• • •
After our boat ride, we enjoyed window shopping on nearby Las Olas Boulevard, with its gas lights and greenery. It’s a chic boulevard with boutiques, galleries and restaurants.
Just a short walk away was Riverwalk, a lovely riverfront promenade along the New River lined with trees, benches and outdoor cafes.
When we were ready for another boat ride, we climbed aboard one of the most popular Fort Lauderdale conveyances, the water bus. It’s a sleek, 70-passenger vessel with both indoor and outdoor seating and routes that cover many of Fort Lauderdale’s landmarks.
These water buses ply the waters, taking passengers to restaurants, hotels and other sites, traveling the New River to downtown Fort Lauderdale and also along seven miles of the Intracoastal Waterway.
As our water bus skimmed along the river, we enjoyed both the novelty of this "bus" and the sights. So did our fellow passengers, who were a mix of tourists and residents.
Of course, the water bus is not the fastest way to get around town. But no one takes this vessel to save time. In fact, part of the pleasure is the chance to relax and enjoy a leisurely ride.
Still another ride on the water was on a "Duck" tour. The bright yellow "ducks" are actually World War II amphibious vehicles that have been ingeniously restored as modern touring vehicles that travel both on land and water. They’re a popular attraction in varied East Coast cities where water touring is possible, such as Boston and our own Philadelphia.
Fort Lauderdale is ideal for the Ducks. Our sightseeing tour took us first along the beachfront route, then across a bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway as we headed west.
Soon our driver adjusted some devices, and we were splashing down into the water, where our Duck became a vessel skimming along the water, taking us through the area’s canals and maze of waterways.
• • •
Besides boat tours, another major Fort Lauderdale attraction is the beach itself, plus the popular beachfront promenade complete with a "Wave Wall," a white curving structure that resembles waves and frames the walkway.
The people parade on this promenade is endlessly varied, with rollerbladers, joggers, power walkers — people of all ages, sizes and shapes — enjoying the stroll and the proximity to a white sandy beach dotted with palm trees.
It’s an award-wining beach, designated a Blue Wave Beach by the Clean Beaches Council, a national coastal group that gives its award only to the nation’s cleanest, safest and most user-friendly beaches.
The Greater Fort Lauderdale beaches, which include beaches in nearby Hollywood and Pompano, are the only beaches in Florida that qualified for the Blue Wave distinction.
But those who want secluded beaches will be disappointed. The Fort Lauderdale beach parallels Route A1A, the major oceanfront route, so cars whiz by while people stroll along the beach promenade, seemingly oblivious to the traffic. Instead, they’re focused on the expansive view of the blue Atlantic, the palm trees and the brilliant sunshine.
It’s easy to find a resort or an inn near the water. The range of accommodations covers everything from the recently opened deluxe St Regis Resort to smaller hotels and inns. The tourist office even publishes a guide to what it calls "Superior Small Lodgings." With tourism a major industry, these resorts are invariably tourist-friendly.
• • •
One surprise of Fort Lauderdale is that while it’s well-known for beaches and waterways, it also has a vibrant arts and culture scene. For instance, there’s the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. With its lavish gardens and Spanish style architecture, the structure looks at first glance like an elegant resort. Instead, it’s the setting for musical theater, dance programs, concerts and other performances that take place right in the heart of Fort Lauderdale.
Approaching through the surrounding gardens, we especially admired an intricately detailed sculpture of cellos titled "Cellophilia" that was surrounded by flower beds.
Performing arts events take place in the two state-of-the-art theaters. They cover the gamut — plays, Broadway musicals, concerts, ballet, opera and film festivals.
The Museum of Art is just a short distance from the Performing Arts Center. A modern building on a spacious plaza, it is Florida’s largest art exhibition space, housing an impressive collection that includes major 20th century European and American works.
From there it was just a short walk to Florida’s most widely visited museum, the Museum of Discovery and Science. The hands-on interactive exhibits — a delight for youngsters but intriguing to adults, too — include a wide assortment: the Science of Sports, Mazes, Magnetics, Holiday Traditions and more. And the five-story 3-D IMAX theater is one of only four in the U.S.
It was well worth it to pull away from the lure of the beaches and boat rides to explore these cultural attractions. But of course, it’s the sunshine and the outdoors that are the main attraction of Fort Lauderdale.
With its numerous waterways and boats, the water is a dominant presence anywhere in Fort Lauderdale. And this South Florida city easily lives up to its nickname as the Venice of America. ••
For general information, call the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-22-SUNNY or 1-954-765-4466, or visit the Web site at www.sunny.org