The 'Venice Of America' Is An Artsy And Breathtaking Florida City Full Of Beaches

Spaghetti, gondola rides, and art are typically associated with Venice, Italy. However, you can grasp a similar experience in a different city, and we're not talking about the "Other Venice" (Chioggia, Italy), which also has beautiful canals but fewer crowds. This town is on a whole different continent, and you can get there without your passport ... in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While you might think the Sunshine State's southeast city is only known for its sparkling blue beaches, according to Visit Lauderdale, it's nicknamed the "Venice of America" due to its 300 miles of inland waterways, rows of galleries, and well-known boating culture.

The metropolitan area of Fort Lauderdale is Las Olas, which has many features that mirror that of Venice. There are long walkways with several local boutiques and restaurants. There are delicious Italian delicacies served at different eateries, such as IT! Italy, Pan'e Dolci Italian Bakery, Louie Bossi's Ristorante Bar Pizzeria, and more. Many of these establishments are lined along the Riverwalk, where people can stroll beside the canals and watch water vessels sail along the Intracoastal, ranging from tender boats to yachts. Some locals really play into the city's nickname, as they've brought gondola rides to the area, making tourists' Veneto dreams a reality.

If Italy is well-known for anything other than its mouthwatering cuisine, it's the ambiance filling the town with romance. In Venice, couples sail on gondola rides and share their most intimate moments, creating memories of a lifetime. In Las Olas, couples can recreate that experience or reserve a ride on this type of boat for the very first time. You can take a romantic gondola ride that looks just like the ones on the Italian island, with gondoliers dressed in traditional garb of a black and white striped shirt and a woven hat with a ribbon (via Las Olas Gondola). A lot of people host their proposals here and celebrate their new journey with champagne, treats, and a tour along the canal. It's not only for couples, you can also just take the adventure with a friend for a unique way to sightsee.

The European country inspires the "Venice of America" down to the detail — even an apartment complex in the area is named Venezia Las Olas. While the complex isn't a typical building that you'd see in the Italian town, one similar thing is the art scene. It's not uncommon in Venice to see Venetian masks and Renaissance art along the skinny cobblestone walkways, as well as glass-blown products and jewels. In Las Olas, you'll find fine art from local artists around the area, and annually, Fort Lauderdale also hosts seasonal art festivals where they can show off their latest works. 

Of course, Venice is a popular tourist destination, with people globally seeing its popular seascape. However, many people escape the crowds to visit Lido, a nearby island with beaches and vibrant storied streets. It's more of the same in Florida, as one of America's best cities for nightlife is in Miami, but if you want to beat the buzzing Magic City crowds, you can find a close second in Fort Lauderdale. While the town is the "Venice of America," it seems to be a more relaxed version of South Beach, even with its larger-than-life venues, such as The Shorely or The Wharf. The nightlife bars and nautical themes are spot on with the greater Fort Lauderdale area, known for its 3-mile sandy stretch of coastline.

It's pretty customary that people travel to South Florida for a relaxing beach getaway, so we'd be remiss not to highlight one of the area's most sought-after locations. The turquoise blues wash up along the sand, and you're sure to find a less crowded spot on Fort Lauderdale's pebbled landscape over South Beach, according to Redditors. There are plenty of restaurants and bars across the street at Beach Place, including a Hooters, and a LuLu's Bait Shack, home to the infamous fishbowl cocktail — if you order one, you might just think you're actually in Venice!