Fast Facts Ft Lauderdale – Best Vacations Ever

First Impression: Fort Lauderdale is the perfect place to push the reset button and recharge those batteries. Flying or driving into Fort Lauderdale lands you in a U.S. tropical paradise—quite possibly a shock for travelers from more northern, hilly and mountainous regions, given the peninsula of Florida’s very flat land yet tropical atmosphere. Fort Lauderdale is flanked on both sides by pristine beaches and punctuated with lots of swaying palms, Coconut Palms, and glorious, bright-blue sunny skies. From shopping on the legendary Las Olas Blvd. to cruising on the winding canals to a historic riverfront, sun seekers from all over the world come to Fort Lauderdale to play, relax, let loose and maybe step outside their comfort zone a little bit. The city is famous for its beaches, arts, culture, events, boating and extremely vibrant nightlife that gets wild once the sun sets though there are more sedate club and bars for those not the trendy, dance club scene. Fort Lauderdale has an instant romanticism and is poetic in presentation, with bobbing mega yachts, waterfront mansions, giant cruise lines at the port, multi-million-dollar sailboats, as well as its shimmering beaches, tropical palms, trendy boutiques, cultural arts, historical landmarks and upscale suburbs. Its expansive canal system and easy access to the Intracoastal Waterway, along with with dockside riverfront restaurants, have dubbed the area “Venice of America,” replete with gondola rides like in Italy—the ultimate romantic gesture for couples. When visiting Fort Lauderdale, you realize that life here is much more than just the beaches, even if they play a major part of the exotic tropical and nautical lifestyle. The atmosphere is intoxicating, and there is something for everyone, every personality and every age in Fort Lauderdale, from beach lovers and coastal adventure enthusiasts to cultural and history buffs.

Traveler’s Tips & Sunscreen: Sunscreen is a year-round must! The offshore breeze can be deceiving, and many visitor’s vacations have been ruined after day one, especially for winter birds and those with pale skin who don’t know to lather up daily—most recommended is a UV-protecting waterproof and sweat-proof sunscreen with a minimum 30 SPF—and don’t forget to carefully coat your face, including your eye lids and the top of your feet, areas most commonly forgotten, even by locals. The sun is much stronger in this southern most state of North America and can easily burn the palest of skin in minutes. Busting the myth, you’ll tan rather than burn in this strong sun with SPF 30—it just means you can spend the day outdoors 30 times longer, given pale, sun-sensitive skin can burn in minutes without sunscreen. IT’s always a great idea to have a traveler’s size tub in your bag or purse You should also have a good, strong aloe-based lotion on hand can soothe dried out skin from the sun and sat water and aid any minor burns, but if you blister from sunburns, head to an Urgent Care facility. Hats and sunglasses also help with sun glares that project off the white sandy beaches and the crystalline waters and add to the sun exposure.

If coming from snowy states, make sure to layer so you can take off your coat as you walk into summer-like weather when getting off the plane or pealing off layers as you get closer to Florida and out of the car. Also, if you plan on visiting the surrounding areas, like Miami and South Beach, your best bet and most cost-effective transportation is a rental car so make sure you have asked our travel representative about our custom vacation packages that include a preferred-partner Alamo® rental car, even if you want to use it to travel to Florida from another state and back. Also time your entry early or late a.m. to avoid the bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-95 from at least 3:30 to 6:30-7:00 p.m.

About Fort Lauderdale: Fort Lauderdale is a coastal city on the Atlantic Ocean in the U.S. state peninsula of Florida. A plethora of cruise ships depart and arrive, dump passengers that help fuel the economy through tourism. The city is a yachting and boating mecca, with tons of marinas and boatyards and a centrically higher-end nautical lifestyle, but not prestigious or stuffy. The locals are very welcoming, and everyone is out to have fun in the great outdoors. Fort Lauderdale’s vast and winding pristine waterways (an expansive canal system) winding through multi-million-dollar mansions and immediate access to to the Intracoastal have dubbed the area the “Venice of America.” Although the city has long been stereotyped only for the “rich and famous” that can afford luxurious lifestyles, locals and loyal visitors know that the area offers plenty of residential opportunities for lower-income families, work options and affordable opportunities for visiting guests. While the city of Fort Lauderdale is actually small in area with a relatively hearty population of 170,000, the term “Greater Fort Lauderdale” is often used to refer to the larger metropolis that has emerged and developed around it. Fort Lauderdale is the county seat for Broward County and is part of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan area, which has over 5.5 million people.

Namesake: Fort Lauderdale is named after a series of forts built by the United States during the Second Seminole War. The forts were named under Major William Lauderdale, who was the commander of the soldiers who built the first fort. Three forts named “Fort Lauderdale” were constructed; the first was at the fork of the New River, the second at Tarpon Bend on the New River between the Colee Hammock and Rio Vista neighborhoods, and the third near the site of the Bahia Mar Marina. Development of the city did not begin until 50 years after the forts were abandoned after the end of the war.

History: History says that the Seminole Indians were the first inhabitants of the land, arriving and settling in the 18th century, though it also cites that the area in which the city of Fort Lauderdale would later be founded was inhabited for more than a thousand years by the Tequesta Indians, who were basically decimated by the illnesses and plagues such as smallpox that the Europeans and other settlers brought to region upon arrival. Giving credence to the Seminole Indians, during the Second Seminole War, Major William Lauderdale led his Tennessee Volunteers into the area and raised New River Fort on the site of the modern city in 1838. In 1893, a young transplant from Ohio, Frank Stranahan, moved to Fort Lauderdale and built a house that served as the first trading post, post office, bank and town hall of the area. Built near the site of the New River Fort, the original house still stands today as a museum called the Stranahan House—a must see for history buffs. It wasn’t until 1911 that Fort Lauderdale was officially incorporated as a town and became the County Seat of what was the newly formed Broward County. It began as a predominantly agricultural community of dairy farms and citrus groves, becoming so much more as the major port city developed and emerged into a popular vacation destination, bringing in an awful lot of money through tourism. The former Naval Air Station is now Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. After World War II, Fort Lauderdale and its surrounding suburbs flexed its muscles with tremendous growth and development. One of the greatest introductions during that time was the arrival of air-conditioning, a wonderful must-have item in the intense heat and humidity of Florida. Fort Lauderdale now anchors the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach Metropolitan area, the nation’s 6th largest metro area.

Historical Movie-Making Magic: In the 1960s, the silver-screen hit “Where the Boys Are” brought Fort Lauderdale to the U.S. masses and made the city the spring-break capital of the world. For years, college and even high-school spring breakers would flood the area, eventually becoming a bit out of hand and a nuisance for residents and even vendors. Trying to maintain the tourism and economic draw, the city made every effort to clean up the nefarious behavior, tightening city reigns and instating rules/regulations while maintaining its appeal as a popular spring break destination and financial economic draw for the city. Over the years, the Greater Fort Lauderdale and Tri-County are have served as a location site for numerous movies and TV shows, as well as settings for novels. The popular, long-running 1980’s TV series Miami Vice starring Don Johnson ran for years and brought much attention to the Miami and the Greater Fort Lauderdale area. Happy Gilmore with Adam Sandler was shot on the many golf greens of Fort Lauderdale. Other most popular films shot in the Greater Fort Lauderdale and Tri-County area include Something About Mary with Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz, Cape Fear, Adaptation, Scarface, the cult classic Caddyshack and True Lies starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Weather: In South Florida, locals say there are two seasons: Summer and January-February. Fort Lauderdale’s climate makes it the ideal year-round getaway destination for couples, families and individuals alike. It’s hot most of the year—some with intense humidity; others with nearly glorious blue skies and temps in the 80 degrees Fahrenheit, even at Christmastime. Even in winter when temps can get in the mid-70s to lower 80s degrees Fahrenheit, sunscreen is a must on a daily basis, especially amid the region’s subtropical rainforest climate. It’s situated above the Tropic of Cancer, which makes it prone to cold snap that are wimpy compared to the blizzards of the northern states yet temperatures can dip down below 40 degrees and if they stay at freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least 8 hours that they can do some serious damage in Florida, where such cold weather is not conducive to existing plant and animal life. Cold snaps are quite rare in this southernmost state of North America and usually last only a couple days on average. Temperatures that run lower than the 40s, especially freezing (32 degrees F) and last long enough to do damage to exotic animal species, citrus groves and tropical plants like the Christmas Palm and the Coconut Palm. In summer, the weather is extremely hot and very humid, and can be quite uncomfortable, especially during the day. It can also be hazardous to your health, causing frequent and bad sunburns without sunscreen and dehydration. IMPORTANT TIPS: Visitors from out of state should always lather up daily in a minimum of 30 SPF (recommended), which should be reapplied after extensive sweating, swimming or toweling off. Visitors should also carry around water bottles and drink lots of water to avoid dehydration. Don’t let those soothing offshore breezes fool you – the sun and heat are major dehydrators. It’s easy to dehydrate for locals and visitors alike, even if you’re feeling refreshed and cooled down while IN the watery for long periods, but your insides MUST have it too! There have been long-time swimmers and coastal adventure enthusiasts who have felt cool because of the water, but have found themselves severely dehydrated because their water intake has been very low. TIP: Alternate drinking Gatorade and water, as the sodium in Gatorade helps your body retain the hydration of the water—its what Gatorade was specifically and originally developed for in Gainesville, Florida, and it works, In the summer, daytime temperatures are usually in the low 90 degrees Fahrenheit with high humidity and quite uncomfortable for those from northern states, and even locals; nights hover on average around 79 degrees Fahrenheit. There are also frequent and disturbing afternoon thunderstorms almost daily in summer; they are almost predictable in time averaging around 3 p.m. or late often intense and usually come and go. Water spouts are not uncommon over the Atlantic where cold and hot air mix and clouds are churning, Though they look like tornadoes, they are not nearly as intense and hardly ever come aground. In spring and fall, the weather is less humid, with daytime highs around 80 degrees Fahrenheit—the locals’ favorite times of the year. Nightly lows around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (F), and tropical storms occurring in the autumn, but nothing quite like summer except that hurricane season does run through the first week of November. Winter weather is usually extremely pleasant, with little to NO humidity, finds daytime temperatures averaging in the 70-degree Fahrenheit mark and nighttime temperatures in the 50s. Summing it up, published average temperatures run in approximately 75 degrees F in spring, 85 degrees F in summer, 80 degrees F in fall and 70 degrees F in winter. You and your family can have an amazing vacation in Florida year-round, which is why it is one of the top traveler’s destinations in the world.

Getting There: The main domestic airport for the South Florida region is Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. It’s located just two miles south of downtown Fort Lauderdale, and is a major airport and popular low cost-carrier destination. It’s the most convenient airport to Fort Lauderdale, serving many airline carriers that have substantial operations there. It also is an emerging hub for flights to and from the Latin America and the Caribbean. Miami International Airport is anther option located 25 miles south of Fort Lauderdale. It is the major international airport in South Florida and known as “The Gateway to the Americas.” It’s also the Home of American Airlines Latin American hub. There are frequent flights to Europe and many direct flights to the U.S. West Coast. It’s a 40-minute drive from Fort Lauderdale using I-95, but you can be much, much slower during rush hour. Rush-hour traffic in Miami is a well known and at certain times of the day I-95 can assure scooting along at turtle paces in some areas. Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach is another option, however, it primarily serves the Palm Beach area and is the least convenient of the three airports when visiting Fort Lauderdale. You can also enjoy the ride of driving versus flying and entering into the exotic tropical paradise of this flat peninsula, so be sure to ask ne of our travel representatives about our preferred partnership with Alamo® if you have not already been made aware through our special loyalty reward promotions.

Getting Around: Transportation is plentiful: Cabs, cars, private cars, limos, shuttles, bikes, scooters, a water taxi system, not to mention our preferred partnership to enhance your low-cost travel to Fort Lauderdale with our preferred-partner Alamo®. Transportation is easy from Fort Lauderdale airport, given it’s only 2 miles from downtown and where a majority of our accommodations are located. Also check to see if the hotel of your vacation package includes any airport transportation services. You can catch the Tri-Rail—which links Lauderdale, Miami and West Palm—from Miami airport to Fort Lauderdale station for about $4 a head. Then catch the linking bus, or get a cab from the station to your destination. An airport shuttle van from Miami Airport to Fort Lauderdale varies by destination, but runs around $50 to $70 per passenger. You can also use Tri-Rail to get from Palm Beach Airport to Fort Lauderdale. By far the most efficient and cost-effective way to enjoy the Greater Fort Lauderdale and Tri-County areas at your own pace and leisure is by rental car. When visiting Fort Lauderdale, most travelers rent a car—using preferred-partner Alamo through our exclusive promotions—and use the opportunity to also explore the million-dollar home neighborhoods and communities, Miami and the legendary South Beach, as off-the-beaten-path regions. Just four hours north is Orlando—the theme-park capital of the world and completely different atmosphere. Using a rental car saves you hundreds of dollars if you plan on a lot of exploring and traveling around the region, while still having accommodations located within walking distance to numerous beaches, coastal activities and attractions. Be sure to ask our travel representative about preferred-partner Alamo promotional vacation packages if you haven’t already. To enhance your travel our select accommodations are also primly located in the heart of Lauderdale, with easy access to something enjoyable for everyone in the family.

When to Visit: Early fall finds lower prices all around, yet the area still has the ability to offer gorgeous, near perfect weather for winter birds. Golfers visit the area year-round for some of the best and most challenging world-class, pro-designed golf courses to show off their swing—a major draw for golf aficionados from snowy states. Promotional vacations are a great way to get to know the areas, golf the greens and still have plenty of time to enjoy numerous attractions for Fort Lauderdale. Spring is also absolutely stunning with gorgeous skies and amazing temperatures. Check the prices around the months of spring that are included in peak travel season, which brings higher travel prices. Also look for spring break months, which may be busier. But the area is so vast, and attractions and activities so well spread out, that traffic is spaced out and kept well under control.

Local Flavor: Fort Lauderdale isn’t as flashy as Miami and not as wealthy as Palm Beach, but rather somewhere right in the middle. The option for dining in Greater Fort Lauderdale is vast and varied from casual to trendy gourmet cuisine. There area of course, spectacular fresh seafood menu items of specialized restaurants that prepare some of the most exotic and tasty dishes that just may even convert a few people who don’t care much for seafood. Fort Lauderdale has exceptionally talented chefs and restaurateurs who source from many of the best local farms and use the freshest ingredients possible. Dining in Fort Lauderdale is an eclectic palette-tempting mix of cultures, ethnicities, organics and farm fresh-to-table entrées. You’ll find many influences and irresistible flavors, including your typical fast food and chain joints, as well authentic eateries and trendy establishments that are anything but commonplace. Many modern restaurants have atmosphere of Fort Lauderdale. You can eat a hot dog on a stick or dress to the nines for the trendiest of gourmet presentations. In Fort Lauderdale you can find something for every taste: All-American and Seafood, Mediterranean, Italian, Greek. Mexican, Tex-Mex, Brazilian Steakhouses, Southern Soul Food and Barbeque, Cajon and Creole, Salvadorian eateries, Burgers, Pizza and Super Subs, Dessert and Pastry Shops, and so much more.

Shopping: Fort Lauderdale takes shopping as seriously as its water sports and boating lifestyle. Discover the convenience and the value of some retail therapy in Greater Fort Lauderdale. If you have an Alamo rental car with your promotional vacation package you have access to all the incredible shopping areas in the Greater Fort Lauderdale-Miami area. With everything from boutiques and shopping malls to flea markets and outlets, there’s reason to leave extra room in your baggage or pack an extra bag when visiting the region. If you don’t have a car or just want the luxury of no parking hassles, there are special shopping tours for groups and local shuttle buses from the beach as well. Many hotels also provide easy access to shopping centers, and you can even shop The Galleria by water taxi. You can also shop Sawgrass Mills, the world’s largest discount and entertainment mall, the Swap Shop, the South’s largest flea market, and Festival Flea Market, a quarter-mile long shopper’s paradise, are just a few of the venues to begin your retail therapy. Las Olas Blvd. is known as Greater Fort Lauderdale’s “Style Mile,” which is lined with independently owned boutiques, a restaurant row commanded by acclaimed chefs, and lively lounges and cafés with sidewalk seating. Las Olas Blvd. also is a major stop along the Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Water Taxi system. If you have a car, head into Miami and South Beach for the most upscale, off-the-runway fashions and often hefty-tagged items at numerous shopping centers, and trendy upscale and brand-name boutiques. While in South Beach, you can also see the oceanfront mansion that once belonged to the late exquisite high-end designer, Gianni Versace, who dressed numerous celebrities during his career. You’ll also catch some eclectic people watching and shops amid entertainment centers while on Collins Avenue in South Beach.

Spa Therapy: You can gently melt away stress and unwind in one of the luxurious Greater Fort Lauderdale spas, from casual and red-door day spas, to indulgent hotel spas that form a seemingly long lifeline along the interior and coastal areas. Lauderdale spa therapy caters to many elite and residential customers, as well tourists alike. Indulge in customized sessions, as well as exotic skin-care treatments, facials, body treatments, manicures, pedicures, and hair and makeup artistry from some of the top spa therapists in the country. The number of spas in the area makes it easy to find one possibly in your own hotel, nearby or within easy access to various spas so you can enjoy the health and wellness benefits vacationing even more.

Nightlife: Feel the energetic vibe of Fort Lauderdale’s legendary nightlife as soon as the sun sets. Fort Lauderdale’s nightlife is alive with wine bars, nightclubs, sports bars, casinos, horseracing, dancing and big-laugh comedy clubs. Spirits also have a menu with mix masters of their own serving up amazing concoctions and brews. The flash and flair come out at night with trendy clubs competing for visitors’ attention. There are also restaurants and wine bars that carry an impressive collection of varietals that make for a wine lover’s paradise. There are plenty of indoor and outdoor cafés, trendy lounges, and riverfront bistros and dockside service to sit, sip and socialize—and maybe make a few new friends. With so many night clubs in town and severe competition, some clubs close as soon as they pop up, so make sure if you have a place in mind to call ahead and check if it’s still open and wait times. Many clubs are also V.I.P., some heavily frequented by celebrities, and getting in may be a long or not-even possible wait. But there is an eclectic mix of mild to wild clubs, pubs, western saloons, lounges, and Latin-salsa and trendy DJ-mixing dance clubs—a huge variety to please every personal pleasure and interest that can last wee into the hours of the hours of the morning.

Water Sports: Coastal and Water-based activities are flowing in this water-based city. Hydrophiles will never get bored with such a vast and varied amount of activities both in and out of the water, like jet skiing, parasailing, boating, deep-sea fishing, inland fishing, dinner cruises, kayaking, snorkeling, water-jet-packing, glass-bottom-boat tours, paddle-boarding, wakeboarding and waterskiing via cable ways or behind a boat, surfing, scuba diving and more. If fishing is your thing, you don’t want to miss waters teeming with exceptional sport fishing, as well as the interactive exhibits at the International Game Fish Association’s Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum. Whatever water-sports adventure you can imagine or want to do, you will find it in Fort Lauderdale—the land for water-sports lovers. Every opportunity for water sports and adventure in Fort Lauderdale enhance the health and wellness benefits of vacationing—many that get you fit and fabulous and mentally recharged while having a tremendous amount of fun for a return back to reality that others will heavily envy.

Game On: In Fort Lauderdale, Lady Luck shines as brightly as the sun. From blackjack to racetracks, you can bet on an exciting night or day out on the town. Don’t miss the casino action with slots and poker, Thoroughbred and harness racing and jai alai.

Local Flavor: Fort Lauderdale isn’t as flashy as Miami and not as wealthy as Palm Beach, but rather somewhere right in the middle. The option for dining in Greater Fort Lauderdale is vast and varied from casual to trendy gourmet cuisine. There area of course, spectacular fresh seafood menu items of specialized restaurants that prepare some of the most exotic and tasty dishes that just may even convert a few people who don’t care much for seafood. Fort Lauderdale has exceptionally talented chefs and restaurateurs who source from many of the best local farms and use the freshest ingredients possible. Dining in Fort Lauderdale is an eclectic palette-tempting mix of cultures, ethnicities, organics and farm fresh-to-table entrées. You’ll find many influences and irresistible flavors, including your typical fast food and chain joints, as well authentic eateries and trendy establishments that are anything but commonplace. Many modern restaurants have atmosphere of Fort Lauderdale. You can eat a hot do go on a stick or dress to the nines for the trendiest of gourmet presentations. In Fort Lauderdale you can find something for every taste: All-American and Seafood, Mediterranean, Italian, Greek. Mexican, Tex-Mex, Brazilian Steakhouses, Southern Soul Food and Barbeque, Cajon and Creole, Salvadorian eateries, Burgers, Pizza and Super Subs, Dessert and Pastry Shops, and so much more.

Water Sports: Coastal and Water-based activities are flowing in this water-based city. Hydrophiles will never get bored with such a vast and varied amount of activities bot in and out of the water, like jet skiing, parasailing, boating, deep-sea fishing, inland fishing, dinner cruises, kayaking, snorkeling, water-jet-packing, glass-bottom-boat tours, paddle-boarding, wakeboarding and waterskiing via cable ways or behind a boat, surfing, scuba diving and more. If fishing is your thing, you don’t want to miss waters teeming with exceptional sport fishing, as well as the interactive exhibits at the International Game Fish Association’s Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum. Whatever water-sports adventure you can imagine or wan to do, you will find it in Fort Lauderdale—the land for water-sports lovers. Every opportunity for water sports and adventure in Fort Lauderdale enhance the health and wellness benefits of vacationing—many that get you fit and fabulous and mentally recharged while having a tremendous amount of fun for a return back to reality that others will heavily envy.