Day 1: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
In the 1800s, William Lauderdale built a fort. Today, 16 million visitors come each year for miles of broad white sandy beaches, dozens of lush green golf courses, and Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale. Stroll the famous beachfront promenade, just 15 minutes from the port, and plunge into the warm Atlantic.
Head downtown to Las Olas Boulevard, paralleling New River, to sip lattes in outdoor cafés, shop chic boutiques, and catch concerts at the performing arts center. Stop at Stranahan House, the city's oldest structure, built in 1901 as a trading post and preserved as a museum, or explore a whole village of historic buildings at History Fort Lauderdale. Join a Segway tour along the river or a waterborne cruise of Millionaire's Row.
During your cruise to Fort Lauderdale, head out to the Everglades and enjoy Flamingo Gardens, home to pink flamingos, snarling alligators, black bears, and Florida panthers—plus exotic trees, butterfly gardens, and native flowers.
You'll find great shopping on Fort Lauderdale cruises. Look for high fashion at Galleria Fort Lauderdale, north of the port and blocks from the ocean. Head west to Sawgrass Mills for 350 designer outlets, specialty shops, and eateries. Spend a relaxing day in downtown Hollywood, south of the port, for quaint shops, sidewalk cafés, and events in the park.
Discover Floribbean cuisine, a fusion of old Florida favorites with new Caribbean influences. Local seafood includes lobster, grouper, mahi-mahi, pompano, snapper, tuna, and stone crabs.
Florida dominates production of citrus fruits. Before you cruise from Fort Lauderdale, take advantage of anything orange—juices, sauces, marinades, marmalades, dressings, soups, and cakes. Try authentic key lime pie, which is sweet, tart, creamy, and yellow—not green—in a Graham cracker crust.
Day 2: Key West, Florida
Ernest Hemingway made wild, colorful Key West his home, and you will want to do the same. Home to modern-day adventurers, artists and poets, the island's charming Old Town teems with restaurants, bars and unique shops. Add pristine coral reefs, coconut palms and a laid-back attitude that's truly contagious, and it's easy to see why so many visitors to Key West never leave.
Day 3: Nassau, Bahamas
Bustling markets and placid beaches are like the yin and yang of this capital of The Bahamas. The Nassau Straw Market, three blocks from the port, presents a riot of vendors, shoppers, and pirates, while the broad white beaches, minutes from town, feature sun-kissed sands, turquoise waters, and coral reefs. In between, there are activities to suit the whole family—observing sharks, swimming with dolphins, plunging down water slides.
Cruise to Bahamas and discover the lost city of Atlantis on Paradise Island, connected by a bridge to Nassau. You can visualize the mythical streets of Atlantis at Ruins Lagoon and stroll underwater tunnels with the sharks at Predator Lagoon.Also on paradise Island, you can wade through waist-high water and make a personal connection intelligent, gentle dolphins. Get face to face. Hear their vocalizations. See the excitement on their faces. The shallow-water experience is one of several at Dolphin Cay, an accredited marine mammal habitat with an 11-acre lagoon, coves and sandy beaches, residential pools, and a state-of-the-art education center.
Hop on a ferry to Blue Lagoon Island for a deluxe beach break. Unwind and settle into a hammock. Bask in warm golden sunshine and tranquil Atlantic waters. Watch the palm trees sway and the dolphins play. It's a day of pure bliss. Browse the duty-free shops and Nassau Straw Market downtown. You'll find authentic Cuban cigars and one-of-a-kind artworks. Watch the artisans weave their intricate straw hats, bags, and other mementos, using techniques passed down over centuries. On vibrant Bay Street, find duty-free deals and colorful architecture. On Paradise Island, across the bridge, shop for couture and upscale brands.
Nassau’s culinary bounty emerges from the ocean—dishes like fried snapper served with grits and grouper drizzled with butter. Try conch, the marine mollusk of the iconic shell, presented as conch fritters, conch chowder, cracked conch, even raw conch in fresh lime juice. Peas and rice is the staple side dish, and rum-based beverages are always popular.
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