Destinations: Hollywood, Florida, is a wondrous Southern Florida city located between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. Visitors get three great destinations for the price of one. What San Diego is to L.A., Hollywood is to Miami -- and, perhaps even better; because Hollywood is not as crowded as the equally lovely but more urban San Diego. The six-plus miles of coastline are hypnotically tranquil and picturesque. Florida Living Magazine named Hollywood Beach "Florida's Best Beach."

The Hollywood Broadwalk?
"Broadwalk" is not a typo! The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk is a 2.5-mile esplanade that crystallizes the community's development from a sleepy beach town to a highly desirable resort destination. The beachfront walkway is lined with open cafes, various touristy shops, street artists, and the lively outdoor Hollywood Beach Theater that presents weekly concerts and events year round. The older refurbished funky-chic boutique lodgings and the luxury resorts of five-star repute make for a good representative mix of the progressively contemporary Hollywood Beach scene.

Around the Beach
Hollywood North Beach Park is a 55-acre retreat just north of Hollywood Beach. The view from atop the park's 60-foot observation tower is astonishingly clear. There is an eco-friendly sea turtle hatchery that's part of the Endangered Sea Turtle Protection Program. It is a great place to fish, launch a kayak, have a picnic, or just park and enjoy the beach directly east.

The Hollywood Beach Country Club and Resort is a par-70 championship course that is just one mile from the beach. The Hillcrest Golf and Country Club has one of the most challenging last holes of any course. Many promising scores have been sunk here. The Orangebrook Golf and Country Club features two 18-hole courses.

Where to Stay
The Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach Resort Hotel and the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa are luxury resorts with five-star services and amenities. These are two of more upscale lodgings along the beach. The Neptune Hollywood Beach Club is a boutique hotel that offers studio, one-, and two-bedroom units for short and extended stays. Other unique boutique lodgings include the Villa Europa Hotel and the Hollywood by the Sea Bed & Breakfast.

Unlike its California counterpart, Hollywood is not a city with a thriving nightlife. There is more to do than just listen to crickets crackling, but it is no Miami. However, the good news is that festive Miami is only minutes away. If the Donald is building a mixed-use high-rise luxury resort in Hollywood, then the tenth largest city in Florida must be a bona fide resort town. Trump Hollywood is on the rise.

Frankly speaking, it's my kind of town!

For LxM James Rothaar