Hollywood is the twelfth largest city of Florida. The city was founded in 1925 but saw a rapid growth in population in 1950s. The total area covered by the city is 30.8 square miles, 11% of which is composed of water. This water includes between 5 and 6 miles of Atlantic Ocean. As a result, the city has some of the best beaches. Hollywood is a part of the Southern Broward County with a total population of 142,622. Almost 48.5% of this population comprises males, with the greatest percentage of the people being between 35 and 44 years of age. 74% of the population is made up of white people, 12.1% African American, 2% Asians, 0.30% Native Americans whereas the remaining is from Pacific, Hispanic or other races. It has a mixed population that speaks English, Spanish, French, Italian, Romanian, Hebrew, Portuguese, and German among other languages. You can see colors of different cultures in this city with people belonging to Cuban, Romanian, Columbian, Peruvian cultures and many other cities of the US, living together in a single society. Hollywood has a tropical climate, with hot and humid summers and not too cold winters. The winters are usually short and pleasant. The average high temperature throughout the year is around 84 degrees Fahrenheit whereas the average low temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit. August is usually the warmest month of the year with temperature in 90s whereas January is usually the coldest month with temperature averaging 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
The city of Hollywood saw a significant growth between 1950 and 1960 when more people moved towards this part of the country in search of a stable and civilized life. With people from different cultures and origins, this city has a rich ethnic background. It has a balanced mixture of people of all ages as well, making it one of the best well-proportioned cities in the world.
Hollywood started as an underdeveloped city with land covered by a range of pine forests, and palmetto plants. From a city that had tomato farms spread out over a large area and low-lying marshland, it has now turned into the second most populated city in the Broward County and the twelfth largest city in the State of Florida. This city was founded by a great thinker, Joseph Wesley Young, who arrived in this part of the world in 1920. He came with a dream of converting this plain land into a well-planned city, complete with artificial lakes and flowing water, business centers, schools, parks, churches, golf courses and more. He wanted that the city should have something to offer to everyone, from the wealthiest to the low earning workers. He allocated three large circles on the land to well-planned parks known as Young Circle (originally named Harding Circle), Watson Circle (originally named City Hall Circle) and Academy Circle. He named this city after one of his favorite towns of South Florida, Hollywood.
Hollywood, Florida is situated along a twenty-three mile stretch of Florida shoreline. With its clear blue waters, white sand beaches and graceful palms, Hollywood offers a supreme quality of life to its residents. Hollywood is a city that is well-suited for every age group with its wide range of museums, natural preserves, rich culture, amazing art and countless dining options. Over 60% of the homes in Hollywood are single-family detached types. Property rates have seen a steady increase over the years and ownership has proved to be a good investment for the residents. The best option for buyers has been the purchase of a two-bedroom flat. Recent statistics show that the price of a two bedroom house in Hollywood is $244,100, which is pretty affordable. People have a high standard of living and enjoy the luxuries of life that Hollywood has to offer.
While one of the favorite pastimes here is to take a leisurely stroll along Hollywood's much acclaimed Boardwalk, residents here hardly ever want for entertainment or recreation. The local parks and recreation department here regularly partners with organizations such as the Art and Culture Center, Hollywood Playhouse, South Broward Ballet Theater and Hollywood Philharmonic. The end result is a full year's calendar worth of culturally and artistically diverse events that simultaneously reflect the diversity of the city's residents, but entertain at the same time. The city of Hollywood is considered to be one of the best cities in terms of urban planning and inception. Money Magazine stated that Hollywood's demographics are the best representation of what the United States will look like in the year 2022. It won't be wrong to call it the "City of the Future."
In Hollywood, the most commonly opted-for profession is Management, with 29% professionals related to this field. 26% people belong to the sales and other related area and 19% professionals are associated with the service industry. Around 78% of workers in the city work for companies, 9% are government servants whereas 5% are self-employed.
The current job market of Hollywood has a lot of opportunities for sales associates, sales representatives, physical therapists, nurses, store managers and assistant store managers. Some of the leading industries in this city include educational services, healthcare, and social assistance, covering around 18% of the overall industries. Arts, entertainment, recreation and accommodation, as well as food services make up to 12%; Professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste management services, sum up to around 11%. Computer Equipment Manufacturers, Computer Makers, Computer Storage Device Manufacturers, Hospitals and Catering Services are some of the industries that are hiring the maximum number of workers among other industries. As per the statistics collected by the government, the jobs in Hollywood offer an average salary of $33,361, and the average income of households is $41,602. The unemployment rate of Hollywood is as high as 7.6%, compared to the unemployment rate of the whole country, which is 6.9%. The stats show that there has been a 20% decrease in the number of jobs in Hollywood since January 2009.
There is nothing like a good meal after spending a perfect day at the beach with nature's beauty surrounding you. You can be sure to soothe your taste buds with the mouth watering food available in all its restaurants, most of which are along the side of the beach. Be it a first class restaurant, or a local food stall at the side of the road, you will be awed by the outstanding taste of food at every spot of the town.
Boardwalk is the Hollywood's brick-paved beach promenade covering two miles. The charm and ambiance of the Boardwalk will make your dining experience a memorable one. If dockside dining floats your boat, there are a large number of restaurants at the side of Hollywood's Intracoastal Waterways that allow you to dock on site and enter the world of outstanding food. This experience offers a combination of a spectacular view, splendid water activities and most delicious dining options. Takitos offer the best tacos in the town, bringing the taste of Mexico to Hollywood. Conca D'Oro Restaurant & Pizza offers the most wonderful Italian food. When you go there, don't miss out on its Canoli.
Being made up of such a diverse population, Hollywood is a city that has a very rich culture and heritage. The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood organizes gallery exhibitions, live stage performances and high-class education and entertainment programs for people of all ages. The center focuses on providing a creative environment that could assist in bringing out talent and skills by arranging exceptional programs.
The ArtsPark at Young Circle in Downtown Hollywood serves as the symbol of this city. The ArtsPark offers a wide range of visual and performing arts together with educational, entertainment, and recreational activities for everyone. IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum features 60,000 square feet of exhibits. You can discover around three dozen interactive kiosks, antique rods and reels and actual size replicas of more than 170 kinds of fish.
Hollywood is a city that offers you a vast range of options for enjoying your day and exploring the beauty and the charm of the city. The Anne Kolb Nature Center situated at West Lake Park with a mangrove ecosystem is undoubtedly a wonder of nature. This 1,500-acre land of glory is accessible by a canoe, kayak, bike, or foot.
Water Taxi is a cruise along Fort Lauderdale's, which takes you on a wonder ride. You can enjoy viewing cruise, mansions, mega-yachts and much more. You can board the water taxi at any of the 13 stops as many times as you want. A romantic ride through the historic Himmarshee Canal is not something that you should miss. This 30-minute excursion includes a hand-carved wooden boat guided by your personal gondolier. Jungle Queen Riverboat rides you up to the historic New River at Jungle Queen Tropical Isle. Once you reach the Tropical Isle, you could enjoy watching monkeys, big iguanas, exotic birds and rare trees.
The nightlife at Hollywood Florida is as full of life as the day. Plenty of restaurants, all serving the best of their foods, with flavor that one could never forget, make the nightlife full of taste. The beat of music in discos and pubs make the city livelier at nights. Bars and cafes serve great food, drinks and music till late night, keeping the city alive almost the whole day.
At the Ginger Bar Café, you can enjoy live music and poetry. The SunCruz Casino is a casino on boat, having slot machines, table games and other gambling options. The boat departs twice a day, the whole year round from Martha's Restaurant on the Intracoastal Waterway. X-IT Lounge is an expensive nightclub and lounge that offers numerous sources of entertainment through pool tables, multiple TV screens and a happy hour from 4pm to 9pm. The Improv Comedy Club and Dinner Theater serves as the city's best standup comics in the 460-seat lounge. A full dinner is offered after every show. Local, national and international comedians use the best of their skills to make you laugh and have a great time.
Shopping in Hollywood is fun. With a series of new and trendy outfits hanging in the boutiques, there is a wide choice for everyone to choose from. One can spend an entire day shopping, walking down the brick-paved walkways and enjoy the food from a large number of dining options. Downtown Hollywood has a wide variety of gifts, accessories, and contemporary findings in the quaint shops. In the heart of Downtown is the stylish Harrison Art and Design District, which has a profusion of world class art galleries, modern furnishing stores and other unique household accessories.
Gulfstream Village is at the Gulfstream Park and considered as the most modern outdoor shopping and entertainment spot, with a sizzling collection of trendy boutiques, household accessory shops, restaurants, open-air cafes, and nightclubs. Aventura Mall also has many popular brands housed inside, attracting both locals and tourists.
The health and beauty services business in Hollywood provides you the perfect personal care that could keep you healthy and look great. The barber shops and hair salons offer the most trendy hair cutting, styling and other beauty services. Nail spas and salon offer manicures, pedicures, hand and foot massages and treatments. Day spas offer a wide range of skin care services, which includes facials, cleaning, skin whitening and beautification and anti-aging techniques. It has medical spas and personal care medical centers that offer a range of medical health services to keep you looking good. For that hot, tanned look, tanning spas and salons offer either UV bed tanning or spray tanning, which gives you the bronze look of some celebrity. Fitness centers and gyms have trainers and instructors who guide through the process of weight loss, body toning, proper diet and nutritional programs and other options to keep you healthy, happy and beautiful. Massage centers serve to you to get rid of body aches and pains and help to relax your muscles.
The Contour Spa serves you in European style with its most famous "Journey to Eden" treatment, a Hydrotherapy Sanctuary, Turkish tubs, and a high-tech fitness center at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The Comfort Zone Studio & Spa at Harrison Street focus on the complete relaxation of each muscles of your body, giving you a feeling of harmony and peace at once. The specialized and skilled staff works efficiently on your body for relaxing it, nurturing and providing effective skin care, massage therapy and outstanding nail treatment.
Hollywood has a wide range of hotels to serve everyone, from the most luxurious, ravishing hotels, to the ones that could be afforded without putting much load on your pockets. Marriott Hollywood Beach is one of those high class hotels. Situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway, unique beach hotel provides guests with an alluring South Florida oceanfront spot. The distance from the airport is only 6 miles, making it accessible for the guests. Boardwalk, with its 2 miles long belt of restaurants, is also an attraction. Relax and enjoy a great massage in the spa and a sun bath at the beach, this hotel won't disappoint you.
The Grand Palms resort is a nice affordable 3-star hotel. It has a walking distance to the golf course. The fitness room is well equipped with modern machines to keep you busy for a couple of hours. The Beauty treatment facility is also available at the beauty salon inside the hotel. The hotel's restaurant and bar serve great food and drinks. The Residence Inn Fort Lauderdale Miramar located between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale is one of the best hotels in the town. With studios and 1 to2 bedroom suites, it offers full kitchens, work areas, free Internet service and convenient access to the entire Miami metro area. The Residence Inn Fort is a standout when compared to any other hotel in Hollywood. Guests enjoy a complimentary breakfast, free dinner buffet, heated outdoor pool basketball court and access to a wonderful beach at walking distance.
Broward County Public Schools is the school district of Broward, Florida. It is the sixth largest district in the USA and it is also the largest among fully accredited school districts. 260,000 students attend public schools there. 32 of the 286 schools in Broward County Public School district are situated in Hollywood. Approximately 22,000 students attend public schools in Hollywood and are served by 1,500 teachers. There are three high schools: Hollywood Hills High School with 2300 students, McArthur High School – home of the Mustangs and South Broward High School as the second oldest school in Broward school district. In Hollywood there are also some middle schools and 22 public elementary schools. 66% of the students are white and predominate language of the students is English.
Many preschools and day care centers for children are also located in Florida. Several catholic and non-catholic private schools are available. Private schools employ 215 teachers and give education to 3,600 students. The charter school Hollywood Academy of Arts and Science is a double “A” school. This is a tuition free school that serves students in grades K to 8. As one of the most reputable schools in the area, it offers different programs and services for both students and their parents. Of the adult residents in Hollywood, 25% have either college or university degrees. There are many options where to get higher education. Most of the graduates in Hollywood go to colleges and universities in neighboring cities like Fort Lauderdale, North Miami Beach, Miramar, Davie and Lauderhill. There is also a Sheridan Technical Center situated in Hollywood. It gives Master's and Doctor's degrees in many programs including license practical nurse, real estate, cosmetology, and automobile mechanics and massage therapy. Sheridan also offers distance learning for its students. The student body has 1,700 students and 2,900 full time equivalences.
Hollywood is served by the 22nd busiest airport in the nation – Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. This airport serves around 21 million passengers including 3 million international passengers in a year. As the airport is close to Port Everglades, many Caribbean tourists also use this airport.
Public transportation is organized by Broward County Transit. They service 4827 bus stops in 410 square miles in Broward County. Some of the lines connect with Miami Dade or Palm Beach transit systems and to Tri-Rail. BCT operates 370 buses on 41 routes. 120,000 passengers ride their buses every day, making a total of 37 million a year. 20 other municipalities like Coconut Creek, Fort Lauderdale, Lauderhill and Coral Springs have partnered with BCT. Operation hours start at 4:45 AM and end after midnight. The regular fare is $1.5 with 1-day, 7-day and 31-day passes available as cost-saving passes. Discount fares are available for children, students, seniors and disabled. If you want to visit other cities in the area, AMTRAK and Tri-Rail trains are your best option. They link Hollywood with Miami, West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. Taking a boat is also an option in Hollywood. Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood share the Intercostals Waterway, which has several boat charter companies. It is a great way to get to know the city, there are also many bars and restaurants along the Intercostals. Taxis in Hollywood are usually expensive, but there are plenty of them. You can get one from the taxi stop as well as catch one from the streets. Yellow cab is the largest company in the city. If you want to drive around yourself and not take a taxi, there are many car rental companies located at the airport and everywhere in downtown Hollywood. The city has a grid system which makes navigation easy.
From the famous Hollywood hills, to the beating heart of Hollywood boulevard, the Office of the Mayor keeps a watchful eye on the smooth and safe running of this city. The office of Business and International Trade along with the Department of Information Technology promote this city as a business hub and free market center. The Office of Budget and Procurement Services makes sure that the city is getting the best services at the most reasonable prices and the Department of Financial Services ensures all financial matters are working together for the good of Hollywood. For information on how the city is using money to keep improving Hollywood, the Department of Planning and Development Services holds public records which can be accessed following formal requests. The Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts shows what they are doing to keep the city as vibrant and diverse as it has been famous for since before the Department's inception. The Art and Culture Center too supports this work.
As a city that is always in the spotlight, a dedicated Department of Public Affairs and Marketing is responsible for proactive promotion of Hollywood and maintaining the image that the city wants to be seen. The Police Department works hard to ensure this image is also a reality. They work with the Department of Community Development which keeps Hollywood's localities as clean and safe as the city center shows itself to be, as well as creating opportunities for local people. The Department of Public Works and Community Redevelopment center also ensure that the city's focus remains as much on the people living there day in and day out, as much as those who come through for tourism or come briefly for work. The Broward Outreach Center is an organization that personifies such initiatives in working with those in the city whose potential is still yet to be tapped into.