Hollywood Beach, Florida has just about everything for the perfect vacation. Located between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, this historic town boasts charm, excitement and tranquility. We spent 8 days enjoying the beach life and exploring the area. Taking a family vacation, we wanted to go somewhere that had a lot to offer for our 19 year olds. The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk (yes, Broadwalk) is an approximate 2.5 mile promenade along the Atlantic Ocean. Food, shops, entertainment, biking, rollerblading and miles of sand to soak up the sun is right here! If you have older kids, or teens, it’s perfect for them to explore on their own along the promenade.
The Beach
We visited Hollywood Beach the last week of May. The weekdays were a little less busy than the weekend. But, there were always places on the beach and never too much of a wait at any of the restaurants. Temps were in the high 80’s with a mix of sun and some cloudy moments. The occasional brief rain showers never put a damper on our sun bathing. A good idea is to have a beach umbrella if you’re spending the day. If you don’t have one, rentals are readily available along the beach. Hollywood Beach has life guard service, which I appreciate. Along the beach, volleyball nets were set up which we played, or attempted, a match one afternoon. The shops along the Broadwalk sell all the beach gear you need. We purchased a paddle ball set to spice up the days, lol! If you need a break from the action, there are miles to stroll, or bike, to enjoy the nature and oceanfront.
Getting Around
Getting to Hollywood Beach is quite simple. There are plenty of public parking garages, with large signs, just a block off the Broadwalk, and some street parking. And, plenty of public bathrooms are available. The Airbnb we stayed at was on Hollywood Boulevard, which takes you straight the beach. Being approximately 10 blocks from the beach was perfect for our 19 year olds to walk to and from. We offered to rent them bikes, which there are plenty of bike rental shops on the broadwalk, but they were happy to walk. The city of Hollywood has a ride service called the Sun Shuttle. It’s an electric shuttle service that you can take all over the city of Hollywood, and to and from Hollywood Beach for $2.00 per ride. It is super easy to download the app, Ride Circuit, which we found on the city’s website.
Food & Drink
Along the Broadwalk there are so many places to eat and drink. Endless restaurant options, delis and sweet shops. We fancied the Yogurt Ur Way Cafe, which was our go to for coffee. Along with espresso, drip coffee and all the fancy coffee drinks, they offer delightful bakery goods. And, if you are in the mood for something light for an afternoon snack, their menu includes hotdogs, paninis, frozen yogurt and more. The staff here is extremely friendly! Floridays, which is part of the infamous Margaritaville Resort, is a little old fashioned camper with amazing tropical drinks. We indulged multiple times in their Havanas and Bananas drink. Unbelievably delicious and dreamy! Thank goodness we walked a lot to even out the vacation food and drinks! Burgers, seafood, Puerto Rican, Italian, Mexican, ice cream, and whatever foods you like, are available on the Broadwalk. And, if that’s not enough, walk over a block or two to N. Ocean Drive which is home to many restaurants, bars and shops. We loved the Taco Beach Shack which has a festive outside seating area!
We definitely plan on returning to Hollywood Beach. It’s spacious, diverse, and offers so much. The city of Hollywood, Florida is fabulous. I am adding a story about the other parts of our Hollywood, Florida vacation next.