Hollywood, Florida is a beachfront community located in southeastern Broward County midway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Founded by Joseph Young in 1925, Hollywood is approximately 30 square miles in size and is Broward’s third-largest municipality with a population of roughly 143,000 residents. Hollywood has an average annual high temperature of 83 degrees and low temperature of 68 degrees.
Joseph Young arrived in South Florida in 1920 in search to create his own “Dream City in Florida” . His vision included the beautiful beaches of the Atlantic ocean stretching westward with man made lakes, infrastructure, roads and the Intracoastal waterway. He wanted to include large parks, schools, churches, and golf courses; these were all industries and activities which were very important to Young’s life. After Young spent millions of dollars on the construction of the city, he was elected as the first mayor in 1925. This new town quickly became home to northerners known as snowbirds. These snowbirds flee the north during the winter and then escape the south during the summer to avoid the harsh climates. By 1960, Hollywood contained more than 2,400 hotel units along with the construction of 12,170 single family homes. Young bought up thousands of acres of land around 1920, and named his new town “Hollywood by the Sea” to distinguish it from his other real estate venture, “Hollywood in the Hills”, in New York.
Young had a vision of having lakes, golf courses, a luxury beach hotel (Hollywood Beach Hotel, now Hollywood Beach Resort), country clubs, and a main street, Hollywood Boulevard. Hollywood is filled with about 60 parks, seven golf courses, and sandy beaches that run for miles.
The famous Hollywood Beach is known for its great broadwalk which extends about 2.5 miles along the Atlantic Ocean. Parking is available on side streets or in parking garages for a fee, and public trolleys run through the day. Countless restaurants and hotels line the broadwalk along with a theatre, children’s playground, and many other attractions including bicycle rental shops, ice cream parlors, souvenir shops, and a farmer’s market. Many of the restaurants offer outdoor seating for patrons to enjoy the sea breeze and scenery. The broadwalk is vibrant and lively and is a scenic place for walking and jogging; there is also bike lane for bicyclists and rollerbladers. In the evenings, many restaurants and the bandshell off of Johnson Street showcase musicians and spontaneous dancing may occur on the broadwalk.
Guided tours along the Intercostal Waterway are very popular in Hollywood Florida. The Intercostal is parallel to the Atlantic Ocean and provides both tourists and locals with the exploration of nature and observation of surroundings. Along the Intercostal many people enjoy admiring the mansions and yachts along the water. Also, there are many restaurants, shops, and natural parks, allowing people to explore the city by foot as well.
Young Circle is another exciting area surrounded by dozens of shops, restaurants, and bars. A Food Truck Takeover occurs every Monday, during which dozens of local food trucks park and create an ever-changing opportunity for hungry masses to experience a variety of cuisines; one can expect to see Cuban, Venezuelan, Mediterranean, Mexican, Jamaican, and/or Peruvian foods in addition to barbecue, burgers, gourmet grilled cheese, and dessert trucks.