Sport fishing is hugely popular in Florida, and with 100 marinas and boatyards, Fort Lauderdale offers ample opportunities for charters, which take fishermen as far as the Bahamas to catch swordfish, marlin, mahi mahi, and half a dozen varieties of shark.  

Sunbathers relaxing on Fort Lauderdale's white sand beach. The city has seven miles of beaches.  

Sunrise in Fort Lauderdale  

Boat traffic in Fort Lauderdale's New River. Criss-crossed with 165 total miles of rivers and canals, the area within Fort Lauderdale's borders is almost 12 percent water.  

Onlookers watch the cruise ship Ruby Princess 3 docking in Fort Lauderdale. Though it was once known for hosting college students on spring break, Fort Lauderdale now receives the bulk of its tourism revenue from cruise ships.  

Just to the north of Fort Lauderdale, sleepy Pompano Beach is redeveloping its waterfront with an eye toward becoming a top vacation destination.  

Sunrise on the beach in Hollywood, Florida, just south of Fort Lauderdale  

A view down the shore in Fort Lauderdale