Can you have too much Jimmy Buffett? Just when your inner Parrothead wants to squawk, “enough,” he goes and puts a beautiful Margaritaville Hollywood resort on a Florida beach perfectly situated between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale.
Think about it. Jimmy and his Coral Reefer band hit the road in 1970 and still play sold-out shows. He has released 55 albums, live albums, and greatest hits/compilations. He has published at least eight books, including several children’s’ titles. You can dress like him in Margaritaville-label men’s and women’s casual lines. You can eat cheeseburgers and drink like him at any of the 20+Margaritaville restaurants. If you really want to dive deep, you can buy one of his custom-designed Martin guitars and pick your way through a whole collection of sheet music and tablature books.
That’s a lot of Buffett. However, much like when the singer makes a cameo appearance singing in another artist’s country song, Margaritaville Hollywood Beach just makes you want to sit in the sand and smile.
What Is Margaritaville Hollywood Beach?
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Margaritaville Hollywood Beach is one of 17 Buffett-inspired resorts either open or opening soon. The first opened in 2010 on Pensacola Beach, Florida. It replaced a Holiday Inn destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Each hotel is unique to its location in setting, architecture, and presentation. However, beginning with the signature giant blue flip-flop sculpture, they all immerse you in tropical Buffett beach-side thematics.
Now celebrating its third year, the 17-story, 349-room Margaritaville Hollywood Beach is a destination resort and entertainment complex unto itself. Though it sits on a laid-back, California-style paved boardwalk (complete with bikini-clad rollerbladers and beach-cruiser bicyclists) bordering a beautiful stretch of sandy Florida beach, Margarita Hollywood Beach has so much to do, you may never want to leave the resort grounds.
Why Should You Visit Margaritaville Hollywood Beach?
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Contained in the Margarita Hollywood Beach grounds are numerous restaurants, bars, an 11,000-square-foot spa facility, live performance stages, a palm-lined lazy river pool, and a surfing attraction.
Eight Different Dining Options
Whether it is your morning bite with coffee, a midday poolside lunch, and frosty drink, a family dinner, or romantic prime steak and seafood for two, Margarita Hollywood Beach features eight different dining and bar options. There is food and drink to suit everyone's appetites.
So Much Live Music You Will Need a Calendar
Jimmy Buffett is a musician first and Margaritaville Hollywood Beach lives up to his lifestyle. Four different resort venues (including a dedicated band shell) host a constant rotation of more than 30 live bands performing a variety of music genres, including Top 40, country, rock, and island-inspired.
St. Somewhere Spa and Fitness Center
The resort’s St. Somewhere Spa offers massages ranging from hot-stone to deep-tissue in eleven different treatment rooms, two of which are designed for couples. A wet lounge includes a hot tub, steam rooms, rainfall showers, and relaxation benches. Treatments include aromatherapy, salt scrubs, facials, and hair and nail services.
The spa is connected with Margaritaville Hollywood Beach’s 4,700-square-foot fitness facility, where the state-of-the-art cardio and strength-training equipment comes with a panoramic ocean view. Fitness enthusiasts can work out alone, consult with a personal trainer, or join one of the scheduled group fitness classes.
The Pools Make You Feel Like You Are on a Desert Island
The resort’s lushly landscaped, tropical-themed pools (there are two, both exclusive to resort guests) encourage sunshine lounging and barefoot dining, with full-service cabanas, chaise lounges, and umbrellas. Between the palm trees, sand, and tropical drinks, you might expect Gilligan and the rest of the castaways to show up any moment.
FlowRider Double Surfing Pool
Adjacent to the main pool area, Margaritaville Hollywood Beach hosts a FlowRider Double surfing simulator. For a fee, guests can try surfing on a water jet-induced wave. The endless wave makes it a cinch to pick up the basics of surfing. The underlying gym-mat surface makes the inevitable wipe-out pain-free.
License to Chill Adults-Only Rooftop Pool and Bar
Situated on Margaritaville Hollywood Beach’s 11th floor, the third pool lets grownups enjoy a float, a cocktail, and incredible views of the beach and the Atlantic Ocean.
Parakeet Kids' Club
The kids' club can keep your kids (ages 4-14) entertained with activities including pool/beach games and arts and crafts led by trained kids’ counselors. Half-day and full-day sessions are available. Reservations required; for a fee.
Weddings, Meetings, and Other Events
With the beach setting, 30,000 square feet of dedicated meeting space, and an expert planning team, Margaritaville Hollywood Beach can make any size event one to remember.
What Are Some Fun Things to Do in the Area?
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Despite the fact that the resort’s amenities are enough to keep anyone—single travelers, meeting groups, or families—occupied for an entire vacation, Margaritaville Hollywood Beach is perfectly situated for those inclined to venture further and enjoy the best of southern Florida.
2.5 Miles of Beach Boardwalk
Margaritaville Hollywood Beach sits directly on a 2.5-mile-long paved beach boardwalk, named one of America’s best by Travel + Leisure Magazine. Whether you like to walk or would rather run, rent Rollerblades, a bicycle, or a Segway scooter, it is the perfect space for a little outdoor recreation.
Then There’s the Beach (and the Atlantic Ocean)
Just across the boardwalk is one of the East Coast’s most beautiful stretches of sandy beachfront. For those who dream of lounging in the Florida sun, your prayers have been answered. For those who like a little more adventure, there are stand-up paddleboard rentals, kayak rentals, and wave jet rentals all located at the resort. Further afield, there are snorkeling adventures, boat taxis to nearby attractions, and fishing charters.
Take the Trolley to Shopping and More Nightlife
Hollywood’s downtown trolley service stops directly in front of Margaritaville Hollywood Beach, making it easy to hop into town for shopping and additional dining/drink options. The ride is only $1.00 per person each way, making this an exceptional way to leave the car behind for a day or evening adventure.
Explore the “Venice of the Americas” via Boat Taxi
The inland side of the Hollywood Beach peninsula is a series of waterways served by water taxi. This unique transportation vehicle can be an adventure unto itself as you wind your way to your destination. Taxis pick up passengers at Margaritaville Hollywood Beach’s 5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill.
A Haven for Sports Fans: NFL, MLB, NBA
As a major population center, the Miami Metropolitan Area is home to many well-known sports teams, including the National Football League’s Miami Dolphins, Major League Baseball’s Miami Marlins, and the National Basketball Association’s Miami Heat. Margaritaville Hollywood Beach’s concierge will be happy to help you arrange for an outing to local games played during your stay.
Casinos Let You Game a Little Yourself
Though Margaritaville Hollywood Beach is not a casino resort itself, there are several in the area. If you feel like trying your luck, the concierge will be happy to help you plan a casino visit.
Further Afield: Everglades Tours
Besides the Atlantic, southern Florida is home to some of the world’s most unique wilderness areas, including Everglades National Park. Margaritaville Hollywood Beach’s concierge can guide you to some of the local park areas, as well as help you plan a more in-depth excursion, including both short and day-long swamp boat tours.
Conclusion
We started this article exploring two important ideas:
- Why you don’t want to miss a visit to Margaritaville Hollywood Beach
- Can you have enough Jimmy Buffett?
We discovered that the answers are very much intertwined.
Margaritaville Hollywood Beach embodies the beach-side lifestyle and laid-back music that Jimmy shares. The resort contains so much to take in, to do, and to eat and drink, that it's difficult to imagine needing to venture further once you have arrived. Wake up to the sunrise over the beautiful sandy, Atlantic beaches. Grab a workout or a massage in the spa. Spend the day floating in the palm-lined pools and sunbathing on the beaches, margarita in hand, and lunch brought to you in your cabana. Dance the night away to a whole calendar of live music.
On the other hand, the resort is wonderfully situated for further exploration. Try your hand at snorkeling or paddleboarding. Rent a beach cruiser to explore further up the boardwalk or take a water taxi to additional dining, shopping, and nightlife options. Or, even further afield, spend a day at the ballpark, or seek adventure in Everglades National Park.
You will come away from your stay with your own memories and list of reasons not to miss Margaritaville Hollywood Beach. As for getting enough Jimmy Buffett, it is difficult to imagine that his endearing Caribbean/country/folk-rock style and wink-wink charm won’t wind their way through your ears and into your heart. You may just find yourself sipping a frozen tequila drink, humming along to the resort’s namesake, and checking the online concert calendar to see when he and The Coral Reefers will be in your neck of the woods. Just be sure to keep your boat between the navigational beacons.