Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city that can never be entirely separated from its fun-in-the-sun mythology, and the rowdy spring break hijinks immortalized in movies from the 1960’s. Many visitors never leave the promenade, where you’ll find the signature white wave wall, or Las Olas Boulevard, known as the Rodeo Drive of Fort Lauderdale. But, there is so much more to this south Florida city than meets the eye.
Day-trippers will discover the city’s rich cultural mix in the 1920’s bungalows along Sailboat Bend and an abundance of Jamaican and Brazilian restaurants. Port Everglades is equally international and altogether lively — it is, after all, the second-busiest cruise port in the world. Even better, the port is so close to the center of Fort Lauderdale that in minutes you can be eating Bimini bread in the chilliest locals-only joints or watching Brazilian squirrel monkeys romp through the grounds of lush estates.
And while it’s still a popular destination among college students, plenty of other travelers make Fort Lauderdale their destination of choice, as well: gay and lesbian visitors, Northeastern snowbirds, and families of all kinds. If one thing is abundantly clear, it’s that Fort Lauderdale has something for everyone.