For decades, Fort Lauderdale was the mecca of spring break destinations. The formal naval base town was used to hearing only the roars of jets and whistling cruisers until the 1960s when the roars of college spring breakers took over. Sun-soaked local lore has it that swim teams from the northeast first came on Florida vacations to practice in warmer weather, and their fellow co-eds soon followed, intermingling with off-duty military folks at beachside bars. Things heated up each year and it soon became an annual rite of spring.
Whether that’s true or not, one thing’s for certain—once the beach-based flick Where the Boys Are debuted in 1960, the city became overrun with college students each March who did their darnedest to get down there, booking whatever cheap flights they could find, piling into rented cars, and even hitching rides from strangers as they desperately sought the beachside debauchery. Things escalated in the 1980s, fueled even more by Hollywood with bad Boys knock-offs like Spring Break and even Revenge of the Nerds 2: Nerds in Paradise, to the point where things were getting way of hand—so much so that as a South Florida high schooler, my mom made me swear I wouldn’t go anywhere remotely close to the beach during spring break. Today, the partiers are all gone, but a Fort Lauderdale vacation still remains a superb spring break destination.
Aside from very bold statements from public officials announcing that spring breakers were not welcome, the city of Fort Lauderdale passed strict ordinances prohibiting public drinking, and literally built a wall to keep the unwelcomed revelers out. That foot-tall ”wave wall” was the signature piece of a $26 million USD renovation, that also included a redesign of A1A, changes to beachside parking, expanded sidewalks, landscaping, bicycle lanes, and brick-paved pedestrian crosswalks. It was a dramatic change aimed at keeping beach goers safer, and redefining the city’s image that was widely recognized as a smashing success. In addition to remaining a prime travel destination, it still managed to retain its cool factor without the co-eds—heck, even Vanilla Ice rapped about “A1A, Beachfront Avenue!” (What? You don’t think Vanilla Ice is cool? Really? Did Cool as Ice prove nothing???)
What’s nice about Fort Lauderdale Beach is that the two mile-stretch is free of high-rise condos and hotels, though long-time Fort Lauderdale hotel icons such as Bahia Mar, the Yankee Clipper, and Pier 66 are either just across the street or down the road. Unlike some beaches, the Intracoastal is a stone’s throw away here, with docked yachts and other watercraft decorating the landscape just past the bend on the 17th Street Causeway that drops you right on A1A, offering day next-door access to cruises and fishing excursions. A1A’s west side also offers a bevy of trendy cafes and boutiques, along with the longstanding, kitschy beach shops and bars—even the infamous Elbo Room, which first opened in 1938 and was the spring break epicenter for so many years, is still around.
And on the east side of A1A, where the two-mile string of sand is ironically known as South Beach (because it’s the southernmost portion of beach before the shoreline is interrupted by Port Everglades—we simply called it the Fort Lauderdale strip) there is, of course, beautiful blue waters, sandy shores, palm trees, and plenty of sunshine to go along with the basketball and volleyball courts, snorkeling, picnic areas, and ample space to soak up rays. The shared name aside, I do liken it to South Beach, but without all the bright lights, headaches, celebrities, and people who act like celebrities but really aren’t. It’s a luxurious, laid-back, family-friendly, but still happenin’ beach.
With or without the college co-eds, Fort Lauderdale will always be where the boys and girls alike are having a great, beach-filled vacation.
Image: ewm.com
