Miles of Blue Perfection
When it comes to getting away from it all and experiencing a luxe vacation, Greater Fort Lauderdale has plenty to brag about.
From the seagrass to the sawgrass, Greater Fort Lauderdale lavishes visitors with a stunning array of luxury hotels and resorts that reflect the region’s incomparable “beach chic” vibe. With 23 miles of Blue Wave certified beaches and 300 miles of inland waterways that run from the Intracoastal Waterway to the Everglades, Greater Fort Lauderdale has been called the “Venice of America.”
With year-round sunshine and pleasant temperatures, Greater Fort Lauderdale is home to championship tennis and golf. Near downtown Fort Lauderdale, the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center is one of the nation’s finest public tennis facilities, where pros Chris Evert and Jennifer Capriati honed their games. Private lessons are available here for a range of ages and skill levels.
With numerous public, private and resort golfing options, visitors have plenty of places to sweeten their swing before teeing it up. Some of the area’s premier golf courses are designed by top-rated golf pros such Joe Lee’s Westin Diplomat course and the newly designed Greg Norman signature golf course for Pompano Beach.
Whether by bike, foot, kayak, surf board or scuba tank, adventurers and fun seekers will find plenty of ways to get around and explore the area’s many natural and cultural sites while burning a few extra calories. Just don’t forget to bring your camera – except when waterskiing, of course.
Popular areas for kayaking and watersports include John U. Lloyd Beach State Park, Anne Kolb Nature Center and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, which also offers Full Moon kayaking excursions. Divers will want to jump right in and explore Greater Fort Lauderdale’s multi-tiered natural reef system stretching almost 70 miles and venture through more than 80 wrecks and artificial reefs, some as close as 100 yards offshore.
If you prefer to find your inner balance consider giving flo-yo (floating yoga), or Yoga S.U.P. (stand up paddling) a try. This very popular and effective fitness craze, started in Greater Fort Lauderdale by local yoga expert Dashama Konah Gordon, has attracted celebrities like Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson and Jennifer Aniston. Rentals and lessons can be found at George English Park in Fort Lauderdale.
Or for the thrill seekers the Rocketman experience, with high-powered water jets generating up to 500 pounds of thrust and speeds reaching 30 mph is a must-try. Intuitive flight controls take just minutes to learn but allow for complex maneuvers from running on water and soaring up to 30 feet, to hovering and pivoting in any direction over open water.
For more information on how to stay active in Greater Fort Lauderdale, visit www.sunny.org/fitlauderdale.
