BoomerGirl Diary

In her last column, Susan dealt with a bad case of PCD (Post-Cruise Depression.) In this column, she has recuperated enough to tell the first of many adventures and to share a bit about Fort Lauderdale.

I have a well-honed approach to cruise departure planning. 1. Never fly the day of the cruise. One delay and the boat sails off into the sunset without you. Fly the night before and you have 20 hours to make it. On the way home, who cares? 2. Use the cruise port as a transition from real life to vacation … in other words, start having fun. Make it more than a layover. 3. Avoid chain hotels. Look for something small and local in the town or by the ocean. There’s nothing like a midnight walk on the beach, palm trees outlined against a full moon, to get you in the mood for a vacation.

In our most recent cruise, we chose Fort Lauderdale as our port city. It has got to be the most convenient port to access from either the airport (a mere 10 minute drive) or downtown. Unlike Miami (half-hour to an hour taxi ride depending on traffic) or L.A. (think nightmare — can anyone predict how long it will take to drive across L.A.?), Lauderdale is stress-free. A call to the Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 22-SUNNY or (954) 765-4466 will get you a nice packet of info of the city, or check out their Web site at www.sunny.org.

Photo Gallery

Fort Lauderdale sights

We started with the “Superior Small Lodgings” guide, provided by the CVB, and found several options for at or under $100 a night, with pools, often by the beach. We chose the Tropi Rock Resort, a 31-room renovated three-story 1950s motel centered around a lushly landscaped pool area, palm trees and bubbly fountains, comfy pool-side tables & lounges, and private tennis court. It was spotless and quiet, just a block to the ocean. The service was personal. In other words, a great deal and so much better than a boring chain hotel. With a tall privacy wall and wrought iron gates, the Tropi Rock was an oasis.

It seems that every weekend is a different festival or celebration in Fort Lauderdale, so check out their seasonal events guide. We lucked into the Las Olas Art Fair, when block after block of Las Olas Blvd. is taken over by gifted artists from around the country. We grabbed a free trolley just a block from our hotel that dropped us right on Las Olas. Since Las Olas is also a shopping mecca, every store had their doors wide open. After a two-hour stroll through artist stalls and shops, we stopped in at the Museum of Art (also on Las Olas) to catch the exhibit on “Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge,” designed and assembled in part by Cheech Marin. Across the street, at the Riverwalk area, we grabbed a bite and caught a water taxi for a tour of some of the canals … and the elaborate McMansions with multi-million dollar yachts parked out back. Finally, after a stroll through back streets from the canal to our hotel, we figured it was time to head for the ship ... which, after picking up our luggage from the desk clerk, who called a cab that arrived within 3 minutes, was a quick hop away. No lines, no fuss, streamlined boarding …

I love this port!

If you can plan more of a layover in Fort Lauderdale, do! And consider the following:

• Butterfly World (www.butterflyworld.com) where the gardens and aviaries, waterfalls and tropical fish, are almost more fun than the butterflies, the thousands and thousands of butterflies. Hard to believe so many colors and patterns and sizes.

• Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum (www.ahtahthiki.com) Learn about the Seminole Tribe, whose history and culture come alive in a living village, nature trails, films and exhibits. Or the Seminole Okalee Indian Village (www.semtribe.com) where you’ll find alligator wrestling, wildlife shows, and assorted presentations in an authentically recreated village.

• Museum of Discovery and Science (and IMAX) (www.mods.org) Kid heaven in this expansive museum where learning is all hands-on.

• Bonnet House Museum and Gardens (www.bonnethouse.org) is a historical subtropical house museum, what this corner of the world looked like before tourism. Gardens are delightful.

Then there are so many parks, recreation areas, nature centers, an observatory, museums, art galleries and tourist attractions (like the Zero Gravity Center where for a mere $3,750, you too can experience the same weightlessness that our astronauts do.) Take a canal cruise (a must-do in this city of canals!). Music rocks of all sorts, from jazz combos to opera, symphony to musical theater. Check out Laffing Matterz (www.laffingmatterz.com) for dinner and satire, political and everything else.

The message here is that the port city is no mere launching pad for a week of fun and adventure: it is where the fun and adventure should start. Come early… stay late. Make every moment fun!