23 miles (37 km) of popular beachfront and 300 miles (480 km) of navigable waterways surround Fort Lauderdale, which has the title of "The Venice of America". The Atlantic coastline north of Fort Lauderdale is known as the Gold Coast, which refers to several Spanish galleons loaded with treasure that ran aground along this stretch of coast.

Fort Lauderdale is known for its beautiful wide beaches lined with modern, trendy shops, great restaurants and a variety of hotels and condominiums in all price ranges. Intermixed with shopping malls and a trendy town center is a landscape of beaches, parks, golf courses and tennis courts.

As Fort Lauderdale continues its expansion, so to does its near neighbors. Hallandale Beach, once a small, oceanfront town now has a skyline dominated by condominiums and resort developments. The fast developing Hollywood is now a area of 1.5 million people made up of many different ethnic backgrounds.

Port Everglades is Florida's deepest harbor and second only to Miami for the number of cruise passengers passing through the port terminal. Most cruises from this port are bound for the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico and Latin America, although several casino day cruises operate from this port.

** Fort Lauderdale Vacation Highlights

Fort Lauderdale lies at the center of more than 50 golf courses, making the area a popular vacation destination for keen golfers. Sometimes referred to as the "Yachting Capital of the World," Fort Lauderdale provides great opportunities to cruise or sail along the Intracoastal Waterway and on the open ocean.

The waters around Fort Lauderdale are rated by scuba divers as amongst the best in North America, having excellent water temperatures and visibility and a diverse array of fish and marine life. There is a natural off-shore reef plus 81 man-made artificial reefs and 18 major shipwreck sites. Jupiter has a dive site onto a 17th century wreck.

Fishing of all types is very popular in and around Fort Lauderdale, whether it be simply casting a line from the pier, drift-boat fishing or blue water excitement on a deep-sea charter. The International Game Fish Association World Fishing Center is an angler's heaven, being a combined museum, library and park with virtual-reality simulations.

The historic Bonnet House and estate provides a glimpse of Florida history. The spacious two-story waterfront mansion and surrounding gardens was the home of Evelyn Bartlett, the wife of acclaimed artist Frederic Clay Bartlett. Dating back to 1901, Stranahan House is an example of "Florida Frontier" architecture and is the oldest standing structure in Fort Lauderdale.

A popular visitor attraction is the paddle wheel steamer dinner cruises and sightseeing tours that take visitors past Old Fort Lauderdale, the new downtown and Millionaires' Row.

** Fort Lauderdale Transport

The area is serviced by the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport with carriers such as Air Canada, Air Tran, American Airlines, Continental and Delta. Several budget carriers also operate from this airport. The local BCT city bus service has routes that include the airport and several shuttle bus services provide delivery to the door connections. Amtrak, the USA train system, has stations at Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood.

Tri Rail is a south Florida commuter train service that connects all the major centers from Miami through to North Palm Beach. Broward County Transit (BCT) operates a community bus service that runs throughout Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding areas.

Copyright (c) 2008 Terry Hely