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Fort Lauderdale Vacations

23 miles (37 kms) north of Miami

Fort Lauderdale, with a population of 155 000, lies at the center of 23 miles (37 km) of popular beachfront and 300 miles (480 km) of navigable waterways, hence the title of "The Venice of America".

The area between Fort Lauderdale and the town of Jupiter to the north, comprises a beautiful Atlantic shoreline known as the Gold Coast (not to be confused with Australia's famous Gold Coast), a reference to the gold salvaged from the Spanish treasure ships that foundered along this coastline during the 1500's and 1600's.

Fort Lauderdale has beautiful wide beaches lined with up-market shops, restaurants and a variety of lodgings trying to entice the multitudes who flock to these beaches each year.

Amidst the shopping malls, hotels, condominiums and resorts is a landscape of beaches, parks, golf courses and tennis courts. The rejuvenated town center has a village atmosphere with trendy boutiques, cafes and jazz bands.

As development of Fort Lauderdale progresses, so to does that of its near neighbors. Hallandale Beach, once a small, oceanfront town just north of Aventura, now has a skyline dominated by accommodation in the form of condominiums and resort developments.

Just to the north of Hallandale is the fast developing Hollywood, now a area of 1.5 million people comprising many ethnic backgrounds. 

Cruise liners berth in Port Everglades, Florida's deepest harbor,  located near the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on the outskirts of Hollywood. Port Everglades is second only to Miami for the number of cruise passengers passing through the port terminal. The majority of cruises from this port are bound for destinations in the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico and Latin America. 

Getting There & Getting Around

The Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport services the area with carriers such as Air Canada, Air Tran, American Airlines, Continental and Delta. Several budget carriers also operate from this airport.

Amtrak has stations at Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood. Tri Rail is a south Florida commuter train service that connects all the major centers from Miami to North Palm Beach

Fort Lauderdale Vacation Highlights

With more than 50 golf courses in and around the Fort Lauderdale area, many being championship links, the area is a popular vacation destination with golfers. Sometimes referred to as the "Yachting Capital of the World," Fort Lauderdale provides numerous opportunities to hoist a sail or go cruising along the Intracoastal Waterway or on the open ocean.

Scuba divers rate the area as one of the best in North America. With excellent water temperatures and visibility, snorkelers and divers are attracted by a great off-shore natural reef, 18 major shipwrecks and 81 man-made artificial reefs.

There is a dive site at Jupiter onto a 17th century wreck site. The waters throughout the area are home to a diverse array of fish and marine creatures. All types of fishing are popular including drift-boat fishing, deep-sea charters or simply casting a line from the pier. The modern, and expensive ($32 million) International Game Fish Association World Fishing Center is angler's heaven.

This combined museum, library, and park has a virtual-reality fishing simulator, in which the "angler" reels in a computer-generated catch. The 3-acre park has displays of antique fishing gear, record catches, famous anglers and various vessels. The historic 1921 plantation home and estate, Bonnet House, provides a glimpse of Florida history. The large two-story waterfront residence and gardens was the home of Evelyn Bartlett, wife of acclaimed artist Frederic Clay Bartlett.

Stranahan House is a prime example of the "Florida Frontier" architecture and Fort Lauderdale's oldest standing structure. The "father of Fort Lauderdale," Frank Stranahan built the house in 1901. A popular attraction with visitors is paddle wheel steamer dinner cruises and sightseeing tours that take visitors past Old Fort Lauderdale, the new downtown and Millionaires' Row.

Visitors interested in gambling can board one of several casino day cruises out of Port Everglades.

Other Regional Vacation Centers

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