Wyndham Royal Vista

Collegiates of the 1960s now returning to Fort Lauderdale would be hard pressed to recognize the onetime "Sun and Suds Spring Break Capital of the Universe." Back then, Fort Lauderdale's beachfront was lined with T-shirt shops, and downtown consisted of a lone office tower and dilapidated buildings waiting to be razed. Today, the beach and downtown have exploded with upscale shops, restaurants, and luxury resort hotels equipped with enough high-octane amenities to light up skies all the way to western Broward's Alligator Alley. At risk of losing small-town 45-rpm magic in iPod times—when hotel parking fees alone threaten to eclipse room rates of old—Greater Fort Lauderdale somehow seems to be melding disparate eras into nouveau nirvana, seasoned with a little Gold Coast sand.

Named after a local tropical game fish, Pompano Beach was settled in 1880. The city's location along Florida's Gold Coast makes it a haven for tourists and recreation enthusiasts. With more than 20 local parks, opportunities for tennis, softball, swimming, and other outdoor activities are readily available. The Pompano Beach Fishing Rodeo—the largest saltwater sport fishing tournament in South Florida—is a popular annual event that draws in thousands of tourists.