One of South Florida's top tourist destinations, Fort Lauderdale is sometimes called ?the Venice of America? because of its system of intricate and scenic canals. Just 23 miles from Miami, Fort Lauderdale is a center for yachting, with some 40,000 of the luxury vessels moored there. Cruise ships have a strong presence too, and are an important part of the local economy. For nearly 40 years, Fort Lauderdale was a major ?spring break? spot for college students around the country. In the 1980s, however, the city passed strict measures aimed at discouraging the spring visitors and their increasingly wild behavior.