FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. — In the 1920s, Ft. Lauderdale began digging wide canals creating Venice, Italy style neighborhoods near the coast.

It was a way to attract new homeowners to move to south Florida. 

One of the best way to experience the canals lined with multi-million dollar mansions and world class yachts is by mini powerboat.

What You Need To Know

  • Las Olas Paddleboards has one of the best ways to see the yachts and homes of Ft. Lauderdale

  • Guests can rent their mini-powerboats and cruise the canals of the rich and famous

  • The self-guided tours will allow you to see the backyards of multi million-dollar mansions and world class yachts

  • The two person boats can go in places many bigger boats are not able to navigate

Las Olas Paddleboards Maranda Ealahan has been assisting visitors into their unique boats for the past five years.

“Ft. Lauderdale is the yachting capital of the world. So, it’s great to take a little boat out and see the area,” said Ealahan.

Ealahan says homeowners of the multi-million-dollar mansions are doctors, lawyers, titans of industry, athletes and celebrities.

The powerboats allow guest to glimpse into their backyards.

“I know in Miami people know that a celebrity lives in this exact house. In Ft. Lauderdale they definitely live here, but they are a little bit more private about it. Even though you can check out their yards, their yachts and all that,” said Ealahan.

There are a few no wake zones where guests can go at a moderate speed with the small boats, but most of the narrow canals require slower speeds.

Visitors to Ft. Lauderdale can cruise the canals by mini powerboats and see up close the multi million dollar homes and yachts.  (Spectrum News/Randy Rauch)

The two-man boats allow guests to get into much tighter areas than most crafts.

“These are easier to navigate through the narrower canals. When you get on a bigger boat, you can’t really have access to that area. It’s a little bit more difficult to get back to that area. So these are easier to cut through the canals, see the beautiful homes back there, really easy to drive around. It’s a pretty easy area to navigate too,” said Ealahan.

There was a time when Ft. Lauderdale wanted to have the feel of Venice, Italy.

So dredging projects got underway in the 1920s and mangroves were cleared, and developers created the first finger islands that became synonymous with the city. 

The new islands helped create a real estate boom and Ft. Lauderdale eventually earned the title as the “yachting capital of the world.”

Easy ocean access along with the development of personal mega-yachts made this part of south Florida desirable to anyone that wanted to cruise the world.

The cost to rent a mini speedboat is $99.00 per hour

For more information and reservations, visit Las Olas Paddleboards at 934 NE 20th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304.