Hollywood Beach is one of South Florida's booming beaches. Recently
it was named "Florida's Best Beach" by Florida Living Magazine
and one of the "Best Places to Live" by Money Magazine in
2005. Hollywood is also known for the influx of French Canadians who
make their winter home here. The beach is a haven for retirees, but
just recently has been an attraction to younger generations and hipsters
as an up and coming community with new condos, Young's Circle, bountiful
with shops, clubs and restaurants and the incredibly popular Seminole
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino where you are sure to find a celebrity.
Located between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale
and just minutes from Ft. Lauderdale International Airport, Hollywood
Beach is 7 miles of crystal clear waters and has one of the best stretches
of boardwalk, coined "Broadwalk", which spans for 3 miles.
Bikers, rollerbladers, joggers all find this to be a perfect spot to
get some exercise with workout stations along the path. There is also
a handball court that's always full and a mini golf course for the family
and kids where you also can get bike rentals. In addition to the activities
on land, water lovers can partake in water sports such as boating, jet
skiing, scuba diving, snorkeling, and wind surfing. The outdoor amphitheater
hosts weekly concerts for free and festivals, fairs, cookoffs, etc.,
are often held at the bustling promenade. There is usually ample parking
in the garage for $5 if you know you'll stay all day, or there is metered
parking in the lot which is approximately $1 per hour. There are plenty
of dive hotels right on the beach where you can stay to get the local
flair of the town. By far, though, one of the best deals in town is
eating or drinking on the beach. Breakfast can start as low as $1.99
and most places offer a large cheese pizza and a pitcher of soda or
beer for $13.99. This section of the beach is also one of the most narrow
between the beach and the intracoastal waterways, where if you walk
across A1A, you can sit at a restaurant right on the water and watch
the sun set and the boaters float by. On the intracoastal, the renowned
places to dine include the belly dancing Taverna Opa, largest tiki bar
Las Palmas, plant filled sink and tub burger joint Le Tub, or Billy's
Stone Crabs. Just south is the famed Diplomat Hotel that boasts the
trendy nightclub, Nikki Marina.
Apart from the beach, Hollywood is a city
that has such a variety of places to go and things to do from hiking
or kayaking at the Ann Kolb Nature Center, to gambling at the Miccosukee
Resort, to seeing bison, water buffalo and alligators at Seminole's
Billie Swamp Safari within the Seminole Indian Reservation. And even
more outdoor history can be found at the International Game Fishing
Association/Fishing Hall of Fame, with a kid's discovery room, library
and virtual fishing.
This diversity makes Hollywood one of America's
favorite destinations.
