| On recent trip to Fort Lauderdale a friend and I | | | | Lauderdale is known as the "Venice of America" |
| were really impressed with how the city has | | | | because it’s crisscrossed by 300 miles of |
| grown up. When we were younger we used to | | | | navigable waterways. We went up and down the |
| come down here for Spring Break and really | | | | canals looking at all the magnificent architecture of |
| enjoyed the area; an area that is now quite | | | | the homes in the area and all the yachts. So to |
| cultural but still fun. | | | | say that it’s great area if you love the water |
| We’ve always liked the Fort Lauderdale area | | | | is an understatement. If you own a yacht or any |
| because its tropical climate makes it warm in | | | | kind of boat, which many people here do, it’s |
| summer and the winters are so mild that many | | | | a perfect place to go sailing either on the |
| of our friends from up north come down for a | | | | intracoastal or, as we did, through the canals. |
| visit too. The Fort Lauderdale Hollywood | | | | Every year, usually in the fall, Fort Lauderdale has |
| International Airport is a great place for friends | | | | this great boat show called the Fort Lauderdale |
| and family who are visiting South Florida to fly | | | | International Boat Show. It’s is the largest in |
| into and be conveniently picked up. One of the | | | | water boat show in the world and shows off |
| world's busiest cruise departure ports, Port | | | | over three billion dollars worth of boats, yachts |
| Everglades, is just miles away from the airport. | | | | and super yachts as well as electronics, engines |
| This is convenient for the four million cruise | | | | and thousands of boating accessories. The Boat |
| passengers that pass through the busiest Florida | | | | Show occupies more than three million square |
| cruise port each year to get to the ships that will | | | | feet of space, both on land and in water, but |
| take them all over the Caribbean, Europe and the | | | | don’t worry they provide a network of |
| rest of the world. | | | | water taxis, riverboats and bus shuttles to help |
| A great day trip if you’re spending some | | | | people get around. Maybe we’ll came back for |
| time in the area is the Everglades National Park. | | | | that, it sounds like fun. |
| The Everglades is pretty much a swamp that has | | | | The next day we decided to just relax and go to |
| many birds and animals living in it. It’s really | | | | the beach. The area has 23 miles of beautiful Fort |
| beautiful and a great place to take an air boat ride | | | | Lauderdale beaches so we knew we’d find |
| especially if you’ve never been on an air boat | | | | one we liked .These are some of the ones we |
| before. | | | | visited. Deerfield Beach is a cove beach and is |
| My friend and I stayed in Fort Lauderdale and | | | | great for a calm quiet day at the beach. Then |
| decided to go down to Las Olas Blvd to the | | | | there’s Hillsboro Beach that has the Hillsboro |
| Riverwalk area. This is the Art and Entertainment | | | | Lighthouse. This is the perfect beach to sit on and |
| district and also where the Broward Center for | | | | watch all the yachts and other boats come in |
| the Performing Arts is located. We didn’t | | | | because it’s right at the inlet. Pompano Beach |
| want to see a play or modern dance recital but | | | | was named for the Pompano fish found in the |
| we did go to the Sunrise Cinemas. This is a great | | | | area, every year they host the Pompano |
| place to see a movie with a unique twist. After | | | | Seafood festival and a Fishing Rodeo. There is a |
| the latest blockbuster, or Indy film, you can go | | | | bend in the Gulf Stream here that makes this |
| relax in the beer and wine bar in the lobby and | | | | some of the warmest, clearest water in South |
| discuss what you've just seen, which we did with | | | | Florida. Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is one of the only |
| some people whose table we asked to share, it | | | | places in Florida where the three-tier natural coral |
| was crowded, they were gracious and we made | | | | reef system is close enough to the beach for you |
| new friends. | | | | to swim out and go snorkeling or diving which we |
| The next day we went back to Riverwalk to | | | | did, it was spectacular. |
| catch a boat tour of the area. You see, Fort | | | | |