Once known for its rowdy spring break crowds, Fort Lauderdale Beach has grown up to become one of the most scenic and sophisticated waterfronts in North America. The centerpiece of this three-mile swatch of golden sand is the Promenade, a ribbon of brick walkway that runs between US Highway A1A and the ocean.

For much of its length, the Promenade is shaded by coconut palms, and flanked by an undulating white concrete barrier known as the Wave Wall. Bikers, joggers, rollerbladers and walkers share this path, and benches and public showers accommodate beach goers. If a dip in the emerald waters of the tropical Atlantic isn’t on the schedule, there’s also an eclectic array of cafes, galleries and boutiques that sit just across the road.

The south Florida strand that was once ground zero for college spring break revelry has since undergone a complete transformation into one of Florida’s toniest beachfront destinations. Vintage properties that once hosted raucous fraternity keggers and wet T-shirt contests have been supplanted by trendy sidewalk cafes, eclectic shops and chic hotels that cater to a decidedly more sophisticated and international clientele.

Beautiful people and families alike hit the beach for a range of diversions that includes parasailing, snorkeling and beach volleyball. Running parallel to the traffic-calmed lanes of Highway A1A is a four-mile, palm-fringed brick promenade that entices walkers, joggers and rollerbladers to strut their stuff.

At fishing piers scattered along Florida’s southeastern coast, saltwater anglers can wet a line without having to wade into the surf or charter a boat. A favorite location in the Fort Lauderdale area is the Dania Beach Ocean Fishing Pier. Located just south of the John U. Lloyd Beach State Park, and a quick drive from the cruise ship terminals of Port Everglades, this structure stretches 800 feet offshore from the beach, giving land-bound fishermen an easy opportunity to reach deeper waters where the big fish swim.

No problem if you left your tackle at home, as you can rent fishing gear and buy bait on site. And so long as you are dangling a line from the pier, you don’t need a state fishing license. In addition to the tackle shop, the deck provides shaded benches, restrooms and cleaning tables. The pier is open from 6 a.m. to midnight, and it’s not just fishermen who come to walk over water. The view alone is worth the modest admission fee, and an evening stroll is a perfect complement to a meal at the adjacent Quarterdeck Restaurant.

Walk Fort Lauderdale’s famous beach and travel its endless canals by boat to discover this town’s sunny personality, then hit fashionable Las Olas Boulevard after dark to sample another side of this Florida city.

1  Boats and More Boats

It’s not just Fort Lauderdale’s delightful location on the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean that makes it a vacation hot spot for boaters of every variety, this town has a maze of canals that beg to be explored. Waterfront residents dock everything from speedboats to mega-yachts in front of their Florida manses. Rent a boat for the day or come in the fall when the nautical crowd descends on the city for the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and shop for your own.

2  Biggest Cruise Port

Port Everglades can justifiably boast some of the best-designed terminals in the world that can move thousands of passengers from curb to ship in 10 to 15 minutes. Disembarking is just as quick and easy, which is why Fort Lauderdale is one of the most preferred ports for vacationing cruise passengers as well as cruise ships that call here. Plus its terminals are decked out with stunning public art that puts other terminals to shame.

3  Where the Boys Are

Atlantic Avenue is one of the hottest beach strips in Florida. Folks have been cruising this stretch since the 1960s when the movie Where the Boys Are put Fort Lauderdale on the map. Walk it, bike it, skate it, drive it—or just hang out on its sands. Along the pedestrian-friendly street you’ll find bars serving rainbow-colored frozen drinks, swanky hotels like the W and the Ritz-Carlton, bikini shops and even a museum with tropical gardens.

4  Las Olas Boulevard

A fashionable hub, Las Olas Boulevard is packed with personality. We love it best at night when palm trees wrapped in twinkle lights give it a romantic aura and sidewalk tables at 30-plus outdoor restaurants fill up with beautiful people. Book a room at the historic Riverside Hotel right on the boulevard so you can step out your door and shop, dine and enjoy the live music scene at your leisure.

5  Diver’s Jackpot

Off Fort Lauderdale’s coast divers find a natural three-tiered reef system that begins in 20 feet of water, just 100 yards from shore at its closest point. Making the destination even more diver friendly are 75 artificial reefs that been placed on the ocean’s floor over the past 20 years and serve as magnets for fish and reef life. From Deerfield Beach in the north to Hallandale Beach south of Fort Lauderdale, dive sites are plentiful, along with dive charters that depart from Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina.

6  Museums and More

Fort Lauderdale may not come to mind when you think of museums, but surprise, surprise, the mix of cultural venues in this town is quite eclectic. Start with the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum and the International Swimming Hall of Fame Museum for the lowdown on the two sports. At the Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, the story of Fort Lauderdale’s early beginnings is told through this preserved historic home. In downtown Fort Lauderdale, you’ll find the Museum of Art and the Museum of Discovery & Science.

7  Place Your Bets

Gaming—horses, casinos and jai alai—are all nearby temptations for those who feel that Lady Luck is on their side. Horse racing and casino fun happens at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach. Put on your poker face because there’s a game—plus slots and Black Jack—at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood. For those who find the speedy game of jai alai from the Basque country of Spain intriguing enough to wager their hard-earned money, ball games happen at the Dania Casino & Jai Alai. And if you’re not the gaming type, then check out the bars, lounges, music and other nightlife options at all three venues.

8  Water Taxi

Much more than a means of transportation, Fort Lauderdale’s Water Taxi is an open-air sight-seeing boat that you can hop on and off as you ply the waters through Millionaire’s Row. En route you’ll pass Mediterranean-style mansions tucked in canals and the latest yachts docked out front. The guide’s commentary is a who’s who of the rich and famous that call Lauderdale home.

9  Events

There’s no shortage of events that give you a good reason to visit, but among our favorites is the Las Olas Wine & Food Festival in May, when local culinary talent lines Las Olas Boulevard and shows our taste buds what they got. In December, top rating goes to the Winterfest Boat Parade. One hundred vessels dressed in thousands of holiday lights cruise up the New River and Intracoastal Waterway to the delight of crowds. And of course the biggest is Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, a fall event partly responsible for the city’s moniker Yachting Capital of the World.

10  Stay on the Beach Side

A room on Fort Lauderdale’s famous Atlantic Avenue makes the trip so worthwhile. You can go hip and stay in an uber chic tower at the W or go classy by booking at the Ritz-Carlton in a building designed architecturally to resemble a cruise ship. If you want to be on the sand, then the family-owned Lago Mar Resort and Club, a five-minute beach walk away from the bustling Atlantic Avenue scene, is private and relaxing—a great place for both couples and families.