By Harrison Bray

Diplomat Hotel. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons user Mk17b.

Conveniently between both Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Florida is a very accessible, easy, and beautiful place to travel to. It is only about a fifteen-minute drive from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and there are so many things to do. From water sports to relaxation, this East Coast Hollywood is the place to go.

Every year, when it’s time to think about spring break, my family ponders where we should vacation. This year, my family stumbled upon Hollywood. None of us had been before, but we saw it was an easy trip and booked it last minute. It was both the ease of travel and the popularity of the place that led us to this decision. 

While in Hollywood, we stayed at The Diplomat, a Hilton hotel on the beach. Our hotel had a great view over the ocean and had plenty there for us. You have the choice of spending the day at either of the two pools or the beach. You also have the opportunity to go jet skiing from the beach or tubing. We also took an offshore fishing trip. This was a great experience: the views were great, and the fishing was better. 

When it comes to food, the hotel has two restaurants and a cafe. The cafe was open to serve breakfast, and it was really convenient, with delicious food. One of the two restaurants was down by the pool and had a spectacular beach view. This particular restaurant was mainly for lunch, and you could get an array of different foods, including tacos and burgers. It was very convenient for people staying at the hotel, as it was always quite popular during meal times. The other restaurant was a steakhouse called Diplomat Prime for dinner. They had a large selection of steaks, and it was the best meal I had while on vacation.

Hollywood Boardwalk. Photo credit: Wallpaperflare.com

One of the main attractions of Hollywood is the boardwalk. Just about a mile north of The Diplomat is a long boardwalk with many shops, restaurants, and live entertainment. This is where many people head for meals and shopping. One night after my family enjoyed a pleasant dinner here, we stayed for a live band. There were probably at least a hundred other people standing and listening to the band, and it felt like a small concert. 

The weather in Hollywood was incredible. All week it was in the mid-70s, and the sun was shining all day. Going in March, you don’t get the hottest weather, but it was still a pleasant 75 degrees each day, with low humidity. Being by both the beach and the Intracoastal Waterway, you get a nice breeze during the day.

In and around Hollywood Beach, you almost always have a view of some sort of water. With Hollywood being a thin piece of land between the Intracoastal and the Atlantic Ocean, you always have the pleasure of a perfect view. Whether we were walking somewhere or driving, we always enjoyed our surroundings.

Although there were a fair amount of people here in Hollywood, it did not compare to the number of people in other parts of Florida during spring break. This was an added bonus, as we did not have to deal with anything being too busy.

Overall, I was very pleased with my vacation to Hollywood and would definitely recommend it. With it being so easy to get to and having so much to do, it is definitely worth looking at.

Featured image credit: Daniel Piraino.