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Fort Lauderdale, Florida

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Why Host a Meeting in Fort Lauderdale?

With year-round sunshine and a fresh sophisticated vibe, it is no wonder that more than 10 million visitors flock to Fort Lauderdale's scenic shore each year. The city's reinvention has propelled it as a choice destination for meeting and convention groups.

Broward County Convention Center

Nowhere else is the self- proclaimed "beach chic" transformation more apparent than in the plethora of new hotels that are quickly cropping up around the city. New properties such as St. Regis Resort Fort Lauderdale, Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, il Lugano and Crowne Plaza Hollywood have redefined the cityscape. Still more properties are on the horizon, such as W Fort Lauderdale Hotel and Residences, the first W Hotel in Florida, and Trump International Hotel & Tower Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood Grande Resort, scheduled to make its debut in 2009.

Beyond the hotel boom, the city's convention facilities have also been enhanced. Furthering the city's status as a rising star, a $34 million expansion was completed at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in 2002.The newly expanded facility offers a total of 600,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting and exhibit space, five-star catering, an Internet café and lavish banquet rooms. Additionally, plans are in place for a new anchor Hilton Hotel that will provide 1,000 rooms adjacent to the convention center in 2012.

Broward County Convention Center-Exhibit Hall

With so many improvements, the city's remarkable renaissance has not gone unnoticed. Fort Lauderdale has been garnering meetings industry accolades including the 2007 "Inner Circle Award" from Association Meetings Magazine; the 2007 "Gold Service Award" from Meetings & Conventions; and the 2007 "Award of Excellence" from Corporate & Incentive Travel. In addition to gaining awards recognition, nothing can speak more highly of a city than the events that it has hosted. Fort Lauderdale has been selected as the destination of choice for such prestigious events as the Organization of American States General Assembly Meeting, the Government Finance Officers Association Conference and the International Association of Assembly Managers Convention.

Fort Lauderdale serves as the national headquarters for several prominent companies including AutoNation, Citrix Systems, DHL Express, Spherion, Spirit Airlines and National Beverage Corporation. Fort Lauderdale is also home to several colleges and universities including the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Broward Community College and University of Fort Lauderdale.

Key Fort Lauderdale Metro Area Facts

Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Convention Center: Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center
Airports: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)

Population 5,413,212 Destination Type Listings
Hotels 565 • Beach destination
Hotel Rooms 110,000 • Golf destination
Unique Venues 235 • Smoke free restaurants
Restaurants 4,000  

Additional Fort Lauderdale Information / History

Fort Lauderdale Skyline

The glistening beaches, sunny streets and winding waterways of Fort Lauderdale are buzzing with renewed spirit. Gone are the days when a steady stream of college students made their annual spring pilgrimage to this South Florida shore. Today, the area's revitalization efforts have made it a striking departure from the spring break retreat of yesterday. Fort Lauderdale has emerged as a culturally-rich, sophisticated beach destination with something-for-everyone appeal.

Located on the southeast coast of Florida overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the area that is now Fort Lauderdale was home to the Tequesta Indians for over a thousand years. First contact with Europeans began with Spanish explorers in the 16th century. Throughout history the area repeatedly changed hands, and the flags of the Spanish, British and U.S. Confederacy have all flown over the region. However, the land remained largely undeveloped until its incorporation as a U.S. city in 1911. Today, approximately 167,000 people live within the 36-square-mile city limits, and 1.8 million people call the 1,220-square-mile greater Fort Lauderdale metro area home.

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum

With one quarter of the city's residents foreign-born, Fort Lauderdale is a diverse cultural mosaic with many offerings that celebrate its rich history and multiculturalism including the African American Library and Cultural Center, Old Dillard Museum and the Seminole Tribe's Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum. The city's diversity is also reflected in its cuisine, ranging from exotic Latin fusion to warm and comforting soul food.

Known for the charming patchwork of canals that weave an extensive 300 miles throughout the city, Fort Lauderdale is nicknamed "The Venice of America." From its famous beachfront promenade to the seaside village of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Fort Lauderdale offers a relaxing getaway punctuated by warm blue waters and sparkling sands. Home to over 42,000 pleasure crafts, Fort Lauderdale is also known as the "Yachting Capital of the World." Visitors can experience the city's epic yacht culture at annual events such as the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the world's largest in-water display of mega-yachts, and the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade, a glittering display of yachts decked out for the holidays. Beyond the beauty of its beaches and picturesque waterways, Fort Lauderdale offers a number of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors such as kayaking through mangroves; exploring the Everglades on a swamp safari; observing local color at the many lush gardens; or taking a dive tour of the coral reefs.

Broward Center for the Performing Arts

Part of the city's vibrant transformation, Fort Lauderdale's art scene is bubbling with activity. From Broadway plays and musicals at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, to internationally-acclaimed exhibitions at the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, the city is home to an array of stimulating exhibits. Plus, just half an hour from the spirited city of Miami, visitors to Fort Lauderdale can easily take advantage of the many offerings of the city's famous neighbor to the south. But with attractions such as the lively Riverwalk Arts and Entertainment District,  Las Olas BoulevardLas Olas
Las Olas and Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, it's unlikely visitors will find the need, or desire, to leave Fort Lauderdale.

Fort Lauderdale Climate Information

Fort Lauderdale enjoys a tropical climate characterized by year-round sunshine and an annual average temperature of 77°F. Summers are humid and wet with frequent but short tropical showers, and ocean breezes coming off of the Atlantic quell some of the summer heat. August sees the most precipitation and is the hottest month with temperatures frequently in the 90s. Winters are relatively dry and mild; the coldest month is January with average low temperatures in the high 60s. Fort Lauderdale's hurricane season lasts from June to November, with most activity typically occurring between September and October.

Although Fort Lauderdale enjoys beautiful warm weather year-round, the absolute best time to visit is during winter. With plenty of sunshine, very little rain and temperatures in the 70s, Fort Lauderdale offers a tropical refuge from chillier climates.

Fort Lauderdale Climate Information Chart
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rec High -°F 88 90 94 97 96 97 99 100 99 95 91 90
Avg High -°F 78 78 80 83 86 89 90 91 89 86 81 78
Avg Low -°F 59 59 61 65 69 72 73 74 73 70 64 60
Rec Low -°F 30 28 32 40 49 57 65 66 63 44 35 29
Rainfall - in. 2.5 2 2.8 4.2 5.9 7.3 6 6.8 8.8 9.2 3.5 2.7