Fort Lauderdale: Canals, Sunshine, and Vacation Mode City #1

Fort Lauderdale has a pretty cool backstory. It started out as a military outpost during the Second Seminole War back in 1838 and was named after Major William Lauderdale, whose expedition built forts along the New River. Fast-forward a whole lot of years, and this once-quiet winter escape has grown into what people now call the "Yachting Capital of the World."

One of the first things that makes Fort Lauderdale stand out is all the water. The city has more than 300 miles of navigable waterways, with 165 miles running right through the city itself, which is why it’s often called the "Venice of America." It really does feel like boats and canals are part of everyday life here.

It’s also a huge spot for boating and cruising. Fort Lauderdale is home to more than 50,000 registered yachts, and Port Everglades is the third-busiest cruise port in the world. Between the massive ships, marinas, and endless boats, it’s easy to see how the city earned its reputation.

Fort Lauderdale also has a legendary spring break history. Back in the 1960s, the cult-classic movie Where the Boys Are helped put the city on the map as the original wild spring break destination, drawing huge college crowds every year. These days, though, the vibe has shifted a lot more toward family-friendly beach town than party capital.

And of course, the weather is a big part of the appeal. With an average temperature of 75.5° F and more than 3,000 hours of sunshine each year, Fort Lauderdale is basically built for warm-weather escapes. Snow is almost unheard of here, it’s only happened once in recorded history, on January 19, 1977.

Flying into Ft. Lauderdale was such an easy start to the trip. From the airplane window, the view was gorgeous, bright blue ocean water crashing against strips of white sand, like a postcard come to life. The airport itself was small and super easy to get through, which made grabbing a rental car quick and stress-free. After that, it was an easy drive to the hotel with barely any traffic, which honestly felt like the perfect way to kick off a full week of vacation. If the rest of the trip starts this smoothly, I’m already off to a great beginning.