While Here
Oct 27th, 2008 by jeb
Things To Do in the Hollywood Beach Area
If viewing the videos sparked an interest in visiting the area and you would like to know what there is to do here besides relax in the warm sunshine, we provide below some information on activities and attractions in the area as well as some local yocal advice. As a starting point, you may want to check the Visit Hollywood website for some general information on this subject. And for similar information but more visual, try Hollywood 360 (PDF format). We have also provided a summary of links to assorted sources of information about this area on the SOFLA page.
. Entertainment and activities. Some of the nearby entertainment includes the Seminole Hard Rock Casino, Gulfstream Race Track & Casino, Hollywood Greyhound Track and Gaming Center, and Dania Beach Jai Alai. Some outdoor activities would include an abundance of golf courses, boating, fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, tennis, paddleball, beach volleyball, swimming, and of course walking, running, biking, or rollerblading on the beach broadwalk. .
Area attractions. To get a basic idea of the some of the more interesting and unusual area attractions, check out these links. Local Major Attractions from thingstodo.com Lesser Known but Unique Attractions from sunny.org Some Different Lesser Knowns from funlauderdale.com Fort Lauderdale guide with a good cross section of local info... .
Day trips. Some outings that you might want to consider, a few of which might actually be best as over-nighters, are Everglades National Park, Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (a short drive south of the Everglades Park on Key Largo), the Florida Keys, Sanibel/Captiva Islands (famous for "shelling"), Marco Island, Miccosukee Indian Village and Resort (Everglades Airboat Rides), Billie Swamp Safari (Everglades airboat rides - click here to view a video of an airboat ride), Everglades Day Safari (just a few miles inland at Flamingo Gardens), Lion Country Safari (near Lake Okeechobee), Kenedy Space Center, a day cruise (click here for a cruise guide) out of Port Everglades to the Bahamas or Key West (on Discovery, Imperial Majesty, Sea Escape, or Celebration Cruise Lines). For numerous other area boating excursions click on this link for top boat tours.
.Local Parks and Nature Centers. There are a couple of major parks in the immediate area. One that provides a glimpse of walking through (via a boardwalk) or kayaking through (they rent kayaks) a mangrove swamp is West Lake Park that features Kolb Nature Center. Another nature center that is located (near Flamingo Gardens) in an elevated oak hammock surrounded by a series of islands and Everglades marshes is Long Key Nature Center ("Long Key encompasses some of the most significant archaeological, historical, and ecological resources within Broward County"). In the same area as Long Key and Flamingo Gardens is Tree Tops Park which has equestrian trails and guided horseback riding. Lastly, if you are looking for a less populated beach (and therefore more secluded and naturally preserved than the broadwalk area) try Lloyd State Park. There are of course many other small parks too numerous to mention, but if you would like to be educated about these other very interesting parks and view pictures of flora and fauna in their native habitat in the parks, check out this other great blog from Hollywood, The Nature Teacher. You can also find brochures that list them all at any local lodging.
.Things To Do with the Kids. There are plenty of activities and attractions for children in the area other than parks and the beach, and altho the attractions on the sites in the above links address the majority of what is available, we will attempt to summarize what we feel from experience are some of the better options: Parrot Jungle Island, Monkey Jungle, Miami Metro Zoo, Miami Seaquarium, Everglades Holiday Park Airboat Rides, Boomers Amusement Park, Lion Country Safari (day trip, near Lake Okeechobee), Butterfly World (near the indoor Festival Flea Market), Flamingo Gardens (Everglades-like park with flora, birds, wildlife, and tram ride), and if you happen to catch a rainy day in "the sunshine state" the Museum of Discovery (an IMAX theatre adjoins the museum and Riverwalk is nearby) and the Science Museum would be good choices for an outing. Note that if you take in the Miami Seaquarium, which is on Key Biscayne, that just a couple of miles further down at the southern tip of the key is Cape Florida State Park with a nice beach and an old lighthouse. Lastly, South Florida hosts the largest gathering of nesting sea turtles on planet Earth during late summer and early fall, so check out this link for an article on releasing sea turtles hatchlings on Hollywood Beach: Sea Turtle Release.
.Dining. There are so many great places to dine here that we would suggest that once you arrive, pick up a local newspaper (if there still is one...) to peruse your options. However, we recommend that of an evening you consider the establishments on AIA on the intracoastal waterway for the sunset and boat traffic. In this category, "Le Tub Saloon" was selected by GQ magazine and featured on Oprah as serving the best burger in America and it provides the atmosphere of a funky open air waterside Key West eatery. Also out of the ordinary, Taverna Opa (crew and customers dance on the tables), Capone's Flicker Lite (voted best neighborhood bar and grille by Miami Herald), and Giorgio's Grill (more of an evening experience), right next to Giorgio's Bistro and Bakery (more of a morning/lunch thing). On the broadwalk, there are numerous options, but we would recommend at least Sushi on the Beach, Ocean Alley, Sugar Reef, and Vedu's Fish and Burger Joint. Also, we recommend O'Malley's Ocean Pub, Nick's Bar and Grill (the opening scene from "Body Heat" was filmed there), and Oceans 11 which are primarily bars but serve great food. If you are in the mood for some really good south of the border food, go to Mamasita's on the broadwalk or try Las Palmas Tropical Grille (also Cuban and sushi, with a great "top shelf" upper-deck bar) right on the intracoastal waterway. If you are up for steak on the broadwalk, then it's the Las Brisas Argentine Steak House, pricey but that's what you want for that category and the only steakhouse on the beach (for steak inland, we highly recommend the excellent yet affordable Beefeater's Steakhouse in the heart of downtown Hollywood, and the Kings Head Pub in nearby Dania Beach). And for broadwalk oriental, we already mentioned Sushi on the Beach, but we should point out that it's way more than just sushi, they have it all. The Ramada Hotel has a small food court and a restaurant inside with open air O'Malley's Ocean Pub out on the oceanfront broadwalk, and the Marriott has the very fine "Latitudes" Beach Cafe/Bar, also right on the broadwalk. And, downtown Hollywood has a diverse assortment of unique restaurants, clubs, and bars if you feel like venturing "inland" (trolleys from and to downtown are available if you are car-less or just don't want to drive).
.Bars and Clubs. Situated between two fast-paced party towns in South Florida, Hollywood Beach is a much more laid-back destination that has plenty of family appeal, but has a few bars of it's own on the broadwalk as well as in the tree-lined downtown district. On the broadwalk, there are bars that also double as very fine eateries, particularly O'Malley's Ocean Pub, Nick's Bar and Grill (the opening scene from "Body Heat" was filmed there), and Oceans Eleven. Also on the broadwalk you will find McGowans, Toucans Bar and Grill, "Latitudes" Beach Cafe/Bar, and the cozy Walkabout Tiki Bar. Of course most of the eateries have a bar, or their dining area turns into one after the dinner hour.
.Dancing. You can dance anywhere down here, 24/7. There are many establishments with dance floors, and you run into live music constantly, but the entire broadwalk is a dance floor -- you will find people dancing to the music at the bandshell of course but also outside any of the many live music venues on the broadwalk. Also, downtown has some diverse clubs where dancing is the specialty, but there again you will find live music out on the sidewalks and people simply "dancing in the street".
.Shopping. It may seem weird to consider shopping while here, but most folks do not always pack enough clothing or even the right clothing. Also, many people travel to this area even from other countries for shopping as a primary purpose due to the unique offerings, accommodating weather, and good exchange rates. The main shopping malls in the nearby area are the Sawgrass Outlet Mall (about 15 miles inland), Aventura Mall (an easy drive down AIA), the Galleria Mall (downtown Fort Lauderdale, not the same as the Houston Galleria), Florida City Prime Outlets (on the way to the keys and near the entrance to Everglades National Park), and the classy indoor Festival Flea Market Mall (a fair drive up I-95 or the turnpike to Pompano Beach). In the surrounding area you will find everything from typical flea markets (but also including the "worlds largest" outdoor flea market) to budget garment districts to the ultimate in upscale shopping malls (Palm Beach, Bal Harbor, and Boca Raton...). If you make it down to the Miami area, you will find unusual experiences with shopping and dining in still bohemian Coconut Grove, trendy open air Bayside Marketplace, and always lively South Beach (if you feel like a boat ride, an interesting way to get to Bayside and SoBe from Hollywood is via the Water Taxi). If you are into antiques, a couple of miles inland you will find the Dania Beach antique district. Also a couple of miles inland is of course downtown Hollywood with an array of unique and interesting shops with plenty of great eateries (there are trolleys and shuttles to downtown if you are car-less).
.Tips. We are currently in the process of establishing a page which is intended primarily to provide advice and tips on a number of subjects related to Florida. However, this feature is still in a formative stage and will contain some information not specifically related to Florida. While it is currently a little disorganized, we will categorize and group the information such that it will be easy to find what is relative to your interests. Click on this link to the Tips page if you would like to check out the "beta" version.
.If you would like to contact us for any reason, just send an email to jeb@lifesacoast.com or add a comment below if you have input on this subject.
.If you happen to be considering relocation to the warm sunny state of Florida (right now is a really good time to find some great housing bargains) try this link: Florida Home Buying and Relocation Guide. So if you get serious about the Hollywood area, a great local realtor that happens to be a life long resident of Hollywood (and also a county commissioner) is Patricia Asseff.
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