Hollywood, Florida

Established as a resort destination during the Florida real estate boom of the 1920s, downtown Hollywood is centered around Young Circle, a roundabout that shoots you out toward the beach. Along Harrison Street, chic shops, art galleries, and snazzy bistros attract visitors and residents who come here for the performing arts, with dance and theater held at several downtown venues. Hollywood Beach isn’t far away, offering its famous Broadwalk, a promenade built in the 1920s along the beachfront business district, named one of America’s best. It offers two miles of nostalgic meandering (or bicycling or rollerblading) past shops and cafes and ...

Established as a resort destination during the Florida real estate boom of the 1920s, downtown Hollywood is centered around Young Circle, a roundabout that shoots you out toward the beach. Along Harrison Street, chic shops, art galleries, and snazzy bistros attract visitors and residents who come here for the performing arts, with dance and theater held at several downtown venues. Hollywood Beach isn’t far away, offering its famous Broadwalk, a promenade built in the 1920s along the beachfront business district, named one of America’s best. It offers two miles of nostalgic meandering (or bicycling or rollerblading) past shops and cafes and the shimmering sun on the bright sands of this especially appealing beach. Patches of wilderness remain amid this very urban community, such as West Lake Park, a mangrove wilderness topped off with the popular Ann Kolb Nature Center, and several county parks to the west toward the Seminole Hollywood Reservation, where Native American gaming first began in 1979. The site is home to the sacred Council Oak, a meeting place for decision-making for the Seminoles.

About the Expert

Sandra Friend has written 12 books about Florida, including the Explorer's Guide (Countryman Press) series to Florida.