Fort Lauderdale City Guide

Fort Lauderdale Overview

This one-time teenage Gomorrah has smartened up its act.

Despite its reputation as Good Time Central (which it decidedly is), Fort Lauderdale has a surprising number of cultural and historical sites... for a party town. In recent years, the Spring Break capital of the universe has smartened up its image - but only a little.

As recently as the late 1980s, the sand in Fort Lauderdale was sticky with beer and every spring the streets ran wild with pimpled youths in the midst of some college rite of passage. Locals would look on in horror as their city was overtaken by teenage yahoos.

Fort Lauderdale Photo Gallery

Photographs of Fort Lauderdale

Aerial view of 'America's Venice'

Riverwalk and Craft Market: A modern day Shangri La

Power boats at harbour on Intracoastal Waterway

Fort Lauderdale Fast Facts

Facts about Fort Lauderdale

Currency in Fort Lauderdale

Notes in United States

American banknotes (bills) often confuse visitors: they're all the same size and the same colour. Be especially careful not to hand over too much cash, and always check your change carefully. Be careful not to accept incomplete or severely torn notes, as they can be refused; small rips are usually not a problem. Bills come in denominations of 1, 2 (rare), 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollars.

Coins in United States

Coins come in 1 (penny), 5 (nickel), 10 (dime), 25 (quarter) cent and 50 cent denominations; there is also a dollar coin.

Preferred Form of Payment in Fort Lauderdale

If you can't use your credit card in the US then you probably can't use it anywhere. ATMs are hard to miss, well networked and offer an even cheaper option if your card is set up to use them. Otherwise travellers cheques are almost as good as cash; you'll save yourself hassle and expense if they are in US dollars.

Changing Your Money in Fort Lauderdale

Major credit and debit cards, including the Visa Cash Passport Card, are widely accepted. You can also access your bank account using US ATMs which are ubiquitous. Travellers cheques are easily converted to cash at any bank. You'll probably need to take your passport along to prove your identity.

Money Tips

If you camp or stay in hostels, catch buses and cook your own food, you could feasibly explore the country on around 50 USD a day. Staying in motels and eating at modest cafes will mean you'll hit the 100 USD mark, and enjoying the convenience of a rental car will push your daily budget up to 150 USD.

Media in Fort Lauderdale

Periodicals in Fort Lauderdale

Factoids

Swimmin'!

Fort Lauderdale's International Swimming Hall of Fame is where you'll learn, among other things, that a competition pool holds 573,000 gallons (216,000lt) of heavily chlorinated water.