More than ten million visitors come to Fort Lauderdale, Florida every year. Located just 23 miles north of Miami Beach, the city has is a haven for yacht lovers. More than 42,000 yacht owners choose to berth their boats here; there are over a hundred marinas and boatyards to accommodate them, as well as a complex canal system for boaters to navigate and enjoy. Tourists staying in vacation rentals in Fort Lauderdale can often find accommodations on the waterfront or quite near it.
Florida is a state that many Americans associate with recreation, but not as many realize that Florida also has a rich history related to the early days of the United States. Fort Lauderdale takes its name from an army major who commanded soldiers here during the Second Seminole War.
Interestingly, Fort Lauderdale boasts a tropical rainforest climate despite the fact that it is not near the equator. The city receives more than two inches of rain in an average month. While it rains all year long here, most rainstorms take place in the summer, better known as the "wet season. This season lasts from May through October and features an average temperature in the upper 80s. Heavy thunderstorms in the afternoon are a frequent pattern, but the city also has more than 250 sunny days each year. Warm winter temperatures make Fort Lauderdale an attractive winter destination for the "snowbirds" who flee the nation's northern climes to enjoy the warm temperatures here.