Hotel at a Glance: Ocean Drive Villas

Ocean Drive Villas takes the stress out of planning a vacation by offering spacious guest rooms and houses less than half a mile from the beach. It takes just a three-minute walk to reach the palm-studded white sand bordering the sparkling blue ocean.

• Kick back on one of the comfy blue chairs on the shady patio.
• Cook up a meal in the full kitchen of an efficiency room or beach home.
• Lights, camera, action: Actor Jim Belushi filmed scenes from his movie A Change of Heart in one of the hotel's rooms.
• Take a stroll down the Hollywood Beach Boardwalk to explore shops and restaurants while enjoying gentle ocean breezes.

Hollywood, Florida: Quiet Coastal Town with Beachfront Boardwalk

Hollywood is situated just a few miles south of Fort Lauderdale and about a half-hour drive north of Miami, but it's quite a bit more relaxed than both. The town’s beach boardwalk—named one of the country’s best by Travel + Leisure—stretches along the Atlantic Ocean for 2.5 miles, attracting joggers, bicyclists, and shoppers. To get to the boardwalk from downtown, hop aboard the old-timey trolley that makes runs to the beach. Other Hollywood attractions include the Anne Kolb Nature Center, a 1,500-acre wetland where you can kayak through tidal channels or take walking trails through red-mangrove forests.

The tempo picks up in neighboring Fort Lauderdale, a city famous for its beaches and boats. During the day, water taxis cruise the Intracoastal Waterway, offering up-close views of waterfront mansions and anchored yachts. At night, hit up the upscale bars and restaurants on Las Olas Boulevard.