2. Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast . It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area. The city is a popular tourist destination. Fort Lauderdale is sometimes known as the " Venice of America “ because of its expansive and intricate canal system. The city is a major yachting center, resident yachts, marinas and boatyards . The city sits 23 miles north of Miami, Florida.