Located between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, Florida’s Hollywood is regarded as one of the top beach holiday destinations in the United States. This city may bear the same name as the famous neighborhood in Los Angeles’ but in Florida’s Hollywood, the top attractions are not the movie stars, film studios nor the huge mansions. The real draw here is the long stretch of golden sand beach and crystal clear water.
As a beach vacation spot, Hollywood is accessible, convenient and of course, very fun. This beach is highly regarded for its cleanliness and safety standards. It is usually not hard to find your ideal accommodation in Hollywood. If you do not want to go far from the sea, there is a wide range of beachfront hotels and resorts to choose from. All of them are not eyesore high rises, but instead, are smaller boutique-style accommodation. Hollywood Beach is home to more than 50 restaurants as well as over 30 boutiques and shops.
Another Hollywood crowning glory that greatly compliments its sandy shore is the 2.5 mile long Broadwalk. This name is not a misspelling for the word ‘boardwalk’. In fact, the city planner who designed this particular boardwalk intentionally called it as such, to highlight the pathway’s extraordinary width. The Hollywood Broadwalk is hailed as one of the best beach boardwalks in the country by travel authority Travel + Leisure. This pedestrian promenade exudes a very vibrant atmosphere due to the number of activities and events that take place here every week.
Because of the Broadwalk’s size, it has become a fantastic playground for people, young and old. Here, you can cycle, jog or rollerblade like the locals. If you do not have the wheels, you can easily rent them from shops like the Sun & Fun Cycles. You also have the option to book a boat excursion or rent jet skis and a cabana from outfitters in the area.
If you happen to visit here on a Sunday, don’t forget to drop by the organic farmers’ markets set up in the area. This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy local favorites such as exotic fruit smoothies. Strolling along the Broadwalk leads you to various shops and restaurants. It will also give you marvelous views of the coast. For five nights of the week, you can enjoy live music performances at the Hollywood Beach Theater.
Although it is hard to move away from the beach for a while, consider doing so to explore the city’s historic downtown area. Here, you will be able to immerse yourself into the rich culture and the area’s growing penchant for the arts. You will find various galleries, arts installations and murals everywhere. There is even a dedicated arts hub called ArtsPark found in the Young Circle area. This venue is the weekly host for activities that cater to families, art fans and food enthusiasts. For families, the Hollywood Beach and Broadwalk is such an ideal destination as it is home to two children-oriented parks, one of which is Charnow Park, which attracts the super young crowd with its climbing wall and interactive splash fountain!
You can conveniently reach Hollywood Beach and the downtown area by taking the trolley service, which runs from Thursday to Sunday starting at 10 a.m. The service terminates on slightly different times during these days.
