Venice of America
You don't get the nickname "Venice of America" without earning it! Due to the area's water quality, beach
and intertidal conditions, safety, cleanliness and aesthetics, the Greater Fort Lauderdale area has earned the
Clean Beach Council's highest honor, the "Blue Wave Beach" certification - five years in a row!
Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, summed up the prestigious
award by stating, "It's an honor to receive this recognition for a fifth straight year. Our beaches have always
been a crown jewel of Greater Fort Lauderdale. We're proud of our beaches, and the Blue Wave flags prove we have
good reason."
Given its setting on Florida's Atlantic Coast and along the Intracoastal Waterway, water sports and recreation
dominate the outdoor activities offered here. In addition to a complete selection of water-related activities that
range from water-skiing and kite surfing to canoeing and kayaking, visitors can simply opt to put their feet in
the sands and work on their tan.
The area's three-tiered natural reef system makes the area ideal for scuba-divers. If sailing and boating are more
to your liking, Greater Fort Lauderdale provides visitors with ample opportunities to rent or buy almost every
kind of watercraft. The area is also home to the annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, held in March.
The boat show is the biggest of its kind in the world and accounts for 80 percent of all yachts sold nationally
each year.
Like to fish? Both fresh and saltwater catches are available to anglers here. The only decision visitors need to
make is where to begin - deep-water fishing fleets for charter trips in the Everglades for some bass or along the
870-foot pier in Hollywood's West Lake Park.
Keeping active during your vacation is easy here! Take a leisurely stroll along Las Olas Boulevard, watching people
sip cappuccinos at the outdoor cafés, or take in downtown's Riverwalk Arts and Entertainment Center, a 22-block
district filled with shopping, dining, waterfront parks and cultural attractions.
If mingling with millionaires is more your style, boat tours are available to take visitors on tours of the Intracoastal
Waterway and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Millionaire's Row. Want to shop? The world's largest discount and entertainment
mall, Sawgrass Mills, features more than 300 designer outlets, specialty shops and restaurants. |
