Planning Your Fort Lauderdale, Florida Vacation

Many travelers - more than 5 million a year - enjoy the luxuries of a European vacation, but from within the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area. Greater Fort Lauderdale - fringed by the Atlantic Ocean - packs world-acclaimed restaurants, museums, and shopping outlets and 300 miles of traversable waterways that fostered its nickname, Venice of America. When visitors are not appraising some the area's mansions or 3,000 eateries, they're tinkering in neighborhood stores or basking in the sun. A visit to one area shopping mall, Sawgrass Mills, is enough to keep a person occupied for two days. Sawgrass Mills, outfitted with 400 brand-name stores and outlets, touts itself as Florida's largest retail and entertainment center. Although the supersized mall is a sought-after spot, the Fort Lauderdale area has many other attractions of epic scale. The Greater Fort Lauderdale area has several beaches that will suit your needs - from the pristine shores of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea to the tropical oasis of Birch State Park in downtown Fort Lauderdale. You won't have to worry about finding a beach that meets your expectations. Water quality and safety are of no consequence on Lauderdale's beaches. The greater Fort Lauderdale area is the first in Florida to be designated as a "Blue Wave" beach by the Clean Beaches Council in Washington, D.C. This designation means that the beaches in Hollywood, Dania, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach are some of the cleanest and safest in the nation.

Fort Lauderdale Travel Tips