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Scuba
Diver in the Atlantic Ocean1 |
Known as the Venice of America
because of its intricate canal system, Fort Lauderdale does the Italian city
one better and also offers a staggering 23 mi (37 km) of beach. The semi-tropical
weather and close proximity to other Florida
hot spots such as Miami
and Palm Beach
make it easy to enjoy the laid back manner of this southern metropolitan area.
With its many night spots and prevalent party ambiance during Spring Break,
visitors sometimes refer to the city as Fort Liquordale. The tourism industry
is a huge part of the economy in this city so don't miss out on the numerous
ways to see the area. Whether it's a glass-bottom boat ride, a sport fishing
excursion, a scuba diving trip to explore the Atlantic Ocean or a guided on-land
tour, the convenient ways to discover Florida's seventh largest city are endless.
Once the night-life and tours have been experienced, check out one of the largest
ports in the country, boasting numerous cruise lines. Take in Fort Lauderdale's
culturally-inclined area of Las
Olas Boulevard, featuring a variety of art museums, festivals, galleries,
shops and eateries. Whether here for relaxing or entertainment, the options
for tourists are almost limitless.
ORIENTATION
Located just 23 mi (37 km) north of Miami and 42 mi (68 km) south of Palm Beach,
Fort Lauderdale's location makes it easy to explore southern Florida. The city
houses 25 mi (40 km) of inland waterways and both the New and Stranahan Rivers
run through it to the Atlantic Ocean. Port
Everglades is the nation's second largest and busiest cruise port, boasting
a high level of aquatic traffic. A 241-mi (388-km) drive north along the east
coast will take visitors to the popular destination of Daytona
Beach. The serene islands of the Florida
Keys are a three-hour drive away on US-1 Highway South, approximately
189 mi (305 km) from Fort Lauderdale. Being situated on the very southeastern
edge of Florida makes for an easy jaunt to the neighboring islands of the Bahamas
and other countries in the Caribbean.
HISTORY
Other than a few Caucasian settlers, the Seminole Indians were generally the
first residents of the Fort Lauderdale area in the 1800s. At this time, escaped
black slaves began living among the Seminoles. The settlers wanted more access
to Indian lands, and pressure on the American government increased to persuade
the Seminoles to relocate. Three battles took place between the US government
and the Seminoles to influence the Indians to join other tribes in the Oklahoma
area. During the second war with the Seminole Indians in 1838, William Lauderdale
captured agricultural lands and raised New River Fort with his Tennessee volunteers.
Lauderdale prevailed and divided the area into three sub-sections; the fork
of New River, Tarpon Bend and Bahia Mar, the largest of the subdivisions. The
area remained detached from the outside world due to a lack of transportation
until a rock road between Lantana
and Lemon City (North
Miami), was authorized by the government in 1892. Frank Stranahan of
Ohio built a house the following
year that served as the first trading post, bank, post office and town hall
of the area. Within a few years, the house was a south Florida landmark and
still stands as a museum today. By this time, the Florida East Coast Railway
was providing transportation throughout the nation and extended its services
to the Fort Lauderdale area. By 1911, Fort Lauderdale was a city that thrived
from raising dairy cows and citrus groves. With the close of World War II, the
city experienced tremendous growth. Fort Lauderdale focused on the tourism industry
once visitation increased after the first Olympic-sized pool was built in 1930.
In the next 30 years, the city would become a popular destination for college
students during Spring Break. Today, Fort Lauderdale's tourism industry still
encourages visitors to enjoy the beaches and upbeat lifestyle of the city.
CLIMATE
|
Month |
Avg.
Daily Temperature |
Average
Rainfall |
|
Min |
Max |
| Jan
|
14°C
(58°F) |
24 °C (76°F) |
61
mm |
| Feb |
15°C
(59°F) |
25°C
(77°F) |
66
mm |
| Mar
|
17°C
(62°F) |
27 °C (80°F) |
71
mm |
| Apr |
19 °C (66°F) |
28 °C (83°F) |
89
mm |
| May
|
21 °C (70°F) |
30 °C (86°F) |
160
mm |
| Jun
|
23°C
(73°F) |
31°C
(86 °F) |
244
mm |
| Jul |
24°C
(75°F) |
32°C
(90°F) |
157
mm |
|
Aug |
24°C
(75°F) |
32°C
(90°F) |
185
mm |
|
Sep |
24°C
(75°F) |
32°C
( 89°F) |
221
mm |
|
Oct |
22°C
(71°F) |
30 °C (86°F) |
185
mm |
|
Nov |
19°C
(65°F) |
27°C
(81°F) |
99
mm |
|
Dec |
16 °C (60°F) |
25°C
(77°F) |
69
mm |
|
|
Climate
data fromThe Southeast Regional Climate Center
|
|
Fort Lauderdale has a high humidity averaging between 70 and 85 percent and
a mean annual temperature of about 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius.)
The stable, semi-tropical climate is normally met with warm breezes from the
ocean. Sun block and sunglasses are staples year-round since the city is only
26.14 degrees north of the equator. Most rainfall occurs between the months
of June through September, so an umbrella isn't a bad idea when visiting during
this time. Tourists tend to flock to Fort Lauderdale during dry season, which
exists from December through April. The odd cold spell with fog sometimes occurs,
but is still quite rare. With the consistently hot climate comes uncertain weather,
so being aware of hurricane season from June to November is important. Luckily,
the Fort Lauderdale area isn't affected by these weather patterns often.
TRANSPORTATION
Whether flying or driving, getting to Fort Lauderdale can be quite direct when
driving the 312 mi (502 km) long Florida
Turnpike or flying into the Fort
Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in neighboring Dania
Beach. The Miami
International Airport, the Palm
Beach International Airport and the Fort
Lauderdale Executive Airport also all serve the surrounding area. Once
on land, airport
shuttles are easy to come by, as well as limousine
and car
rentals. Some major highways that reach Florida include Interstate 75,
Interstate 95 and the US-1 highway. Interstate 75 stretches 1,786 mi (2,874
km) from Sault Ste. Marie,
Michigan all
the way south to Hialeah,
Florida. One of the best-known and more heavily used highways is Interstate
95, paralleling US-1 along the east coast. The I-95 stretches 1,927 mi (3,101
km) across the country starting at the Canadian border in Houlton,
Maine, reaching
the end of the line in Miami, Florida. The Sawgrass
Expressway extends westward from Deerfield
Beach, which is situated just 17 mi (27 km) north of Fort Lauderdale.
Here it turns into a toll expressway and loops around Coral
Springs before heading south toward Fort Lauderdale.
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Fort
Lauderdale's Water Taxi2 |
Another popular toll road is the Florida Turnpike, which begins at I-75, just
south of Wildwood, crosses southeast through Orlando and eventually makes its
way along Florida's east coast to Fort Lauderdale.The Broward
County Transit (BCT) service is Fort Lauderdale's public bus system,
which connects with other metro areas including locations in both Miami-Dade
and Palm Beach Counties. This service runs every day and covers all quadrants
of the city. While visiting downtown Fort Lauderdale, take advantage of the
Sun-Trolley that runs every 15 minutes to half an hour. Fort Lauderdale is also
connected to other US destinations via Amtrak,
an intercity passenger train system that provides service along the Atlantic
coast and throughout the country. The Silver Service/Palmetto line runs from
Miami up to New York City,
New York hitting
major cities along the way. Tri-Rail,
a commuter rail system, covers southern Florida and also connects major cities,
airports and services from Palm Beach County to other counties.
Yet another option of getting around is by water through the Fort Lauderdale
Water Taxi, which runs 365 days a year. This taxi service runs west
from the New River and then north on an intra-coastal waterway towards East
Oakland Park Boulevard, stopping at main downtown streets along the way.
Fort Lauderdale also houses one of the busiest cruise ship ports in the world,
sending approximately 4 million cruisers a year from Port Everglades to numerous
destinations. This active port boasts 10 terminals that serve over 17 different
cruise lines and house about 40 cruise ships. Grab a cruise from here to Central
America, South America, the Caribbean, Europe or Asia, or tour the city during
a stopover.
SPRING BREAK
 |
| Sunset
in Port Everglades3 |
|
College students flock to the traditional, week-long party that is Spring Break
and soak in the surroundings in Fort Lauderdale. Since 1960, this city has been
known as the destination for students looking to kick back during the month
of March. Now extending though to the month of May, this vacation time is no
longer just limited to college students. Family-oriented accommodations can
easily be found through inquiries when booking to avoid younger groups of students.
Most hotels only accept reservations for those 25 and over and suggest booking
a trip during this busy time five to six months in advance. People wanting to
avoid the crowds altogether can opt for a water-based vacation and take advantage
of one of the many week-long cruises available. Since the 1990s, the traditional
Fort Lauderdale party location has spread out, sharing some of the tourist attention
with Panama City Beach
and Daytona Beach.
BEACHES
Fort Lauderdale is not limited in the beach department so there's something
for everyone, whether it's physical activity, shopping or lodging along the
waterfront. The Hugh
Taylor Birch State Recreation Area, located on east Sunrise Boulevard,
is open year-round and offers swimming, fishing, canoeing and camping. The south
end of Fort
Lauderdale Beach at 17th Street and Sunrise Boulevard has basketball,
volleyball and barbeque areas, while the north end extends plenty of surfing
space. Beaches that stretch a little further include Hallandale
Beach, Hollywood
Beach and North Hollywood Beach, all offering plenty of space as well
as waterfront shopping and dining attractions.
FESTIVALS
Depending on the month, Fort Lauderdale has a few festivals worth looking into.
The Las
Olas Art Fair showcases over 300 local and international artists yearly
in a variety of different mediums. The first part of the fair commences in the
month of January and the second part runs in September. This fair features handmade
works by professionals, most of whom are present at the fair. The main entertainment
district runs on one convenient street known as Las Olas Boulevard. Stretching
from the heart of downtown to the beach, the dining attractions, bars, cafes,
spas, art galleries, lodging and shopping options abound. Founded in 1986, the
International
Film Festival runs from October to November and showcases over 200 films
mainly at the Cinema
Paradiso theater in the heart of downtown. Take in a documentary, international,
American independent, children's, or gay and lesbian-oriented film.
MUSEUMS
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The
Beach Along Las Olas Boulevard4 |
To learn of how the city became what it is today, take in the Old
Fort Lauderdale Village and Museum, full of programs, lectures, activities
and hands-on exhibits for all ages. For a different experience, the diverse
and continually changing Museum
of Art regularly rotates exhibits. Permanent collections at the museum
include Picasso ceramics and one of the world's largest displays of works from
Northern European artists from Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam. Educational
programs are also extended here from jazz dance lessons to yoga classes. Entertainment
for the whole family can be found through the 200 interactive exhibits at the
Museum
of Discovery and Science. Directed towards children under the age of
seven, this museum not only offers hands-on displays, but a five-story Blockbuster
Imax screen, an 11,000 sq ft (1022 sq m) outdoor nature area and a simulated
space trip from the moon to mars. The largest living Atlantic coral reef is
in captivity here, along with sharks and other sea animals.
SPORTS
Next to innate love of baseball and football instilled in most Americans, Fort
Lauderdale's main sporting interests naturally involve the water. Fishing, scuba
diving and swimming are three main adventures enjoyed by locals and visitors.
Many tour companies specialize in spear, offshore and deep-sea fishing. Known
for its excellence in swimming since the Casino Pool was built, Fort Lauderdale
remained at the forefront of the swimming scene for half a century. Gain insight
into this history by experiencing the International
Swimming Hall of Fame that pays tribute to aquatic performance in diving,
swimming, water polo and synchronized swimming. The library here contains the
world's largest collection of marine memorabilia including aquatic books, manuscripts
and literature, as well as over 40 exhibits that recognize history's greatest
performances and moments in the water. Apart from water-related activity is
Fort
Lauderdale Stadium, which is used by the Baltimore Orioles baseball
team to conduct their spring training. Connected to that facility is the Lockhart
Stadium, which is normally a soccer stadium but is also used by the
Florida
Atlantic University football team for home games from September to November.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
- Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau; Scuba Diver in
the Atlantic Ocean; Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
- Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau; Fort Lauderdale's
Water Bus; Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
- Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau; Sunset in Port
Everglades; Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
- Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau; The Beach Along
Las Olas Boulevard; Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
