going later on. Just one block west of the beach, it's a great spot to grab a beer, a bite to eat, and probably a couple of shots.

4. Bahia Cabana Looking for a real slice of old Fort Lauderdale culture? Bahia Cabana is what it's all about. The waterfront bar has been taking care of locals for ages. The classic outdoor bar is filled with boating-inspired memorabilia: buoys, life rafts, lines, you name it. Nightly live music -- think Jimmy Buffett-inspired -- and two-for-one rumrunners and piña coladas make this the ultimate "tropical getaway" after the festival. 3. Treasure Trove After getting dirty and grimy in the heat of the festival all day long, it's rather fitting to head to a dirty and grimy beach bar. And we do mean this in the kindest terms. The "Trove," as locals like to call it, is one of your classic hole-in-the-wall beach bars. Nautical knickknacks and liquor promotions decorate the walls of this open-air bar. Whether you want to grab a bite to eat or just dance to live music, the Treasure Trove is a great spot within stumbling distance of the festival grounds.

2. Dirty Blondes Probably one of the most densely-packed local's bars on the beach, Dirty Blondes is a gamer's -- and drinker's -- wet dream. The large bar is filled with bar games, pool tables, and videogames galore. And the place is booming. While you're not going to find live music or food, for that matter, you're going to find a rowdy drunken party crowd. And that might be just the answer to your all-day drinking festival needs. 1. McSorley's Everyone loves an Irish pub. And this is one of the best in town. While you're not going to find yourself any bangers and mash or shepherd's pie -- the bar does not serve food -- you're definitely going to find yourself a good time. The three-story bar packs itself full of patrons every Friday and Saturday nights. And just like the Irish, these people want to get their drink on. If you're looking to keep the party going, this is your spot.

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