This was a journey to a new experience of a successful yachting lifestyle in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. My first boat show with such a status, as they say, it's "the greatest on the seven seas." So true — there’re three million square feet of exhibition space chopped by many water channels. 

By the way, the first Fort Lauderdale Boat Show was organized in 1959 with the only purpose of unloading excess boat inventory. Today’s show entices over 100,000 people to see more than 1,000 boats displayed on site representing 50 countries. The show is one of the most influential yachting events in the world, not just in North America. 

The city radiates a more sophisticated lifestyle, mainly characterized by its beachfront location. It’s luxurious, a mix of coffee shops with first-class restaurants, high-end art galleries, and designer boutiques. 

Of course, everybody shows up to check out an incredible number of spectacular yacht exteriors and interiors. From millionaire's super-yachts with indoor pools to sailing yachts, catamarans, outstanding fishing boats, and speedboats. The show allows you to follow the progress with a sense of fascination of boating for anyone going or dreaming of going into the sea. 

The first location we visited, Pier 66 Marina, had undergone a complete renovation, as it said. You’ll meet a fantastic display of yachts and have a sea trial there — a test run of a vessel you're thinking of purchasing. You should be qualified, however, to participate in this standard procedure, observing how your dream boat behaves on the water. Also, check on some of the best meals at Pelican Landing restaurant and several bars there. 

Next, you'll stumble upon the Hall of Fame Marina show location with its other quality dining option and a place for business meetups. Just in case you're in the marine business. 

If you go with kids, they'll probably stick to the Blue Wild area featuring scuba and freediving, and you might find a specialty at the sizeable marine art exhibition. Apart from the boats, you can find a vast assortment of accompanying goods, like equipment, clothing, marine electronics, etc. Also, you’ll find an exotic car mini-show displaying the finest vehicles from the world's most recognized automakers. 

All show’s seven locations are linked by a convenient land and water transportation network. You can get there by a free riverboat or purchase a $10 pass for the all-day water taxi. You’ll have access to all 7 locations:

• Pier 66 Marina 
• Hall of Fame Marina
• Las Olas Municipal Marina
• Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel & Yachting Center
• Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina
• Sails Marina
• the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center. 

Fort Lauderdale is a great coastal destination with perfect weather all year round. If you like water sports, the show offers virtually anything from fishing gear to jet skiing equipment, paddle boarding, kayaking, and kite surfing.

If you’re more into wine and women, you can concurrently visit Miami South Beach Wine and Food Festival, which is in full bloom and buzzing with new and old culinary talents. If you don't like wine, there’s a superabundance of various distilleries and breweries, like Gulf Stream Brewery. They are more like a boutique size, each having its unique blend and taste and serving mild October vibes wholly.

Fort Lauderdale’s extensive waterways are lined up with expensive mansions, beautiful harbors, and preserved lagunas, all worth exploring onboard. You don’t have to buy a yacht or acquire a boat license to do that; just rent a boat or buy a VIP tour with a personal guide.

Fort Lauderdale has it all and even more for a keen skipper, but even if you're not, all possible exhibits on the water are at your service. Paying as low as $39 (or $300 VIP), you'll explore the astonishing displays and shop for the most up-to-date gears or even fine arts.

You'll get 20 miles of golden sand beaches on your palm, making it probably the most illuminating seaside getaway this year. Generally, the Sunshine State is loaded with recreational opportunities under the sun for any budget, including golf courses and Disney World in September.