Fort Lauderdale's idyllic beach strip

Though catapulted to prominence in the 1960s as the nation's top spring break venue, Fort Lauderdale no longer courts the thousands of frenzied college kids in their riotous annual late-Feb/early-March vacations.

A fearsome raft of anti-boozing legislation has instead made the town more popular as a pleasure port for both the yachting and cruise ship set and as one of gay America's favorite destinations.

It's all centered on an idyllic beach strip, built at staggering cost with impressively clean and well-groomed white sands. Lined by restaurants, bars, souvenir shops and hotels, its palm-shaded length always hums with activity.

Behind, a web of slender canals form part of a 300 mile network of navigable waterways around town. These are fun to explore by rental boat or water taxi, which you can use to nip to the small refurbished downtown or the town's good art and science museums.