City Profile: Fort Lauderdale

By VISIT FLORIDA staff, Published March 12, 2008

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Fort Lauderdale

Greater Fort Lauderdale has evolved into a haven for shoppers, beachgoers and sports enthusiasts.

A delectable combination of sea, sun, shopping, arts and entertainment, Greater Fort Lauderdale has become a sophisticated playground with equal parts glamour, old-world charm and retro-funkiness. The welcoming, relaxed vibe of the tropics permeates Fort Lauderdale's culture and conscience, offering visitors an ideal atmosphere for shedding the stresses of the everyday world.

Water is a defining element of Greater Fort Lauderdale, framed on the east by 23 miles of golden sand beaches and turquoise Atlantic waves, and bordered on the west by the Everglades, a one-of-a-kind eco-system teeming with spectacular flora and fauna and home to the Seminole Indians.

Between the two, the Intracoastal Waterway, a canal system reminiscent of Venice, winds gently through the interior, connecting downtown office buildings, the world-class boutiques, galleries and restaurants on chic Las Olas Boulevard, and the museums, theaters and nightspots of Riverwalk.

A network of landscaped pathways meanders alongside many of the canals and offers access to the outdoor cafes and attractions on street level as well as a vantage point of the water for those on foot.

Teeming with luxurious yachts and lined by opulent homes, the inland waterways can easily be navigated by Water Taxi, a convenient and fun water-borne service that runs like clockwork throughout the day and well into the night. A network of landscaped pathways meanders alongside many of the canals and offers access to the outdoor cafes and attractions on street level as well as a vantage point of the water for those on foot. Traveling "topless" along A1A, the coast road, is also a treat, especially in one of the many exotic cars or motorcycles available for rental.

From colorful and quaint Superior Small Lodgings tucked away on quiet tree-lined streets and offering all the amenities of home, to grand, oceanfront resorts boasting deluxe spas and private beaches, Greater Fort Lauderdale provides a wealth of accommodations.

Like its hotels, the city also offers attractions that appeal to a multitude of interests. A mecca for the avid sportsperson, the area features endless holes of golf, miles of wilderness trails for hiking and biking, excellent snorkeling, diving and deep-sea fishing, premier thoroughbred horseracing at Gulfstream Park, Florida Panthers ice hockey at the state-of-the-art Office Depot Center and interactive exhibits at the International Game Fish Association's Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum.

For those who see adventure as hunting down the latest clothing and furniture designs, Greater Fort Lauderdale is also known for shopping, with top specialty stores at twelve major malls plus the Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA), the world's largest international design center, and Sawgrass Mills, a destination in itself, with more than 300 retail outlets and name brand discounters.

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