Come for the boat show, stay for the fun. Bigger. And better than ever. That\u2019s the promise for this year\u2019s 62nd Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. For five action-packed days in October \u2013 October 27 to 31 to be precise \u2013 Greater Fort Lauderdale will live-up to its title of \u201cYachting Capital of the World\u201d.
\nWith seven separate show locations, including the glamorous Superyacht Village, six miles of floating docks, more than 1,500 boats of every shape, size and price, plus miles of aisles inside a multitude of exhibition tents, FLIBS is the not-to-be-missed boating event of the year.
\nBut these days there\u2019s so much more to Greater Fort Lauderdale than the world\u2019s biggest in-water boat show. Come for FLIBS, but stay to soak-up the new level of style, sophistication and laid-back, fun-under-the-sun vibe this diverse, cosmopolitan playground has to offer.
\nFor those in search of pampering luxury, decadent fine-dining, world-class mixologists, and breathtaking views, Greater Fort Lauderdale now boasts some of the most luxurious accommodations you\u2019ll find anywhere.
\nNew high-luxe hotels from some of the world\u2019s most-renowned brands are all here. From Ritz-Carlton to Conrad, from Kimpton to W, from Hyatt to the soon-to-open, 22-story Four Seasons Hotel & Residences, there\u2019s no shortage of boutique luxury.
\nIf a tropical haven is more your style, take your flip-flops to Jimmy Buffett\u2019s Parrothead-friendly Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort. Watersport fans will love its FlowRider\u00ae surfing simulator, paddleboards, and beach snorkeling.
\nOr if you want to party like a rock star, the breathtaking new $1.5 billion, guitar-shaped Guitar Hotel \u2013 part of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino \u2013 offers world-class, round-the-clock entertainment, an indulgent 3,900-square-metre spa, plus private villas with their own plunge pools and attentive butlers eager to keep the margaritas flowing.
\nMatching these luxurious digs are some of the finest dining options to satisfy the cravings of the most fastidious foodie. For seafood satisfaction, head to the Blue Moon Fish Company on the Intracoastal Waterway for the standout blue-crab-stuffed grouper or firecracker oysters. Or posh Dune from the Napa Valley-based Auberge group. Here the Floridian black grouper is divine and the wine list second to none.
\nFor the tastiest stone crabs, king crabs and wild jumbo shrimp, Billy\u2019s Stone Crab on the waterfront in Hollywood Beach is a true seafood-lover\u2019s delight.
\nJust know that with more than 4,000 eateries to choose from in the 31 communities that make up Greater Fort Lauderdale, no one is going to go hungry.
\nThe buzzing Las Olas Boulevard \u2013 with its upscale shopping, it\u2019s Lauderdale\u2019s answer to Rodeo Drive \u2013 is like taking a culinary food tour around the planet. This mile-long slice of Old Florida is the perfect place to sample everything from Italian, Asian or\u00a0 Mexican to contemporary American cuisine.
\nLas Olas\u2019 Boathouse at The Riverside offers a front-row seat to the never-ending parade of boats and superyachts that cruise the New River. The menu has a Mediterranean twist with everything from Moroccan-spice meatballs to hot and cold tapas.
\nAnd that\u2019s the beauty of this corner of Southern Florida; there\u2019s water everywhere. With a staggering 300 miles of navigable waterways, there\u2019s a reason they call it the Venice of America.<\/p>\n
Hop on one of the flotilla of water taxis, riverboats or private charter yachts, for an up-close and personal look at some of Greater Fort Lauderdale\u2019s mind-blowing mega-mansions and their megayachts tied-up outside. For the best line-up of luxury property, look no further than the New River\u2019s Millionaires\u2019 Row \u2013 or more likely Billionaires\u2019 Row these days.
\nFor the more thrill-seeking mariners, rent a Jet Ski from 5-Star Jet Ski rentals and wave-hop your way around this watery wonderland. Or satisfy your urge to submerge and dive one of the 76 artificial reefs created in the warm Gulf Stream waters just offshore.
\nToday, Greater Fort Lauderdale is home to the largest collection of warm-water wrecks in the Western world. Like the 100-metre Lady Luck that was sunk in 2016 just a mile off Pompano Beach. It\u2019s the centrepiece of the new Shipwreck Park for divers to explore. It includes the 31-metre tug Okinawa along with another 15 sunken vessels close by.
\nOr you just might want to do what so many visitors to Greater Fort Lauderdale do, and that\u2019s chill. With an average year-round temperature of 25 degrees C and typically 3,000 or more hours of sunshine a year, the weather\u2019s just about perfect to enjoy the 24 miles of golden sand on eight dedicated beaches that stretch from Deerfield in the north, to Hallandale in the south.
\nWith Greater Fort Lauderdale now fully open for business post-Covid, there\u2019s simply never been a better time to Visit Lauderdale.
\nFor all the information you\u2019ll ever need about planning a visit, just go to www.VisitLauderdale.com\/Welcome
\nThe post Visit Lauderdale: For everything under the sun appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Come for the boat show, stay for the fun. Bigger. And better than ever. That\u2019s the promise for this year\u2019s 62nd Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. For five action-packed days in October \u2013 October 27 to 31 to be precise … <\/p>\n