The city was founded by Henry Flagler in 1894, as a community to house the servants working in the two grand hotels on the neighboring island of Palm Beach, across Lake Worth. During the 1920s, the city boomed and was a rival to Miami, leaving it with many historic structures and neighborhoods.

The 1970s to the new millennium, the city had undergone a tremendous renaissance as newcomers have rediscovered the city's historic areas, graceful new high-rises including Donald Trump's elegant “Trump Plaza”, and a resurgent downtown entertainment and shopping district called CityPlace. But, Clematis Street, West Palm Beach's historic shopping venue feared it would lose popularity. To keep that from happening, the Clematis Street district was extensively renovated and refurbished. It is now home to Clematis by Night, an outdoor event held on the street with live music and food. It is also home to West Palm Beach's nightlife, along with CityPlace.

Burt Reynolds has a horse ranch here and there is a park named after him.

Fort Lauderdale, known as the "Venice of America" due to its expansive and intricate canal system, is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. Some of the things the city is known for are its sandy beaches, trendy bars, and chic nightclubs. Fort Lauderdale's economy is heavily reliant on tourism. During the 1970s, the city was known as a spring break destination for college students. The tourist dollars are largely directed toward cruise ships and the array of nautical recreation. Fort Lauderdale now attracts a more sophisticated and affluent tourist, however it still remains a popular spring break destination for college students.

The entertainment district runs east-west along Las Olas Boulevard, from the beach to the heart of downtown. The district is anchored in the West by the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and runs through the city to arrive at the intersection of Las Olas and A1A. This intersection is the "ground zero" of Fort Lauderdale Beach, and is the site of the "Elbo Room" bar featured in the 1960's film Where the Boys Are, which led in large measure to the city's former reputation as a spring break mecca. The city also hosts Langerado, an annual music festival.

Fort Lauderdale is a major manufacturing and maintenance center for yachts. The boating industry is responsible for over 100,000 jobs in the area. With its many canals, and proximity to the Bahamas and Caribbean, it is also a popular yachting vacation stop. The boating industry is in transition as high land cost are forcing marinas to sell and relocate out of the area. Addtionally, the number of boat slips are declining as marinas are more actively seeking the large mega-yachts.

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