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15 Reasons Why You Should Visit Fort Lauderdale, Florida

15 Reasons Why You Should Visit Fort Lauderdale, Florida

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With pristine beaches and waterways compared to those of Venice, Italy, there is no shortage of things to do in this popular tourist destination. Home to diverse cultures, Fort Lauderdale rivals beach towns around the world. It’s close to Miami but it’s not Miami. It’s close to Boca Raton but it’s not Boca Raton. Here are 15 reasons why you should visit Fort Lauderdale.

Sources: FortLauderdaleHistoricalSociety.org, VisitFlorida.com, VacationsMadeEasy.com, ishof.org, sunny.org

wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

1. It is called Venice of America.

Fort Lauderdale has a vast system of waterways that includes the New River, Intracoastal Waterway and a plethora of canals. You can take tours of these waterways with various companies water taxis, or just rent or bring your own kayak.

Flickr.com
Flickr.com

2. Spring breakers destination

In 1960, Fort Lauderdale Beach hit the spotlight and struck a chord with spring breakers when it was featured in the comedy movie, “Where the Boys Are.” College fun seekers still party here. Crazy how a movie can change the face of a place almost instantaneously. The movie started with a flyover of Fort Lauderdale Beach, then devoid of the long stretch of high rise hotels and condos that now line the strip.

Source: Comcastbiz

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

3. It may be part of the Bermuda Triangle

Some people believe the city of Fort Lauderdale to be the western corner of the Bermuda Triangle, giving the city a spooky side for all those superstitious folk out there. Just don’t get sucked in!

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

4. It’s a great place to find love

Recent census data shows Fort Lauderdale has the second highest male-to-female ratio of U.S. cities with a population of 100,000 or more. This means that if you are looking for love, both sexes will find plenty of opportunity.

wikipedia.org
wikipedia.org

5. People have lived here for more than 4,000 years

Archaeologists in the Fort Lauderdale area have found evidence of human inhabitance dating back as much as 4,000 years. This includes the Seminole tribe for which Florida state mascot is named.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

6. Swimming Hall of Fame

The International Swimming Hall of Fame is located in Fort Lauderdale.  It was founded in 1965 and you can actually swim there.

Wikipedia.org

Wikipedia.org

7. It is the yachting capitl of America

There are 23 miles of Atlantic beaches along the coast of Fort Lauderdale, six of which are blue wave certified beaches, designated by the Clean Beaches Council. This helps make Fort Lauderdale the yachting capital of the world.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

8. It helped make Florida 3rd most active gambling state in U.S

Fort Lauderdale is home to some huge casinos, and helped make Florida the third most active gambling state in the U.S. Lookout, Vegas!

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

9. It’s a great scuba diving and snorkeling destination

Directly off its shores, divers can enjoy a three-tiered living reef system along with more than 75 artificial reefs, making Fort Lauderdale a popular scuba diving and snorkeling destination.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

10. Why it’s called Fort Lauderdale

The name Fort Lauderdale comes from the forts that were built there during the Second Seminole War (1835 to 1842). Maj. William Lauderdale commanded the first soldiers to build a fort in this area. The city did not actually begin to develop until 50 years after the war had ended. Fort Lauderdale was incorporated in 1911.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

11. Movies shot in Fort Lauderdale

“Caddyshack”, “Adaptation”, and “Happy Gilmore” are some of the major motion pictures shot in Fort Lauderdale. Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, has made his home here, along with scores of other famous people.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

12. The city where it’s almost always summer

The first time snow was ever recorded in Fort Lauderdale was 1977, an extremely rare occasion considering the year-round average temperature is 75 degrees Fahrenheit and the residents celebrate Christmas by decorating their yachts.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

13. Tough times in Fort Lauderdale

The worst hurricane damage (so far) in Fort Lauderdale was in September of 1926. There was a huge land boom going on at the time a hurricane set the area so far back that it went into an economic depression. This happened right before the stock market crash of 1929 — a very rough time for Fort Lauderdale.

Tripadvisor.com
Tripadvisor.com

14. Fort Lauderdale’s economy relies on tourism

Fort Lauderdale’s economy relies heavily on its tourism — 13.1 million people visited Fort Lauderdale in 2013. These tourists put around $10.6 billion into the local economy. Part of this stems from the huge cruiseline industry that leaves from Port Everglades. Cruise ships carried 3.7 million people here in 2012.

Sunny.org
Sunny.org

15. Largest flea market/drive-in-theatre in U.S.

Fort Lauderdale is home to the largest flea market/drive-in theatre in the U.S. More than 12 million people visit the Swap Shop every year to either take in a movie on one of the 14 screens or shop the limitless number of items offered here.