If you’re looking for a less dense and relatively quiet area to raise your family outside of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood could be your Huckleberry. Plenty of people move to Hollywood to escape the dense, loud, and fast-paced environments surrounding it on most sides. There’s still a taste of that, the beach bars and downtown restaurant scene, and other social shenanigans, but locals mostly see it as a more mellow and beautiful South Florida home to raise their families.

If you’re looking at this page, chances are that you’re eyeing a move to South Florida. If your goal is to experience the fast-paced and exciting Florida you’ve heard about, there are better options. That doesn’t mean that you can’t have that if you move to Hollywood, but with all of the other options both to the north and south, living in Fort Lauderdale or Miami might be wiser places to start your search.


A Suburban Island

LookyLOO Review of Hollywood, FL?

Hollywood locals are known for being a diverse group with a lot of pride in their neighborhoods. They take advantage of above-average public schools, own their own homes at relatively high rates, and enjoy life outside. They accomplish the last of these in a variety of ways, with trails, beaches, golf courses, and more well within reach. There are more highly rated bars and clubs in Hollywood than in your average United States suburb, but not compared to the surrounding cities. One complaint from current residents is that the area has gotten more dense in recent years as more and more people move out of big cities around the country and into warmer, quieter cities like Hollywood.

If you want to see the happenings in Hollywood check out the [calendar of events](https://hollywoodfltap.com/event-calendar/).

We highly recommend visiting Hollywood and staying in the community in a [VRBO](https://vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [partnership with Expedia](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.


Lifestyle 

If you’re tired of living in big cities like Miami and Fort Lauderdale but not tired of the Florida weather, Hollywood is one of the best options in the state to consider. Just know that many others are as well.


Beat The Rush

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**NoTechnology9099**
4mo ago
🦉🦉🦉

We fell in love with Hollywood Beach 4 years ago when we visited for our anniversary. We stumbled upon this, what we call, “a hidden gem” of a place because it was the place with the least expensive flights when I was looking. We didn’t really care where we went. We stayed in a condo 150 steps from the beach and Broadwalk. If you’re close to the Broadwalk, you won’t be bored! When we were there it was mid October and because it’s not “peak season” it was not crowded at all. The weather was perfect and the beaches clean and amazing! We at at a very nice restaurant on the water where there were a lot of beautiful yachts! Another great thing is the Circuit transportation. We Uber’s from the airport but after that we walked or took a Circuit (I think it’s $1 a ride or something), even took us to Publix and back with a load of groceries. The Broadwalk is full of restaurants and shops; you can also rent bicycles here! Free Live music in the pavilion at the end nightly! We’ll be back in two weeks for another visit! Were now seriously considering retiring here!!

For more reviews of what living in Hollywood is like from locals, check out [The Reviews](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/hollywood/reviews).


Reviews of Hollywood, FL from Locals

Downtown Hollywood is a fun spot and a good place to start your search if you’re a young professional. It has plenty of restaurants, sidewalk cafes, and blocks of great boutique shopping and art galleries along the brick-lined walks. It plays host to a majority of the city’s festivals, street markets, and much of the entertainment in the city. It also has plenty of apartments and condos that are a part of or a short walk to the commercial district. 

Hollywood Beach is another option for those who want to eschew the downtown nightlife and focus on the beach. It’s beautiful, fun and filled with every possible kind of water play option any zoomer would crave. There are also tons of beach bars and casual eating joints when you feel like staying close to home in one of the many local apartment buildings. 
- Downtown
- Hollywood Beach


Young Professionals

Downtown

If you’re looking for the fanciest of neighborhoods for raising your precious ones then take a look at Lake Eden. It is not cheap but along with the pricey homes comes beautiful yards, tree-lined streets, great schools and tons of outdoor play areas for the kiddos to play. 

Another neighborhood option that is also nice but a bit less expensive is Hollywood Lakes. Plenty of beautiful historic homes and even more outdoor options than Lake Eden because you’re along the intercoastal and really close to the ocean, which makes it both family and water-friendly. It has plenty of parks, several golf courses, its own set of shops and restaurants and some of the most beautiful beaches in the greater Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area.
- Lake Eden
- Hollywood Lakes
- Hollywood Hills
- Emerald Hills


Families

Lake Eden

Hollywood, like much of southern Florida, has amazing options for retirees. There are places like The Summit, an active lifestyle condo complex overlooking the Atlantic. It has a fitness center, sports courts (tons of pickleball!!!), outdoor pools and you’re just a short walk to the Hollywood Beach Boardwalk. If you want to live actively this is a good place to start your search. 

If on the other hand you prefer a more luxurious option then check out the Four Seasons at Parkland. It’s a gated 55+ community with stunning single-family homes, a grand clubhouse, walking and biking trails and a dozen beautiful lakes. If you are excited about the idea of creating a community within the city this is a good place to check out first. 
- The Summit
- Four Seasons at Parkland 
- Sheridan Lakes
- The Hallmark 


Retirees

The Summit

Hollywood

Anonymous
8mo ago
🦉🦉🦉

Hollywood Beach is right on the beach and has a pedestrian only boardwalk (Hollywood named it the broadwalk for some reason) that goes for a few miles. Tons of restaurants and bars. Great for people watching and literally a few steps from the beach. I would stay away from the Tides. Only because they have a tiki bar right near the rooms and it gets pretty loud all day and night with the music.

**NoTechnology9099**
4mo ago
🦉🦉🦉

We fell in love with Hollywood Beach 4 years ago when we visited for our anniversary. We stumbled upon this, what we call, “a hidden gem” of a place because it was the place with the least expensive flights when I was looking. We didn’t really care where we went. We stayed in a condo 150 steps from the beach and Broadwalk. If you’re close to the Broadwalk, you won’t be bored! When we were there it was mid October and because it’s not “peak season” it was not crowded at all. The weather was perfect and the beaches clean and amazing! We at at a very nice restaurant on the water where there were a lot of beautiful yachts! Another great thing is the Circuit transportation. We Uber’s from the airport but after that we walked or took a Circuit (I think it’s $1 a ride or something), even took us to Publix and back with a load of groceries. The Broadwalk is full of restaurants and shops; you can also rent bicycles here! Free Live music in the pavilion at the end nightly! We’ll be back in two weeks for another visit! Were now seriously considering retiring here!!

Anonymous
2 yr ago
🦉🦉🦉

My parents had a house in fort Lauderdale and I went to school in school in Hollywood for 10 years. I love both cities. Prefer Ft Laud more, tbh but Hollywood is cute. Fort Lauderdale to me is more high end and trendy and Hollywood is more like family? If that makes sense. I lived off 441. 15 mins from Fort Lauderdale Beach. I live in north Florida now and personally would never go back. But I love to visit old friends. It's nice to be able to leave.

Hollywood, Florida

Dream City

Looklyloo Score: 88

Reviews

What's it like to live in Hollywood?