Fort Lauderdale is one of those tantalising places that you can”t actually fly to direct from the UK and is therefore not on the British airlines' maps. Ask a typical experienced US holidaymaker from this side of the water where it is and a surprising number of answers come back. In fact Fort Lauderdale is in Florida, not much more than 20 miles north of Miami and is but one municipality (there are 30 of them) that go together to make up what is officially called Broward County. The major local airport, which goes under the misleading title of Fort Lauderdale International, with just a few flights to the Caribbean and South America, will handle 20m passengers this year, about on par with Stansted. The airport is very modern but in security conscious America (very sensibly) on domestic flights proper metal cutlery is offered, and, perhaps more controversially, for the single pilot commuter runs to say Key West, no checking of the passengers at all. 1.7m people live in Broward County of which 150,000 reside in Fort Lauderdale, the largest of the suburbs.
Just two miles from the airport is Port Everglades, very much an integral part of Broward County, and which claims to be the world”s largest cruise port. It will handle 4m people this year. It was where the Queen Mary 2 made for with its first North Atlantic crossing. They can board with impunity 3,000 passengers in two hours and often there can be up to 12 huge liners in at one time. The whole place is geared up for it and makes it look simple.
The Fort Lauderdale web site sums up the whole place http://www.sunny.org. New Yorkers in their droves find their way south during the spring and winter months. The average all year-round temperature is 77F (23C) with 3,000 hours of sunshine. However it can get windy at times and as this was being written a major hurricane was forecast for some parts of Florida. Late August and early September seem to be the months to keep away from if you are booking in advance. With 300 miles of navigable waterways it has been justifiably called ”The Venice of America”. In fact Broward County is quite narrow and once out of the city you will find yourself on fine roads that crisscross what was once the Everglades swamp, now controlled and managed. But keep to the roads and dedicated visiting places. There are some nasty reptiles about.
Broward County has more than 23 miles of beaches that are perfect for sailing, swimming, windsurfing, water skiing, boating, deep-sea fishing, parasailing and scuba diving. You would never have seen so many boats and small luxury cruisers in your life serviced by 148 marinas and 35 boat repair yards. Take the water taxi for a tour which will pass some of the most impressive private houses anywhere in the world. One after the other. It is quite amazing, all of them fronting on to a whole series of canals and waterways. If golf is your fancy there is a choice of 56 courses and 550 tennis courts in the county. As far as hotels the choice is endless and much depends on your requirements and pocket. Sawgrass Mills is an amazing indoor (fully air conditioned of course) factory outlet shopping complex, perhaps four times the size of Brent Cross, where there is real value for money particularly in the clothing departments. Feast your eyes on 370 stores.
Aviation enthusiasts might like to know that Fort Lauderdale is the home of the Goodyear Blimp operation (open for visits). There is the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art, a fine hands on children”s museum and the fine Broward Center for the Performing Arts, with its two theatres and Mama Mia about to open (highly recommended). The whole area, in truth, has not got much history (although there are museums) but providing you like beaches, quality shopping, eating and a not too ambitious night life you will not be disappointed. The Convention Center (left) is ambitious too!
If you are holidaymaking in Broward County you will need a car. Walking is just not on. ABTN can thoroughly recommended the Hertz ”Never Lost” which is a must for saving marriages and friendships. Absolutely brilliant and far in advance of GPS systems available at this time over here at just $9 a day, around five pounds sterling. It can find petrol (gas) stations, hotels and places to eat. It will allow you to get out into the countryside or what the locals call the Everglades.
Whilst Florida is for the most part very flat the countryside is more interesting than you would think. A little over one hour out of Fort Lauderdale you can find the ancestral home of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The Ah Tah Thi Ki Museum tells you the history of these remarkable and fiercely independent people who have never been conquered fighting off both Spanish and US invaders. Outside there is a one-and-a-half miles of boardwalk nature trail which winds its way through lush vegetation. Signage on the trails identifies the plant life, and describes traditional Seminole uses of the plants. Besides the prevalent bald cypress, trees include the willow, pond apple, red maple, pop ash, and cabbage palm, to name a few. Along the trail is a re-created Seminole village, where Native Americans work on traditional arts and crafts. The nearby Billie Swamp Safari combines the history and wildlife of the Everglades with modern eco tourism. Take a trip on the airboat but do ensure your hands are kept well inside as you glide past the alligators. If that is a bit too noisy and quick a more leisurely ride can be taken on the swamp buggy, a mobile tourist platform. For the keen perhaps younger visitor, you can go native and hire a Chickee hut for the night and by the campfire hear stories of crocodile wrestling.
http://www.seminoletribe.com
http://www.sunny.org