From gliding along picturesque canals to lounging on white sand beaches and strolling through dynamic cultural districts, this sunny seaside getaway is packed with picture-perfect experiences. Fortunately, the experts at TotalScape Design have made it their mission to provide beautiful outdoor living spaces for residents all over Fort Lauderdale.
The Birth of America’s Venice
The story of Ft. Lauderdale starts in 1836 when Major William Lauderdale and his Tennessee mounted militiamen came to build a fort during the Second Seminole War. However, the city would not fully become what we now know it as “The Venice of America” until many years later. Las Olas Boulevard was no more than a dirt road over swampy marshes until it was paved in 1917, after which city fathers of Fort Lauderdale would have us believe that it became virtually instantaneously respectable.
The city hired developer Charles G. Rodes to create a plan based on the designer’s investigation of Venetian infrastructure which suggested creating “finger islands” connected by grand water streets. Finger lakes were constructed a year later after the first canals started being built-in 1920. A real estate boom took hold in South Florida by 1925.
Discover Miles of Waterways
Fort Lauderdale boasts over 165 miles of residential canals, making it unlike any other city in the United States. The extensive waterway system includes everything from intimate residential canals to the magnificent Intracoastal Waterway. These winding ribbons of waterways aren’t just for show; Greater Fort Lauderdale makes excellent use of them, cultivating a water-lover’s lifestyle you can enjoy year-round under warm Florida sunshine.
Enjoy the view of a boat passing by gracefully beneath one of Wilmington’s quaint bridges along with sailboats and yachts on the Intracoastal Waterway as you leisurely cruise toward another stunning horizon.
Center of Cultures and Restaurants: Las Olas Boulevard
With outstanding dining and shopping options as well as some of the world’s best art galleries, museums, and other attractions Las Olas Boulevard is the heart and soul of Fort Lauderdale. Las Olas means The Waves in Spanish, a very appropriate name for this long boulevard that begins at the beach and extends westward to downtown Fort Lauderdale, reaching past Federal Highway. The commercial treed-stretch has a mix of shops, restaurants, and cafes with striped awnings and shady trees. You can shop boutiques or take a tango class along the Riverwalk, visit the Stranahan House Museum or picnic at Huizenga Plaza.
Beach Bliss and Coastal Adventures
Fort Lauderdale’s 23 miles of coastline provide endless opportunities for beach lovers and water enthusiasts. Las Olas Beach offers a narrow sandy stretch with clear water and a fun evening vibe, providing water sports gear and beach equipment to keep visitors entertained all day. The beach areas are perfect for families, offering clean and pristine environments for swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing. The beautiful white sandy beach sits right next to restaurants, hotels, and bars, with loungers and umbrellas available for rent.
Discover the Venice Of America in Style
Fort Lauderdale offers countless ways to experience its aquatic charm, from traditional water taxis to authentic Venetian gondolas. Unique ways to get around the city mean you can go slow while still seeing lavish waterfront houses and picturesque canals. If you like guided tours or if you are looking for independent ventures, there is a way to brighten up your day when discovering the Venice of America.
- Water Taxi Adventures: Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi and Pompano Beach Water Taxi are designed to take you from hotel to museum, theater to drinks, beach to dinner
- Authentic Venetian Gondola Rides: Professional gondoliers in striped shirts deliver 75-minute tours, providing an exclusive view of mansions and lush landscapes.
- Duck Tours: Bright yellow duck tour coaches that serve as part boat, part coach taking guests on the 90 minute tours of Fort Lauderdale and South Beach.
- Millionaire’s Row Tours: Witness the waterside mansions of the rich and famous, where local business owners showcase their impressive properties
A Major Destination for Tourism and Yachting
Fort Lauderdale is a major center for yachting, one of the nation’s largest tourist destinations, and the center of a metropolitan division with 1.8 million people. The city attracts over 13 million overnight visitors annually, making it a powerhouse in South Florida tourism. Home to more than 50,000 registered yachts and 100 marinas, Fort Lauderdale is officially dubbed the yachting capital of the world®. It is the third busiest cruise port in the world with approximately four million (multi-day) cruise passengers passing through during 2010.
Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Galore
Although it is best known for its beautiful waterways, Fort Lauderdale also wows visitors as a cultural destination. World-class entertainment and education is delivered by The Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Museum of Discovery and Science, and Museum of Art. Raymond Jungles Riverwalk Linear Park, Huizenga Plaza with its fountain that is illuminated in the evenings, and world famous Elbo Room Bar with roof terrace view of Fort Lauderdale Beach are among other notables. Throughout the year, you can enjoy events at Las Olas from art shows to jazz brunches on the banks of the scenic New River.
TotalScape Design: Your Fort Lauderdale Landscape Specialist
Living in the Venice of America deserves outdoor spaces that match the city’s spectacular beauty and lifestyle. TotalScape Design brings decades of expertise to Fort Lauderdale residents, creating stunning outdoor environments that perfectly complement this waterfront paradise. Our professionals are experts in the unique South Florida climate and local environment, and will create a space that thrives within our subtropical region while allowing year-round outdoor living. Our comprehensive services include:
- Landscape Design & Installation: Custom outdoor living spaces that capture our vibrant local ambiance and view the full potential of your property.
- Landscape Lighting: With everything from landscape lighting, to spotlights and holiday lights, exterior lighting is a way to extend the enjoyment of your outside areas into all hours.
- Luxury Pools: Resort-style swimming pools and spas designed to complement Fort Lauderdale’s water-centric lifestyle with premium materials and innovative features.
- Hardscaping: Stone work, patios, walkways built with high quality materials designed to hold up in the Florida elements and give backbone to your landscape.
- Outdoor Living Spaces: You can have a fully equipped cooking area and dining facilities, turning your backyard to the best entertainment destination you could ever know.
- Outdoor Kitchens: Fully equipped cooking and dining areas that transform your backyard into the ultimate entertaining destination for family and friends.
- Pergolas & Pavilions: Graceful shade structures which allow Florida residents to escape the sun in style and add architectural features for defining outdoor spaces.
- Fencing: Privacy and security solutions that enhance your property while maintaining the open, tropical feel that defines Fort Lauderdale living.
Get Your Fort Lauderdale Trip Planning Started Now
Fort Lauderdale’s combination of stunning waterways, vibrant culture, and endless sunshine creates the perfect destination for both visitors and residents. With opportunities for adventure at every turn, romantic gondola rides through picturesque canals, thrilling water taxi tours of millionaire mansions -there’s so much to see and do every day. Fort Lauderdale, from the swanky shops and restaurants on Las Olas Boulevard to the seemingly endless miles of pristine beaches is every bit as good as its nickname would lead you to believe.
