A Sunshine State Mal<eover

joy all of the things I loved about New
York-Broadway shows, museums, great
shopping and restaurants-but
in a
place where the weather's fantastic and
my permanent lifestyle is one I used to
enjoy only when on vacation."
»Fast Facts
From the 1950sto the mid-1980s, down-
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town Fort Lauderdale hosted roughly
350,000 college students for a few weeks
each year. Today, the "Venice of America," as it's sometimes called for its 300
miles of navigable inland waterways and
44,000 registered boats, still welcomes
students (mostly in March) and eight
million other visitors throughout the
year. Located 30 miles north of Miami,
Fort Lauderdale is the largest of 30 municipalities comprising Broward County. The heart of Florida's Gold Coast
boasts 23 miles of beaches. The Fort
Lauderdale /Hollywood International
Airport, 15minutes from downtown,
is served by 30 carriers and will
complete a S650-million expansion
later this year. Fort Lauderdale has an
a\-eragetemperature of 77°F year-round.
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»Don't Miss
Cruise up and down Fort Lauderdale's
many waterways by water bus, which
I
I
Fort Lauderdale sheds its spring break image to show
off its clean beach and classy boulevard. ByStacyH.Small
f you still think of Fort Lauderdale as the raucous destination immortalized in the film
upscale boutiques-and
a beach promenade that's been refurbished to the
tune of S26 million, Fort Lauderdale is
Where the BoysAre, think again.
With the city's billion-dollar
clean-up effort that began in
the late 1980sand continues today, Fort
Lauderdale has successfully transformed
itself from spring break capital into a
sophisticated hot spot. Anchored by Las
Olas Boulevard-the wide, pedestrianfriendly downtown thoroughfare lined
with art galleries, sidewalk cafes, and
increasingly luring visitors to Florida's
Gold Coast. And the beach? Well it's
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NATIONAL
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GEOGRAPHIC
TRAVELER
among the first in Florida to earn a national Blue Wave certification, designating it one of the cleanest and safest
beaches in the country. Residents like
former New Yorker Taryn Schneider,
who has an ocean-view apartment
blocks from the beach, raves about the
changes around the city. "I can still en-
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Off the beach diversions include viewing the
art at the New River Fine Art gallery and
casual dining at lulu's Bait Shack (top).
Photographs by Raymond Patrick
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"stops at most major hotels and the treelined Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment
District-comprising
a performing arts
center, museums, restaurants, and shops
-along the New River. This is not only
the easiest way to get around but the
most scenic. Buy an all-day pass ($5) and
ogle the waterfront mega-mansions, including the Mediterranean-style estate
used in the Al Pacino movie Any Given
Sunday. Take a walking tour of the Riverwalk area and get a taste of Old Florida at the National Register's historic
Stranahan House,a former trading post
for the Seminole Indians, and at the Old
Fort LauderdaleMuseumof History.A short
walk away, the Museumof Art (MOA)
houses Cuban art as well as a collection
of works by American Impressionist
William Glackens featured in the museum's newest wing. Exhibits at the
Museumof Discoveryand Science include
one on the restoration of the Everglades
and Florida's fragile ecosystem. Nature
and 3-D films play at the popular !MAX
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theater. Strolling (or taking a
horse andbuggyride) along
LasOlas Boulevardafter din-
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ner is a local favorite. Most of
the boutiques and art galleries
are open late.
Catch a bit of Broadway at
the BrowardCenter for the PerformingArts; shows coming up
include The Full Monty (Mar.
30-Apr. 11)and The Producers
(May 4-23). Be sure to leave
time to lounge at the beach.
After all, it's what Fort Lauderdale is most famous for.
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Early morning is the best
time to walk, jog, bike, or
Rollerblade (they're available
to rent) along the oceanfront
promenade. Across the street, sundries
shops lining AlA from Sunrise Boulevard to S.E. 17th Street sell sunblock,
beachwear, and snacks, and vendors
make regular rounds offering beach
chairs and umbrellas for rent.
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»Local Bites
"I don't think there is an ethnic group
whose cuisine isn't represented on or
near Las Olas Boulevard," says Elaine
Forhman, a 30-year resident of South
Florida who recommends dining at
come ana ~t It
From Gumbo to Zydeco to Satchmo,~
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we've got it all!
Louisiana'slove of food is legendary.So is our love of life. You'll find Louisiana's
menu to your liking. And we're not just talking about food. In Louisiana, we celebrate
everything and our 600 fairs and festivals offer jazzy music and mouth-watering food
almost every day of the year.
But you don't need a festival to pay us a visit. Come join us for a swamp tour, golf,
fishing, gaming, antiquing and, don't forget, eating!
Call today for
1-800-677-9231
your FREE Louisiana Travel Planning Kit.
or visit
www.LouisianaTravel.com/VisitUs/CAPNGTR0304
crispy yellowtail snapper are chef Youssef
Hammi's standouts, and bottles of wine
are 50 percent off on Thursdays.
Mornings are best started at the Roridian, a kitschy diner located on Las alas
since 1937. Locals flock here for the
fluffy omelets, biscuits, and other comfort breakfast and diner food served
Take in a private view of
the water from the intimate Pillars hotel (left) or
try your hand at cracking
garlic crabs at the 1950
Rustic Inn (above).
Mark's Las Olas. Chef Mark Militello's
"Floribbean" specialties include grilled
spiny lobster, sweet plantain mash, and
conch fritters. Also topping Forhman's
favorites is the Southeast Asian fare
at The Indigo, located in the Riverside
Hotel. Jack Mancini is often on hand at
his restaurant
Mancini's,mingling with
FUN
patrons who are there for house favorites such as grilled veal chops with
mushrooms and Mediterranean-style
sea bass. A water bus stop away from Las
alas Boulevard, HimmarsheeBar &Grill
sits smack in the midst of bar central
(S.W 2nd Street), but don't let that deter you. The caramel-glazed halibut and
FOR
ALL,
ANYWAY
around-the-clock, all year. Equally unfancy but just as famous is the RusticInn
(minutes from the airport), where millionaires mix with truckers seated at
picnic tables over buckets of garlic crabs.
RiverHouse,along the New River, has an
elegant jazz brunch on the weekends.
»Best Buys
People drive from all over Florida to
shop Las alas Boulevard, known for its
array of art galleries. In addition to originals by Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Norman Rockwell, MindsEyeGalleryfeatures
art from actor Anthony Quinn. Seldom
Seen has contemporary one-of-a-kind
furnishings, blown glass, sculpture, and
YOU
SLICE
IT...
jewelry. Women prefer LauderdaleLifestyle Toofor trendy Trina Turk fashions,
and Floridian favorite LillyPulitzer for
music nightly. Other hot spots include
Mangos(for dancing on the weekend),
the Cuban-flavored Samba Room, and
tropical Palm Beach styles. Be sure to
stop at Joe Picasso'sfor hand-painted pottery, beads, and a cup of coffee. A short
drive away in Dania you'll find more
than 100antique dealers hawking everything from vintage Louis Vuitton luggage to Tiffany lamps. If schlock appeals
to you, don't miss the Fort Lauderdale
SwapShop.It's one of the largest flea markets in the world, where in between
haggling with 2,000 vendors, you can
catch a live circus show, watch a movie
at the drive-in, or take in a concert.
Howl at the Moon, a sing-along piano
bar, located at Beach Place (a dining/
shopping complex) that's fun for a
crowd. Vintage Fort Lauderdale still
lives on at the ElboRoom,a beachfront wa-
mer church, shows first-run independent films from around the world.
makes three-hour narrated trips along the historical
New River with a stop at a private island to view
alligators and exotic birds. For canoeing, head to
West Lake Park/Anne I{olbNature Center (954-
»Nightlife
»Where to Sleep
While Fort Lauderdale is chockablock
with affordable motels and brand-name
926-2480), a restored mangrove preserve in nearby
Hollywood,where you can paddle through 350 acres
of open waters in the company of osprey and blue
herons. Quiet Waters Park (954-429-0215) in Deer-
chains (Marriott, Hyatt, and Sheraton),
hoteliers like Starwood Hotels &Resorts
field Beach offers "Ski Rixen"waterskiing and wakeboarding, where skiers are zipped around the 35-acre
are wasting no time keeping pace with
demand for higher-end sleeps. Currently under construction and planning
lake by a fixed overhead cable system (think snow
ski lift) rather than being pulled by a boat. -5.5.
Despite the absence of rowdy spring
breakers, bars-ranging
from dive to
clubby-lining
Las alas Boulevard,
Riverwalk, and the stretch of AlA from
Las alas north to 17th Street offer plenty of after-dark action. O'Hara's Pub is
casual and has live R&B, jazz, and funk
tering hole dating to 1938that packs in
crowds for its drink specials and local
bands. And for a quieter, romantic setting in a historic home by the beach,
head to the CasablancaCafe.The art house
theater CinemaParadiso,located in a for-
THERE'S
NOTHING
BLAND
On the Water
Whereto get wet and havefun.
T
hereare plenty ofwaysto enjoythe waters
surrounding Fort Lauderdale. In fact, it is one
of the few places in the world where you can
try kitesurfing, a mix of kite flying and surfing. Riders
are fastened to a surfboard and propelled across the
water and into the air by a giant kite. Call Kitesurf
USA/Watersports Unlimited (954-763-4020) to
schedule a lesson. The Jungle Queen (954-462-5596)
ON
THE
MENU
-T.ravelWise- to open downtown over the next few
years are the W Fort Lauderdale; the St.
RegisResort. Spa, and Residences;and The
Atlantic (opening in June). One of Fort
Lauderdale's tucked away gems is The
Pillars hotel. Originally built in 1939
as a private home, the charming plantation-style, 23-room inn resides on the
Intracoastal Waterway a block from
the beach and has its own dock on the
water bus route. Cabanas and suites off
the private pool are modern, while
plantation rooms in the main house
reflect the home's original splendor.
The historic RiversideHotelon Las Olas
Boulevard has rooms with New River
views and suites with balconies. Of the
chains, the nicest-and best choice for
families--is Marriott'sHarborBeachResort
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»Phone Calls
Floridian 1410 E.LasOlasBlvd.; 463-4041
The local area code is 954.
Himmarshee Bar & Grill 210 SW. 2nd St;
524-1818.
Howl at the Moon 17 S. Fl Lauderdale Beach
Blvd.; 522-7553.
lulu's Bait Shack 17 S. Ft Lauderdale Beach
Blvd.; 463-7425.
Mancini's 1017 E. Las Olas Blvd.;764-5510.
Mangos 904 E. Las Olas Blvd.; 523-5001
~
Mark's Las oras 1032 E.Las
. Olas Blvd.;463-1000.
O'Hara's Pub 722 E. Las Olas
Blvd.; 524-1764.
. ... "
River House 301 SW. 3rd St.;
- "',
. .
525-766l.
Inn 4331 Ravenswood
, Rustic
Rd.; 584-1637.
Samba Room 350 E.LasOlas
Blvd.; 468-2000.
The Indigo 620 E. Las Olas
Blvd.; 467-0045.
»Sightseeing, Culture & Shopping
BrowardCenterfor the PerformingArts
201 S.W. 5th Ave.; 462-0222;
www.broward
center.org.
Cinema Paradiso 503 S.E. 6th St.; 525-3456.
Joe Picasso's 888 E.Las OlasBlvd.;462-255l.
Lauderdale Ufestyle Too823
E.LasOlasBlvd.;525-8950.
LillyPulitzer819E.LasOlas
Blvd.;524-5459.
Minds Eye Gallery 615 E.Las
OlasBlvd.;522-8766.
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.museumofart.org.
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Museum
ofArt1E.LasOlas
Blvd.;525-5500; www
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Museum of Discovery &
Science 401 S.W. 2nd St.;
467-6637; www.mods.org.
New River Fine Art 914 E.
Las Olas Blvd.; 524-2100;
www.newriverfineart.com.
Old Fort Lauderdale Museum
Iii.
of History 219 S.W. 2nd Ave.;
ter is a must at the Floridian.
»Lodgings
Marriott's
Breakfast
at the Formica coun-
&Spa, with its 8,OOO-square-foot pool,
daily kids' programs, off-the-beaten-path
(but still on the beach) location, and
ocean-view suites.
463-443l.
»Restaurants & Bars
The Atlantic
Writer STACYH. SMALL recently relocated to South Florida from Manhattan.
Casablanca
Lauderdale
Seldom
Seen
Stranahan
Swap
817 E. Las Olas Blvd.; 764-5590.
House 335 S.E. 6th Ave.; 524-4736.
Shop 3291 W. Sunrise
Blvd.
Riverside
EVERYPLACE
ELSE
IS JUST
Beach
Hotel 620 E. Las Olas Blvd.; 467-0671
Rates from $139; www.riversidehoteLcom.
The Pillars ill N. Birch Rd.; 467-9639.
from $129;
Cafe 3049 Alhambra; 764-3500.
Elbo Room241S.AtlanticBlvd.; 463-4615.
Harbor
Resort 3030 Holiday Dr.;
525-4000.
Rates from $169;
www.maniottharborbeach.com
Rates
www.pi/larshoteLcom.
(opening in June) 601 N. Fort
Beach Blvd.; 800-325-3589.
rates; www.atlantichotelcondo.com.
AN APPETIZER...
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