Panama Canal, 16 Nights

Fort Lauderdale, (lô´der-dâl´) city (1990 pop. 148,377), seat of Broward Co., SE Fla., on the Atlantic coast; settled around a fort built (c.1837) in the Seminole War, inc. 1911. The city has more than 270 mi (435 km) of natural and artificial waterways and one of the largest marinas in the world. A major beach resort, it has a performing arts center and art and science museums. Products include electronic devices, boats and yachts, and various light manufactures.

Los Angeles is the second largest city in the U.S., ranking second only to that of New York in size. The city, which attracts thousands of tourists yearly, is noted for its parks; for many and varied museums; for its enormous Music Center and Convention Center; for the fossil-rich La Brea Tar Pits; for its ethnic communities; for its climate and beaches; and for its educational institutions, including the Univ. of Southern California and the Univ. of California at Los Angeles. The 1932 and 1984 summer Olympics were held in the city.

San Francisco one of the nation’s cultural centers. Founded by the Spanish in 1776 as Yerba Buena, it was taken and renamed by the Americans in 1846. The California gold rush of 1848 led to great growth; with the arrival of newcomers from all over the world in the late 19th century the city took on a cosmopolitan air.

A gracious, picturesque city with a mild climate, it is famous for its individuality. Notable features include its cable cars, which carry passengers on its steep hills; the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (opened 1936) and Golden Gate Bridge (opened 1937); Chinatown; Fisherman’s Wharf; Telegraph Hill; the mansions of Nob Hill; the opera house; symphony hall (1980); the Yerba Buena arts and gardens complex; and numerous institutions of learning.