Hollywood Beach runs along a barrier peninsula in southern Broward County, its identity built almost entirely around the Broadwalk, a pink cement promenade first completed in 1923 by city founder Joseph Young. This is Hollywood’s whole reason for existing as a beach town, low-rise, mostly locally owned hotels and apartments from the 1920s through the 1960s standing next to a paved path that millions of people walk, bike, and skate along every year.

In this guide I’m walking you through every distinct piece of it, going deep on what’s actually happening with the sand and water here, scoring it honestly against the rest of Broward, and telling you exactly who this beach is built for. I’ll cover the historic bandshell, where your dog is and isn’t welcome, the turtle rescue center most visitors walk right past, and the mangrove nature preserve a few minutes inland that most people never realize is part of the same trip. For more on what lives here and what you might find in the sand, I’ve also written up a full hiking guide, a seaside birding guide, and a beach finds guide for this stretch of coast. I close with my own history with this specific beach, which runs back further than most places I write about.

The Vibe & Culture of Hollywood Beach

Old Florida, Deliberately Preserved

Hollywood Beach looks the way it does on purpose. That’s rarer than it sounds this close to Miami.

Joseph Young modeled Hollywood on the City Beautiful Movement, and by 1924 he’d built the Hollywood Beach Casino, a bathing pavilion with over 800 dressing rooms and an Olympic-sized pool, right on the Broadwalk. A hurricane in 1926 bankrupted the young city almost overnight, but the promenade survived and the town rebuilt around it. What exists today, low- and mid-rise buildings in Streamline Moderne, Mediterranean Revival, and mid-century styles, is largely the same skyline Hollywood has had for nearly a century, protected since 2007 by a historic district overlay that keeps the height and character intact.

The result is a beach that reads as noticeably calmer and more residential than Fort Lauderdale’s promenade a few miles north, even with the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort now anchoring the middle of the strip. Families, retirees, longtime local regulars, and cyclists dominate the crowd here rather than a nightlife scene, and the mom-and-pop motels that line the Broadwalk give the whole stretch a lived-in, unpolished charm that Hollywood has actively fought to protect rather than redevelop away.

Seasonally, this beach stays busy nearly year round without the dramatic swings Fort Lauderdale sees. Winter draws snowbirds and the calmest water. Spring and summer bring families and the start of sea turtle nesting season, taken seriously enough that the city enforces a turtle-friendly lighting ordinance on beachfront properties. Fall is quieter, with warm water lingering and the Broadwalk’s evening bandshell concerts feeling considerably less crowded than a February Sunday.

Hollywood Beach’s Areas: Six Distinct Stretches Along the Broadwalk

This isn’t a beach you experience all at once. The Broadwalk connects six genuinely different stretches, and where you park changes the day considerably.

Central Broadwalk & Hollywood Beach Theatre

Johnson Street Area · Historic Bandshell

This is the heart of Hollywood Beach, and the first thing you notice is how much energy is packed into a fairly compact stretch. The Hollywood Beach Theatre, a bandshell built in 1924 by Joseph Young himself, sits across the Broadwalk from the Margaritaville resort and hosts live music five nights a week, Wednesday through Sunday, most of it performed by local bands. The beach here is wide and sandy, guarded, and busy nearly any time of year.

The crowd is a genuine mix, tourists staying at Margaritaville or one of the nearby hotels, cyclists and rollerbladers passing through on the paved Broadwalk, and families claiming a stretch of sand for the day. It’s more energetic than anywhere else on this beach, though nothing like the density of Fort Lauderdale’s central strip. Restaurants and casual bars line the west side of the Broadwalk here, so you’re never more than a few steps from a meal.

I’ve spent plenty of evenings at this bandshell over the years, and there’s something genuinely nice about a free outdoor concert steps from the sand that doesn’t feel like a manufactured tourist experience. It still feels like a town doing its own thing rather than performing for visitors.

Charnow Park & the Mid-Broadwalk

Connecticut Street · Family Hub

A short walk south, Charnow Park is a compact beachfront park that’s become the unofficial family headquarters of the Broadwalk. An interactive splash fountain draws kids by the dozens on a hot afternoon, and six restored paddleball courts, a Hollywood Beach fixture since the 1930s, sit right next to it. The beach itself widens out here, and a large adjacent parking garage makes this one of the easier stretches to actually park at.

Families with young kids dominate this stretch, along with a steady rotation of paddleball regulars who’ve clearly been playing here for decades. It’s noticeably calmer than Central Broadwalk despite being just a few blocks away, more neighborhood park than tourist attraction.

If I’m bringing anyone with young kids to this beach, this is where I point them first. The combination of the splash pad, the shaded seating, and the easy parking makes it the most functional stretch on the whole Broadwalk for a family day.

South Broadwalk & Surf Road

Southern End · Vintage Motels

South of the main action, the Broadwalk narrows and the crowd thins considerably. Surf Road picks up where the paved promenade starts to feel more residential, running past a run of 1960s-era low-rise motels that still evoke an earlier, less commercial version of this coast. The Diplomat Beach Resort anchors the far southern end near the Hallandale Beach line, a genuine contrast in scale to everything else on this stretch.

The crowd here skews older and more local, longtime Hollywood Beach regulars who’ve been coming to this specific stretch for years, plus guests of the smaller motels who chose this end deliberately for the quiet. It’s a noticeably different pace than Central Broadwalk, closer in feel to a small town than a beach destination.

This is the stretch that reminds me most of what Hollywood Beach must have felt like decades ago, before some of the bigger resorts arrived. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants the charm of this beach without the crowd that comes with it.

Hollywood North Beach Park & the Turtle Rescue Center

North End · Shaded & Quieter

At the northern end of the Broadwalk, the paved path runs through Hollywood North Beach Park, a shaded, seagrape-lined county park that feels like a genuine break from the more developed stretches south of it. The beach here turns up noticeably more shells than the busier center of the Broadwalk, and the sand stays quieter even on a busy weekend.

A couple of blocks further north on Surf Road, the NSU Marine Environmental Education Center at the Carpenter House, a refurbished 1940s beachfront home, houses rescued sea turtles that can’t be released back into the wild. Admission is free, and daily turtle feedings at 3:30pm draw a small, genuinely delighted crowd of kids and adults both.

I make a point of stopping at the turtle center whenever I’m on this stretch. It’s the kind of quiet, unglamorous attraction that most visitors walk right past, and it’s one of the better free things you can do on this entire coast.

Hollywood Dog Beach

Between Sheridan Street & Dania Beach Boulevard

Hollywood’s dedicated dog beach sits at the northern edge of this coastline, open every day of the year from sunrise to sunset, free of charge. It’s a genuinely different atmosphere than the Broadwalk itself, where dogs aren’t permitted at all, wide open sand, dogs of every size working the surf, and owners who’ve built entire weekend routines around this specific stretch.

The crowd here is exactly what you’d expect and exactly what makes it worth the trip: friendly, regular, dog-focused, and considerably less concerned with anything happening back on the main Broadwalk. Alongside Fort Lauderdale’s Canine Beach, this is one of only two ocean dog beaches in all of Broward County, and it’s open far more often.

If you’re traveling with a dog anywhere in this part of Florida, this stretch is worth building your whole beach day around rather than treating as an afterthought.

Anne Kolb Nature Center & West Lake Park

Sheridan Street, West of the Intracoastal

A short drive inland from the beach, Anne Kolb Nature Center anchors West Lake Park’s fifteen hundred acres of coastal mangrove wetlands, one of the largest urban mangrove forests left in Florida. A sixty-eight-foot observation tower, boardwalk trails through the mangroves, and a marina renting kayaks and canoes give this stop a completely different character than anything on the sand a few minutes away.

Birders, paddlers, and anyone looking for a genuinely quiet walk make up the crowd here, and it stays quiet even when the beach itself is packed. Ibis, ospreys, herons, and the occasional manatee in the tidal creek reward anyone willing to bring binoculars and slow down.

Pairing a morning at Anne Kolb with an afternoon on the Broadwalk gives you a fuller sense of this area than the beach alone ever could. It’s the kind of contrast that makes Hollywood a more complete destination than its Broadwalk reputation alone suggests.

Hollywood Beach Rankings: Expert Scores Across 11 Categories

These scores weigh the full Broadwalk from the Dog Beach in the north down through Surf Road and the Diplomat area in the south, plus the mangrove side trip at Anne Kolb.

Hollywood Beach Sand & Water

The sand here is coarser and more golden-tan than fine white quartz, so your feet sink in a bit more than they would on a powdery beach, but the slope is the gentlest in this guide series, which makes for an easy, flat walk the whole way down the Broadwalk. The upper beach is loose enough to build a decent sandcastle once you add water, and there’s plenty of width for games, towels, and kids running around without feeling boxed in.

On a calm day the water runs turquoise to green-blue, generally clear and noticeably calmer than the beaches just north of here. Entry is gradual rather than steep, which is a real advantage if you’re wading in with young kids or you’re not a confident swimmer. Rip currents can still happen after wind or a storm passes through, so check the flags, but day to day this is the easiest, most forgiving water in this guide series.

• 🚶
  Walkability. Flat and easy along the full 2.5-mile Broadwalk, with the gentlest sand slope of any beach in this guide series.
• 🏖
  Softness & Playability. Coarser than fine quartz sand but plenty loose enough for sandcastles, with wide, flat stretches that are great for games and groups.
• ⭐
  Barefoot Comfort. The most comfortable barefoot walk in this guide series thanks to the flat profile, though water shoes are still worth having near any shell hash close to the water.
• 🏊
  Swimmability. Gentle entry, calm water, and year-round lifeguard coverage across 28 towers, making this the easiest, most family-friendly swimming in this guide series.

Dogs & Pet Accessibility at Hollywood Beach

Are Dogs Allowed on the Sand? RESTRICTED.
Dogs are welcome at one dedicated stretch of sand, open every day of the year, but they aren’t permitted anywhere along the Broadwalk or the main beach itself.

Where Dogs Are Allowed

• ✓Hollywood Dog Beach, between Sheridan Street and Dania Beach Boulevard, open daily from sunrise to sunset, free of charge.

Where Dogs Are NOT Allowed

• ✗The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk, its full 2.5-mile length.
• ✗The main beach itself, including Charnow Park and Hollywood North Beach Park.
• ✗South Broadwalk and Surf Road’s beach access points.

Paws on the Ground Reality

You’ll appreciate that Hollywood’s Dog Beach doesn’t require a permit or a fee, just a leash and a bit of common sense. It’s open every single day, which makes it more reliable to plan around than Fort Lauderdale’s weekend-only option a few miles north. Ground surface is standard beach sand the whole way, with no shade structures right at the water’s edge, so bring your own shade if your dog needs a break from the sun, and pack water since there isn’t a dedicated pet fountain on site.

Enforcement on the Broadwalk itself is consistent, since it’s such a heavily used, heavily watched stretch, so don’t count on slipping through with a small dog in a bag. If you want a longer inland walk with your dog beyond a stretch of sand, Topeekeegee Yugnee (T.Y.) Park a short drive away is genuinely pet friendly, with shaded trails and more room to roam.

Crowd Levels and the Overall Feel of Hollywood Beach

The crowd here stays more consistent year round than at Fort Lauderdale Beach, without the same dramatic spring swings. Central Broadwalk and Charnow Park draw the biggest crowds nearly any day. The Dog Beach, South Broadwalk, and Hollywood North Beach Park stay calmer no matter the season.

The seasonal pattern still matters for planning:

• Winter: peak snowbird season, calm water, the most pleasant weather of the year
• Spring: busy with families and the start of sea turtle nesting season
• Summer: hot and humid, warm water, peak turtle nesting activity
• Fall: my favorite window, thinner crowds and warm water lingering into the season

Who Is Hollywood Beach Really For?

✓ Who Will Love Hollywood Beach

• Families with young kids, thanks to Charnow Park’s splash pad and the gentlest water in this guide series

• Dog owners who want a free, daily, dedicated ocean dog beach rather than a weekend-only option

• Cyclists, walkers, and rollerbladers who want a flat, paved, traffic-free 2.5-mile path

• Visitors who appreciate genuine old-Florida architecture over newer high-rise development

• Wildlife watchers interested in sea turtle nesting, the turtle rescue center, and mangrove birding at Anne Kolb

• Anyone who wants a calmer, more residential alternative to Fort Lauderdale’s bigger, louder strip

✗ Consider Another Beach If…

• You want serious wreck or reef diving. Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach are the stronger choices for that

• You’re chasing nightlife or a late-night beach scene. Fort Lauderdale carries that energy, this beach doesn’t

• You want real solitude on a developed beach. Deerfield, Pompano, or Hillsboro Beach further north offer more of that

• You’re set on fine, powdery, white quartz sand. This coarser, shell-flecked sand is a genuinely different feel, and the Panhandle is the better match

• You want abundant free parking. Meters here run three to four dollars an hour depending on the day

• You want to bring your dog onto the main beach itself. Dogs are restricted to the dedicated Dog Beach at the north end

Things to Do at Hollywood Beach

This beach gives you more range than its size suggests, especially once you count the mangrove side trip a few minutes inland.

• 🚴
  Biking, Walking, and Rollerblading. The 2.5-mile paved Broadwalk is flat, traffic-free, and easily the most pleasant way to see the full length of this beach in one trip.
• 🎶
  Live Music at Hollywood Beach Theatre. Free concerts run five nights a week at the historic 1924 bandshell, programmed largely by local musicians.
• 🐢
  Visiting the NSU Marine Environmental Education Center. Free admission, resident rescued sea turtles, and daily feedings at 3:30pm at the Carpenter House on Surf Road.
• 🐕
  Hollywood Dog Beach. Open every day, sunrise to sunset, free of charge, between Sheridan Street and Dania Beach Boulevard.
• 🛶
  Kayaking the Mangroves at Anne Kolb Nature Center. A genuinely different side of Hollywood, with rentals available at the West Lake Park marina.
• 🏖
  Charnow Park’s Splash Pad and Paddleball Courts. A family-focused stop with restored courts that have been in use since the 1930s.
• 🐢
  Sea Turtle Nest Watching. Nesting season overlaps with the rest of Broward’s coast. Look, don’t touch, and respect the city’s turtle-friendly lighting rules after dark.
• 🏊
  Swimming. The calmest, most gradual entry of any beach in this guide series, with year-round lifeguard coverage across 28 towers.
• 🛍️
  Broadwalk Dining and Shopping. Restaurants, ice cream shops, and small local businesses line the west side of the promenade for the full 2.5 miles.
• 🛎️
  Hollywood Sun Shuttle. An inexpensive on-demand ride around the barrier island, useful for hopping between the Broadwalk and Downtown Hollywood without moving your car.

Local Knowledge and Practical Advice

A few things I’ve picked up from years of using this beach as a family meeting point long before I ever wrote about it professionally:

• 👟
  Wear water shoes if you’re walking any real distance. The sand is gentler underfoot here than at Fort Lauderdale, but it’s still coarser and shellier than a fine quartz beach.
• 📝
  It’s the Broadwalk, not the Boardwalk. Locals will correct you, gently or not, and it’s genuinely part of the town’s identity.
• 💳
  Meters run three dollars an hour on weekdays, four on weekends and holidays. The county lot at Hollywood North Beach Park charges a flat all-day rate that beats hourly meters if you’re staying a while.
• 🐕
  Dogs are not allowed on the Broadwalk itself. Use the dedicated Dog Beach between Sheridan Street and Dania Beach Boulevard instead, open daily and free.
• 🏰
  Time a visit for the 3:30pm turtle feeding at the Marine Environmental Education Center. It’s free, low-key, and one of the better things most visitors never find.
• 🔦
  Don’t expect bright beachfront lighting at night. Hollywood enforces a turtle-friendly lighting ordinance, so the Broadwalk and beachfront properties stay dimmer after dark during nesting season than you might expect.
• 🚲
  Rent bikes or skates right on the Broadwalk. Multiple vendors operate along the promenade, so there’s no need to bring your own.
• 🚿
  Use the outdoor showers at Charnow Park or North Beach Park. They’re genuinely well maintained, a small thing that makes a longer beach day easier.
• 🌟
  Walk south past the crowds for a quieter version of this beach. South Broadwalk and Surf Road feel like a different decade compared to the center of the strip.
• 🌳
  Pair your beach day with Anne Kolb Nature Center. It’s a short drive inland and gives you a completely different, genuinely worthwhile side of this area.

Where to Stay Near Hollywood Beach

Lodging here ranges from major full-service resorts to small, locally owned motels that have operated for decades.

Central Broadwalk Resorts

Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort and nearby full-service hotels anchor the busiest stretch, offering private beach service and easy Broadwalk access.

South Broadwalk & the Diplomat Area

The Diplomat Beach Resort sits at the southern end near the Hallandale Beach line, a full-service luxury option in contrast to the smaller vintage motels along the rest of Surf Road.

North Beach & Surf Road Motels

Small, locally owned, mid-century motels near Hollywood North Beach Park offer a genuinely different, lower-key stay than the resort strip further south.

Camping at Topeekeegee Yugnee (T.Y.) Park

A short drive inland, T.Y. Park offers full hook-up RV sites and a primitive tent camping area, along with a swim lagoon and shaded trails, all within Hollywood’s city limits.

Lower-Cost Mainland Options

Hotels west of the Intracoastal in Hollywood and neighboring Hallandale Beach offer meaningfully lower rates for visitors willing to drive a short distance to the sand.

What Makes Hollywood Beach Different from Nearby Beaches

Hollywood doesn’t try to be the biggest or the liveliest beach in Broward, and that restraint is exactly what makes it distinct.

A few features make it stand apart:

A protected, genuinely old-Florida skyline

Hollywood’s 2007 historic district overlay keeps the Broadwalk’s low-rise, mid-century character intact in a way very few South Florida beach towns have managed.

A free, daily dog beach

Unlike Fort Lauderdale’s weekend-only Canine Beach, Hollywood’s Dog Beach is open every day of the year, making it the more reliable option for traveling with a dog.

A real wildlife rescue center built into a casual beach walk

The NSU Marine Environmental Education Center puts rescued sea turtles a short walk from the sand, free of charge, which very few beach towns can offer.

A mangrove forest minutes from the promenade

Anne Kolb Nature Center gives this beach a second, completely different personality that most day-trippers never discover.

Hollywood Beach vs. Other Florida Broward Beaches

These are the beaches visitors most often cross-shop against Hollywood, and the honest read on when you’d pick one over the other.

Hollywood Beach vs. Fort Lauderdale Beach

Fort Lauderdale wins on nightlife, dining variety, and diving. Hollywood wins on family friendliness, a gentler beach profile, and a calmer, more residential feel. Choose Hollywood if you want the quieter version of a developed Broward beach.

Hollywood Beach vs. North Broward’s Beaches

Deerfield, Pompano, and Hillsboro Beach offer more genuine solitude and lower parking costs. Hollywood offers a far stronger family infrastructure and a paved promenade built for biking and strolling.

Hollywood Beach vs. Miami Beach

Miami Beach trades Hollywood’s low-rise, old-Florida character for high-rise density, international crowds, and a much bigger nightlife scene. Hollywood is the calmer, more residential alternative just up the coast.

Bottom line: Hollywood Beach is the beach to choose when you want an easy, walkable, family-built day with genuine old-Florida character, without the crowds or cost of Fort Lauderdale or Miami Beach. It’s not the pick for nightlife or serious diving, but for a calm, complete beach day, it’s hard to beat in this county.

Patti’s Perspective: My Honest Take on Hollywood Beach