The two best beaches in Broward County are Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood. Each has their own charms and character. I recommend visiting both, but I will highlight some of the differences with Fort Lauderdale vs Hollywood Beach.

Fort Lauderdale Beach

Fort Lauderdale beach has always been a destination point when visiting South Florida. It has a long stretch of beach, hotels, bars, restaurants and shops.

There are many beautiful hotels you can stay at such as the W, Bahia Mar, Atlantic, Hilton, Marriott Harbor Beach, Sonesta, Westin, Ritz-Carlton and countless more.

The Gallery at Beach Place has plenty of stores, shops and restaurants. They have Hooters, Fat Tuesday and Lulus’ Bait Shack to name some restaurants.

Some great restaurants to check out are Casablanca Cafe, Steak954, S3, Burlock Coast, and Coconuts.

A really great place to check out is Hugh Taylor Birch State Park right off Fort Lauderdale Beach.

And if you want to do something touristy, hop on the Jungle Queen Riverfront Cruises.

Fort Lauderdale beach is separated between the restaurants/shops/hotels and the beach by A1A. So, it can be a bit busier than Hollywood Beach with more traffic, along with more things to do.

Hollywood Beach

Fort Lauderdale has a lot more of the big hotels, whereas Hollywood is known more for its boutique hotels. The two big hotels on Hollywood Beach are the Marriott and Margaritaville.

Hollywood Beach has a height restriction, so you see a lot smaller buildings and hotels.

The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk is a beautiful walk. It is a 2.5 mile brick-paved area that connects the beach to the restaurants and shops. This makes the area a bit more quiet compared to Fort Lauderdale Beach.

Some great restaurants to check out are Sardellli’s Italian Steakhouse, Taco Beach Shack, JWB Prime Steak and Seafood, Nick’s Bar and Grill, Landshark Bar and Grill, and Ocean 13 Sports Bar and Grill.

 

Still not sure which beach you prefer, Fort Lauderdale vs Hollywood Beach? Why not check out BOTH! The Water Taxi connects Hollywood Beach and Fort Lauderdale Beach, so you can start at one, hop on the Water Taxi, and finish your day at the other.