Fort Lauderdale is sometimes described as something placed in the middle of South Beach and Palm Beach. And this description points to a very particular aspect of the city, that is, the options that it opens to visitors and residents of many different ages and backgrounds. Located north of Miami, Fort Lauderdale has indeed become a very attractive place for families, young people, and tourists in general. It has points of interest such as museums, beaches, and lots of nightlife activities, and all this is surrounded by a very pleasing climate, a tropical rainforest one that makes everyone’s visit something to really recall with great emotion. And among all these factors, no one would probably deny that one of the main reasons why Fort Lauderdale has become so popular among so many kinds of people is its canals.
Image courtesy of VISIT FLORIDA Editor at Flickr.com
Fort Lauderdale, whose name comes from a series of forts built during the Second Seminole War by Major William Lauderdale (1782 - 1838), is nowadays known as the Venice of America, and doubtless the reason for this way of calling it is its beautiful canals. The city has a very intricate system of canals, one of the most beautiful ones in the United States according to many. This system of canals gives Fort Lauderdale the relaxing atmosphere of a Mediterranean city, and that probably helps to explain why it is so important as a great destination for tourists, though of course the fact that the temperature during the entire year is around 75.5 °F (24.2 °C), and that people can enjoy about 3,000 hours of sunshine every year also helps.
Of course, due to its complex system of canals, you could perhaps be tempted to get around the city on a water taxi. It is cheap after all, and you have the chance to stop in eleven different places from 9 am to around midnight, depending on the location. But it would certainly be a mistake to enjoy the city and its canals only in this particular way. The main reason is that the canals of Fort Lauderdale give both visitors and residents an amazing opportunity to practice water sports of many types. And one has to take also into account the 23 miles of spectacular and very clean beaches, which constitute another sort of opportunity to practice a huge variety of water activities. As a consequence, it is normal to see in the city sports involving boats, jet skis, snorkeling, and of course, paddleboarding. Paddleboarding is in fact the water activity usually recommended if you want to get to know the city and its canals in a better way.
Of course, due to its complex system of canals, you could perhaps be tempted to get around the city on a water taxi. It is cheap after all, and you have the chance to stop in eleven different places from 9 am to around midnight, depending on the location. But it would certainly be a mistake to enjoy the city and its canals only in this particular way. The main reason is that the canals of Fort Lauderdale give both visitors and residents an amazing opportunity to practice water sports of many types. And one has to take also into account the 23 miles of spectacular and very clean beaches, which constitute another sort of opportunity to practice a huge variety of water activities. As a consequence, it is normal to see in the city sports involving boats, jet skis, snorkeling, and of course, paddleboarding. Paddleboarding is in fact the water activity usually recommended if you want to get to know the city and its canals in a better way.
Image courtesy of VISIT FLORIDA Editor at Flickr.com
One option that immediately appears for those interesting in practicing paddleboarding is to go to the New River and enjoy the landscapes and the scenery that one can find in one’s way there. This is a great chance to see, for example, mega yachts belonging to the rich and the famous, and also their very luxury houses from a position where no bodyguard will come to tell you anything. And while you enjoy this part of your tour, pay attention to the waters. You could perhaps see a manatee coming to say hello, or something like that. The point is that besides all the palatial estates and the multi-million dollar luxury places that you can see, there is also the chance to enjoy the more natural areas in the intracoastal and the river system of Fort Lauderdale. It is therefore no exaggeration at all to claim that this route can clearly be described as something that you will never find anywhere else in the world, something that clearly you will never forget. Perhaps that is the reason why many locals do it several times during their lifetimes.
Of course, you can navigate different routes every day, depending on your own interests. After all, that is one of the great advantages of being in the middle of the Venice of America. Another option, for instance, can be to take a journey from Barrier Island to the Riverfront in Las Olas. This is indeed a very relaxing experience for everyone who enjoys another way of seeing the city. You will find changes in tropical birds and wildlife that will doubtless surprise you at many points in your route.
Of course, you can navigate different routes every day, depending on your own interests. After all, that is one of the great advantages of being in the middle of the Venice of America. Another option, for instance, can be to take a journey from Barrier Island to the Riverfront in Las Olas. This is indeed a very relaxing experience for everyone who enjoys another way of seeing the city. You will find changes in tropical birds and wildlife that will doubtless surprise you at many points in your route.
Image courtesy of siralbertus at Flickr.com
Another option that you may have to enjoy Fort Lauderdale and its canals while you practice paddleboarding is yoga. This is indeed one those tendencies of mixing activities that seem to be very different, even opposite to each other, but that has become very popular and successful among people. It allows you to enjoy nature, water, and a sunny day while you stretch a bit. Likewise, you can do some paddleboarding at other times of the day. For example, it is very popular among visitors and residents to do it at night. That is certainly a way of getting in touch with the city and its canals in a way that you will never experience in another place.