Fort Lauderdale Cruises
Fort Lauderdale is a sophisticated city, with café-lined riverside walkways and Venice-style waterways. There is an array of beautiful beach spots, stretching over 23 miles, as well as numerous boat and yacht clubs. In 2006 it was estimated that over 10.35 million visitors passed through, and according to the 2007 US Census Bureau the population of Fort Lauderdale was estimated at around 183,606.
The prehistoric people of South Florida known as the ‘Glades Culture’ and the ‘Tequesta’ enjoyed the abundance of natural resources available along Fort Lauderdale’s new River. It was 1763 before the last of them moved away from the area, which left a meagre population consisting of just a few white settlers. In 1838 a Seminole War Fortification was built on the banks of the river. The Fort was named after Major William Lauderdale, who led a troop of Tennessee Volunteers along the East coast of Florida to capture Seminole agricultural lands.
Recently, Fort Lauderdale has been awarded the national "Blue Wave" certification in recognition of its clean and eco-friendly beaches.