Right across the street from the a beautiful stretch of beach in Ft. Lauderdale this restaurant served a crab-crusted Mahi Mahi that was incredible. I would have enjoyed it even more if I had not consumed three plates of delicious warm flatbread covered in cheese and pesto, that the restaurant serves up as a free appetizer.

Good seafood and steaks are served at this popular little Bar and Grill. And all the girls coming in for drinks were dressed like Hookers, but I was assured that they were, in fact, not Hookers. They were just Florida Girls.

This little joint sits right on Hollywood Beach and has a baffling 25-page menu that features every single dish that has ever emerged out of Japan and Thailand. The food was really good and very fresh. I recommend the Conch Roll, for Sushi fans.

Located on a trendy street, lined with overpriced designer boutiques, this smallish French restaurant serves ginormous and delicious crepes, stuffed with everything from scrambled eggs, rattaoullie, roast chicken, and chocolate mousse. I loved it.

A very typical beach bar in Hollywood, this place serves all manner of brightly colored tropical drinks as well as ice-cold beer and your favorite cocktail. There is something about getting a $6 whiskey on the rocks in a flimsy plastic cup that makes me sad but all-in-all this is a decent bar. But I hope you don’t mind loud Bob Marley covers, because that is all the house band seems to know. I ate deep-fried aligator tail here. It was chewy, but good.

This is how I always pictured a Florida bar. Loud, dirty cheap, and sandy. Everyone in this place looks like they live on the beach, or under a bridge. It was excellent

This huge resort hotel was built in the 20’s and has been in a long graceful decline ever since. It was like the creepy hotel from the Shining, only in a tropical setting. The rooms were cheap and wonderfully clean and from my room on the seventh floor, the view was amazing.

Riding on a cruise ship reminds you what an awful experience flying is. I rode this boat for five hours to the Bahamas and five hours back and it was, in many ways, the best part of the trip. Several bars and restaurants, a pool, a casino, 3 all-you-can-eat buffet meals, and the joy of strolling the deck out in the heart of the ocean. It’s really the best way in the world to get from one place to another.

Ships from all the major lines leave every day from this port.