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Driving 
Greater Fort Lauderdale is a paradise for automobile
tourists. One can cruise along the sunny seacoast. Or
drive the variegated streets of this South Florida
community, from the modern downtown area to the quaint, and oh-so-chic, shops
area of Las Olas Boulevard. One can steer silently beside
canals where manatees play or even the everglades with its
colorful birds and other wildlife.
The maximum speed limit on the expressways of Greater Fort
Lauderdale is 55 to 65 mph. Drivers must wear seatbelts. So,
too, must passengers in the front seat. Children three years old
and younger must ride in child-restraint seats in either the back
seat or the front seat. Children four or five years old must
be in a child-restraint seat or a seat belt in either the back seat
or the front seat.
Traffic in Fort Lauderdale usually moves smoothly,
facilitated in part by the freedom given to drivers to make
right turns at red lights after coming to a complete stop.
Certain intersections do not qualify for the
right-turn-after-red rule and are identified by signs.
At these locations, drivers must wait for the traffic
lights to signal them on.
Streets
The logic behind the layout and designations of streets
(streets, courts, lanes, etc.) in Greater Fort Lauderdale is
precise but, when described in detail to a newcomer, also
overwhelming. There are, however, certain fundamental facts
that one must know in order to get around.
If one is driving in a north-south direction, one will be
traversing an "avenue," or perhaps a "drive." Or a highway.
One travels east and west, however, by means of a "street"
or a "boulevard" or a road.
There is more to Fort Lauderdale's street naming
conventions, which one can learn after a little experience
with the area.
The charm of the Fort Lauderdale area also carries with it
the seeds of a transportation problem. Countless canals,
lakes, and other waterways crop up everywhere in this
"Venice of America." Unlike in many other regions,
a driver usually cannot
just point his or her car in a particular direction
and expect to get very far. Inevitably, a picturesque
waterway of one sort or another will bar one's path.
This problem is solved by learning the list of major
east-west and north-south highways, a task every Fort
Lauderdale driver -- resident and visitor alike --
accomplishes early.
North-South Streets
If one is traveling in a north-south direction, Highway
A1A can transport one gracefully and slowly in a winding
path along the ocean's edge. A little to the west, the
straighter, faster U.S. 1 is available, running
through a continuously commercial area. Further west is
I-95, with its curving exit ramps and speeding flow
of steel bodies, slowed to a stall at rush hour. Further
west yet is the north-south portion of I-75, which
bends into an east-west direction after traveling northward
from Hallandale to Plantation. Next reached in a westerly
direction is the Florida Turnpike, which requires
the payment of a toll. Westernmost of the north-south
expressways, and also requiring a toll, is the
Sawgrass Expressway, which begins in Plantation,
where the north-pointing segment of I-75 ends, and reaches as
far north as Deerfield Beach before veering into an easterly
direction.
East-West Streets
East-west travelers in the southern area of Greater Fort
Lauderdale use Hallandale Beach Boulevard from the
ocean's edge, which transforms in name as it speeds west, to
become Hallandale Parkway. Next northward among the
major east-west streets is Hollywood Boulevard, then
more northward, Sheridan Street, still in Hollywood.
Farther north is Dania's Griffin Road. Just north of
this is I-595, which travels roughly east-west (more
exactly southest-northwest) and changes its name to
I-75 when it reaches the western region of Greater
Fort Lauderdale.
This is followed, in order northward, by the east-west
moving Davie
Boulevard, Broward Boulevard, Las Olas
Boulevard, Sunrise Boulevard, Oakland Park
Boulevard, and Commercial Boulevard, all in Fort
Lauderdale. Then by Atlantic Boulevard, Copans
Road, and Sample Road in Pompano Beach. Next
northward is the east-west segment of the Sawgrass
Expressway, then Hillsboro Boulevard, both in
Deerfield Beach.
Taxes
In the Greater Fort Lauderdale area, one pays the six
percent sales tax on purchases and restaurant meals that is
typical of most U.S. cities. This tax does not apply,
however, to groceries or medicines. An additional three
percent tax is paid on tourist accommodations.
Tipping
Restaurants in Fort Lauderdale usually do not add a gratuity
to the bill. One can leave a tip of 15 percent for service
of good quality or 20 percent for excellent service.
The normal tip for doormen and parking attendants, as
well as for valets, is 1 dollar.
The tip for a taxi ride is the same as for a restaurant
meal; that is, 15-20 percent.
Climate
The Fort Lauderdale weather is the envy of the nation. The
average temperature throughout the year is between 71
degrees Farenheit and 90 degrees Farenheit. Winter
temperatures are usually in the mid-70s, though an
occasional cooler spell does come along. The visibility
condition to be expected is--sunny.
It's easy to underestimate the power of the sun when one is
eager to tan. The best approach is patience and
preparedness. More than ten or fifteen minutes of horizontal,
largely bare exposure to the midday sun is an experience one
will not want to repeat.
Sunscreen is generally recommended. The SPF (Sun Protection
Factor) of a sunscreen signifies how many times longer one
can stay in the sun with the sunscreen than without it.
What to Bring
Fort Lauderdale excels at making everyone feel at home.
There are places throughout the area for every type of
clothing--from casual shorts and shirt or blouse to the most
formal attire.
Usually, Fort Lauderdale visitors and residents choose
to dress informally. But one will need a jacket or a dress
for the more exclusive restaurants or the more formal
hotels. And in the winter, the temperature might even dip
down below 70 degrees Farenheit, so one should pack a light
jacket or sweater.
As in most resort areas, one should wear swimming suits only
at swimming areas.
Traveling with athletic equipment can be awkward. In
Greater Fort Lauderdale, one can often rent golf equipment
or diving gear.
A
license is usually required for freshwater or saltwater fishing, depending on
certain factors.
Tourist Information
Greater Fort Lauderdale
Convention & Visitors Bureau
1850 Eller Drive, Suite 303
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316
(954) 765-4466
(954) 765-4467 Fax
(800) 22SUNNY
Greater Fort Lauderdale
Chamber of Commerce
512 NE 3rd Ave.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 462-6000
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