Can I leave Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on a layover and see Fort Lauderdale?

Often, if the window is long enough. The deciding part is the airport at both ends, not the drive: leaving means going back through security for the next flight, and some connections mean collecting and re-checking bags. Your airline sets those minimums, so start from them rather than from the map. Non-US travellers may also need permission to enter the United States.

Fort Lauderdale's airport is close to the beach and Las Olas, so the transfer is short, but it's also the gateway to the cruise port and the marinas, which means yacht crews, luggage, and tight departure windows. A captain who meets the flight and knows the port keeps a connection from becoming a scramble.

If the airport time is covered and about four hours are left, a short plan works well: a 4-hour afternoon: Las Olas, then the water.

Book it by the hour from the terminal. The captain meets you inside arrivals where the airport's rules allow, tracks the inbound flight, and keeps the clock on the way back to departures. If the connection is tight, the honest advice is to stay airside.