Fort Lauderdale captures the essence of all that is Florida. It’s not as snobby as Palm Beach and not as trendy as South Beach Miami, what it represents is all the best of old Florida and how far we’ve progressed. Fort Lauderdale was once thought of as a spring break party town but it has really grown up. They have a fabulous art district and host many festivals throughout the year including the largest in water boat show in the world. They have a busy port that sails many cargo and cruse ships and the nearby Everglades National Park is a must see. The weather in Fort Lauderdale is great too it’s tropical with hot, humid summers and dry, warm winters which make the beach a great place to spend a day year round.

Major Travel Starting Point and Destination

Fort Lauderdale is a favorite spot of tourists and Floridians alike; it’s the seventh largest city in Florida and a hub for both air and sea travel. They have the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport that brings people in and takes them out to over 55 U.S. cities as well as Canada, the Bahamas, Latin and South America. For travelers convenience the airport is only two miles from Port Everglades which is great if you’re planning to be on one of the over 3,000 cruises that leave from the port annually.

Arts and Entertainment

Fort Lauderdale has an extensive Art and Entertainment district called Riverwalk on Las Olas Blvd. Riverwalk combines the arts, history, entertainment, shops and restaurants. This is where you’ll find the Broward Center for the Performing Arts where you can see a play, enjoy both modern and classical dance or hear a lecture. Sunrise Cinemas is a great place to see a movie with a unique twist. After the latest blockbuster, or Indy film, you can go relax in the beer and wine bar in the lobby and discuss what you’ve just seen.

Yachting Lifestyle

Fort Lauderdale is known as the “Venice of America” because of it’s crisscrossed by 300 miles of navigable waterways. So to say that it’s great if you love the water is an understatement. If you own a yacht, or any kind of boat, which many people here do, it’s a perfect place to go sailing either on the intracoastal waterway or you can go sightseeing up and down the canals and look at all the magnificent architecture of the homes in the area.

Every year, usually in the fall, Fort Lauderdale hosts the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show which is the largest in water boat show in the world. The show features over three billion dollars worth of boats, yachts and mega yachts as well as electronics, engines and thousands of boating accessories from every major marine manufacturer and boat builder worldwide. The Boat Show spans more than three million square feet of space, both on land and in water, but don’t worry they provide a network of water taxis, riverboats and bus shuttles to help people get around.

Beautiful Beaches

The beaches of Fort Lauderdale area has 23 miles, starting at Deerfield Beach. This cove beach is great for a calm quiet day at the beach. Then there’s Hillsboro Beach that has the Hillsboro Lighthouse which is a great place to take the family for some history and fun and don’t forget to check out the inlet. This is a great beach to sit and watch all the yachts and other boats come in then after the sun goes down this beach is where you’ll see the sea turtles coming up to lay their eggs. They’re fun to watch but be sure not disturb them, some sea turtles are federally protected. Pompano Beach was named for the Pompano fish found in the area, it’s also home to the Pompano Seafood Festival and Fishing Rodeo. There is a bend in the Gulf Stream here that makes this some of the warmest, clearest water in South Florida. Lauderdale-By-The-Sea has a low-key get-away vibe. It’s one of the best places in Florida where the three-tier natural coral reef system is close enough to the beach for you to swim out and go snorkeling or diving which many people do.

While at their beautiful beaches you can lay out or play volleyball, build a sandcastle, or just relax, refresh and renew as you enjoy the sun and the warm Atlantic waters.

Major Cruise Port

Port Everglades is a largest Florida cruise port located in Fort Lauderdale. It’s one of the world’s busiest cruise departure ports and holds the world record for hosting the most cruise passengers in a single day, 49,234 passengers cruised from there on January 3, 2009. More than four million cruise passengers pass through Port Everglades annually with ships sailing in and out year round. Ten cruise lines, including Carnival Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Princess and Celebrity Cruises sail out of Port Everglades sailing more than 30 cruise ships. A majority of cruises go to the islands of the eastern Caribbean, some go to the exotic Mexican coast of the western Caribbean. There are many varieties of ships and cruises to choose ranging from the ultra-luxury Yachts of Seabourn to the more casual Carnival Cruises; they offer everything from day cruises to 8-10 and 15 day excursions to 30 day Transatlantic and 135-night world cruises. The transatlantic cruises include stops in Iceland, Portugal, Malaga, Valencia, Barcelona and Sicily. The world cruises go to exotic ports of call including Papeete, Sydney; Bali, Singapore; Shanghai, Hong Kong, Saigon, Port Victoria, Cape Town and many more. There are cruises to fit all budgets and vacation plans so all aboard.

Fort Lauderdale is a great place to come for a vacation or come spend a few days before your cruise vacation begins. Enjoy that arts, the beaches or come down for a boat show or festival. Shop, visit the Performing Arts Center or enjoy some of our fabulous Florida seafood, Fort Lauderdale has many options of things to do and warm sunny weather, almost always, to do it in.