A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a media dinner hosted by The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. Personally, I have been to Florida before, but only to Orlando for Disney World and Miami. So, I was glad to attend the event, as I learned a lot about Greater Fort Lauderdale and what it has to offer as a tourist destination. 

  Greater Fort Lauderdale, located in Broward County, boasts more than 34,000 lodging accommodations at a variety of hotels, luxury spa resorts, and Superior Small Lodgings reflecting a “beach chic” vibe. The city is also home to near-endless sunshine as they get an average of 3,000 hours of annual sunshine. Perfect weather to soak in the sun, while enjoying the city's balmy breezes, tropical nights and warm ocean water. There are many things to do in the area such as dine at one of the thousands of restaurants and eateries, get immersed in a thriving arts and culture scene and indulge in top shopping. Want to learn more? Check out The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau's website for more information.

Tonight drinks are made by mixologist, Jean-Pierre Belonni, from the @RitzCarlton Fort Lauderdale #HelloSunnyTO. Can’t wait! pic.twitter.com/n0JFn570He

— Sandi ♡ Foodaholic! (@foodaholic_101) March 20, 2018

One of my favorite appetizers of the night was the coconut shrimp. Loved it!

 

Greater Fort Lauderdale has since become a hot destination with a lot of amazing sights, activities and food that goes beyond just amusement parks. We got a taste of what Fort Lauderdale has to offer in terms of cuisine, as we were joined by three of Fort Lauderdale's hottest chefs and a world-renowned mixologist who all brought a little of the Florida sunshine to Toronto. It was very much needed as Toronto's weather can be quite fickle.

The guests that evening were as followed:

Chef de Cuisine Paula DaSilva, The Ritz-Carlton
Executive Chef Adrienne Grenier, 3030 Ocean, Harbor Beach Marriott Resort
Chef Christian Cobos, GG’s Waterfront
Jean-Pierre Belonni, Head Bartender, Mixologist, The Ritz-Carlton

Media personnel and bloggers were treated to an array of cocktail pairings and a delectable 3-course dinner at Market Kitchen (inside of the St Lawrence Market). The dinner provided us with a preview of how the food scene in Fort Lauderdale has evolved, and its cocktail scene is also getting more sophisticated as well.

You can check out more of the night festivities at #HelloSunnyTO. 

The first course was the Spinach Cavatelli - with clam Broth & garlic breadcrumbs by Chef Adrienne Grenier.

The second course was the Sauteed Fish - parsnip puree, corn succotash with homestead Carambola sauce by Chef Paula DaSilva

The night ended off on a sweet note with the Key Lime Pie by Pastry Chef Christian Cobos

Here are some facts about Fort Lauderdale before you visit.

Climate: Broward's climate is tropical with an average year-round temperature of 76°F / 25°C and 3,000 hours of sunshine.  Winter temperatures average a mean of 66° F / 19° C; summer, a mean of 84° F / 29° C. January is the coolest month of the year and August is the warmest. The heaviest rainfalls occur during August and September.

Attractions:

Anne Kolb Nature Center -  a 1,430 acre wetland and habitat for native wildlife
        B-CYCLE -- bike sharing program
  Beach Place - a 100,000 square foot entertainment, retail and dining complex on A1A
        Billie Swamp Safari - lets you experience a Seminole Indian reservation in the Everglades via swamp buggy and airboat
        Everglades Holiday Park - gateway to 750,000 acres of unspoiled Everglades; airboat rides, tours and fishing
     Hollywood Beach Broadwalk - 2.2 mile oceanfront pedestrian promenade which parallels the beach
Xtreme Indoor Karting - South Florida’s fastest indoor karting

Natural Attractions: In addition to Blue Wave beaches and waterways, Broward County has 288parks, 69 miles of live coral reef in a three-tier natural reef system, and the Everglades. Its 100+ artificial reefs and 18 major shipwrecks provide divers with a unique mix of tropical underwater experiences.

Dining and Entertainment: More than 4,000 wining and dining establishments and 132 nightclubs are located in Broward County.

Shopping: Sawgrass Mills, the world's largest discount mall, features the high-end Colonnade Outlets. Other shopping destinations include Seminole Paradise, Festival Flea Market Mall and Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop, the largest indoor/outdoor flea market in the South. The Galleria at Fort Lauderdale, an upscale shopping mall with stores such as Neiman-Marcus, Michael Kors and Cole Haan, is complemented by traditional Florida shopping avenues such as Las Olas Boulevard, Dania Beach Antique Row and beach boutiques.

Major Annual Events: Some major ones are Orange Bowl (Dec/Jan), Vacation Like a VIP (May-Sept, Turtle Walks (June-July), Fort Lauderdale Family Fun Beachfront Celebration (July 4), Hollywood 4th of July Celebration (July 4), Hollywood Beach Latin Festival (Aug) and Florida Panthers Hockey Season (Oct–Apr) .

Many thanks to The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau and Resource Media for hosting the event. I had a great time, and learned a lot about Fort Lauderdale.