Fort Lauderdale, Florida  USA

Greater Fort Lauderdale's strongest attraction is arguably the twenty-three miles of powdery sand and palm-fringed, lucid waters that line the coastline from Hallandale to Deerfield Beach

Upscale Hotels Highlight the New Luxury Story
Greater Fort Lauderdale’s upscale hotels have arrived, placing a luxury stamp on an already casually sophisticated destination. In 2007, the 373-room Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort with a zero-entry pool, grocery and beach concierges arrived. In May 2007, the $240 million, 166-room St. Regis Resort, Fort Lauderdale – the first of its brand in Florida – opened with a stylish gourmet restaurant and a wine room featuring more than 1,000 different bottles. In 2008, the W Fort Lauderdale will add another 346 luxury rooms to Greater Fort Lauderdale, as well as a signature Stephen Starr restaurant and renowned Bliss® Spa. And “The Donald” will bring a new luxury property from the hotel mogul, the Michael Graves-designed Trump International Hotel & Tower Fort Lauderdale in 2009.

The "Venice of America" and Yachting Capital of the World

Greater Fort Lauderdale’s 300-plus miles of navigable inland canals – part of the Intracoastal Waterway – stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Everglades. A destination within a destination, the waterways offer everything from centuries-old mangroves to opulent multi-million-dollar mansions. They also connect the area’s top activities, attractions, hotels, shopping areas and restaurants. Visitors can go snorkeling in the Atlantic Ocean, towel off and cast a reel to land the catch of the day, then “dock and dine” and have their hard-earned meal prepared just the way they like it. The waterways help underpin the destination’s casual chic lifestyle, distinguishing Greater Fort Lauderdale from other beach destinations.

With so much water, it’s hard to know just how to explore the inland canals. Participating in a kayak tour or renting one for individual exploration are two options. Greater Fort Lauderdale is home to a multi-billion-dollar marine industry with more than 42,000 registered yachts. Celebrity-owned, eight-figure mega-yachts ease along the New River and dock in luxurious digs like the 250-slip Bahia Mar Resort & Yachting Center, which can accommodate up to 100 mega-yachts. For those with slightly more modest tastes, yacht rentals are both readily available and easily affordable. Greater Fort Lauderdale also boasts a water taxi system that takes passengers up and down the waterways’ major arteries.