A few months ago at the Visit USA Independence Day Ball I was lucky enough to win a trip for two to Florida. And what better time to take advantage of this stroke of good fortune than now, when it’s all getting a bit cold in the UK?
So with my lovely wife Roz, I set out to get a bit of winter sun. Maybe I’d get a tan for the first time in my life…?
We flew from Gatwick to Fort Lauderdale aboard Norwegian’s Dreamliner – a nice flying experience and really convenient for us – then picked up our Dollar rental car and headed for our first hotel.
The Sonesta Fort Lauderdale is right on the beach and a great base to explore the city. We spent a fun day on Saturday getting to know the place by water taxi, with the added bonus of passing Steven Spielberg’s yacht and a replica 1500s Spanish galleon which had just arrived in Fort Lauderdale.
We also caught up on some of the city’s history at the Old Fort Lauderdale Village, a small collection of buildings dating from the turn of the 20th century.
But when a city’s official tourism website is www.sunny.org, you can guess the main attraction. The chance to swap our winter coats, hoodies and scarves for shorts and sun block has been fantastic so far, even if the locals seem a little disturbed by our white legs.
Next stop: Miami.
With thanks to Norwegian, Dollar Rent A Car and the Sonesta Fort Lauderdale.