When to Go

Peak season runs Thanksgiving through April, when concert, art, and entertainment seasons go full throttle. Expect heat and humidity and some rain in summer. Hurricane winds come most notably in August and September. Golfing tee-time waits are longer on weekends year-round. Regardless of season, remember that Fort Lauderdale sunshine can burn even in cloudy weather.

Annual Festivals and Events

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. In late October, Fort Lauderdale hosts the world's largest boat show, the end-all, be-all of marine envy, with more than $2 billion worth of boats, yachts, superyachts, electronics, engines, and thousands of accessories from every major marine manufacturer and builder worldwide. The city buzzes with parties and cocktail hours to celebrate the bling bling water toy mania. 954/764-7642. www.showmanagement.com.

Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. Beginning in late October, this annual event showcases over 100 feature, documentary, and short films from around the world at downtown's Cinema Paradiso and other local venues. In addition to 21 days of screenings, you can expect seminars and parties; but don't expect the glitterati of a big city film festival. 954/760-9898. www.fliff.com.

Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade. Weeks of pre-events culminate in the largest one-day spectator event in Florida each December, drawing a crowd of 1 million onlookers as a stampede of 1,500 jaw-dropping yachts cruise 10 mi of Fort Lauderdale's waterways, complete with original themes and decorations. Over the years, celebrity grand marshals have included Joan Rivers, Brooke Burke, Kim Kardashian, and Deborah Norville. 954/767-0686. www.winterfestparade.com.