As the Hidden Gem of the area, Dania Beach is home to some of the prettiest and least crowded stretches of ocean in Greater Fort Lauderdale. Dania Beach Ocean Park has an impressive fishing pier where you can dine and enjoy panoramic views and scrumptious seafood caught just out of the ocean. Close by, John U. Lloyd Beach State Park is also a favorite destination for kayaking, swimming, picnicking or just cloud watching.

Enjoy the sunrise on beautiful Deerfield Beach, Greater Fort Lauderdale’s northern most award-winning, cove-like beaches and the destination’s family playground. For the more adventurous family, a day can be spent at Ski Rixen, one of America's first cable water ski parks. This innovative water skiing system pulls you silently over glassy smooth water without a boat! Or, for the more sedate, take a trip to the beach for sandcastle building, volleyball, dining at open-air eateries or fishing off the Deerfield Pier.

Fort Lauderdale Beach has some of the best people-watching in South Florida. And don't forget to stroll, jog, or blade along the palm tree-fringed, brick-lined beachfront promenade.

At the southern end of Greater Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach is the perfect place for a Guy's Getaway with a wide array of outdoor sports from golf and swimming to boating and salt-water fishing. Visitors can enjoy beautiful stretches of beach and exciting nightlife. Two of South Florida's premier "casinos" are located in Hallandale Beach - Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino, home of the sport of kings, thoroughbred horseracing and the Florida Derby, and the Mardi Gras Racetrack and Gaming Center.

Need to unwind with a tranquil, relaxing day? Hillsboro Beach is Greater Fort Lauderdale's Quiet Escape. Enjoy views of the Hillsboro Lighthouse and remember to watch your step, as the beach is popular with nature lovers who come to see the turtle nesting. Right next to the Lighthouse, the Hillsboro Inlet, where yachts enter, is home to the stone statue dedicated to the Barefoot Mailman. From 1885 until 1892 a mail carrier would make a seven-day journey, walking 68 miles from Palm Beach, through what is now Broward County to Miami. The weeklong trip was spent mostly barefoot walking on the hard-packed sand along the ocean - hence the name.

Retro Cool, Hollywood Beach is home to the Boardwalk which runs 2 ˝ miles up and down this sun-kissed oceanfront. Visitors can stroll along on foot or hop on a bike and find a great outdoor café to wile away the hours watching "man's best friend" run up and down the area's favorite dog beach. (Where, by the way, part of the movie Marley & Me was filmed.) Want to get off the beach? Hop aboard the trolley and head to Young Circle and Harrison Street, the epicenter of culture and cuisine in Hollywood. Take an art class during the day, stay for dinner and drinks, and then party the night away at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

With a reputation as a Low-Key Get-Away, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, is a 1/2 mile wide hamlet which has that old fashioned, charming "beach village" vibe. This town is one of the only locations in Florida where the three-tier natural coral reef system is close enough for visitors to swim out for snorkeling or diving. Friday nights the one street that runs through this sleepy town is blocked off, a stage is erected and live music is enjoyed. Your new favorite spot will be the Ice Cream Shop (yup, that's the name), where they tend to know everyone on a first-name basis.

For those that think life is always a game, Pompano Beach's offers Sports of all Sorts. Named for the saltwater fish found exclusively in area waters and home to the annual Pompano Seafood festival and Fishing Rodeo, the water on this stretch of coastline is some of the warmest and clearest in South Florida due to a bend in the Gulf Stream. Want to get off the beach? You can tee-it-up for a round of championship golf or place your bets and enjoy harness horseracing.