Florida's Overlooked Gems: Small Cities in South Florida

Less is best and bigger isn't better when it comes to cities in South Florida. Here are some little gems worth visiting and living in:

Hooray For Hollywood ... Hollywood Florida That Is!
Nestled in between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, Hollywood is one of the country's overlooked cities. Overshadowed by its two larger neighbors, Hollywood has a beautiful palm-fringed beach and a "broadwalk" lined with restaurants, a quaint historic downtown area with restaurants, bars and clubs, several golf courses, casinos and a dog racing track and other attractions that rival both Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

Coral Gables ... A Hidden Gem
Just south of the more popular Miami Beach, Key Biscayne and Coconut Grove, you'll find Coral Gables. Coral Gables is a charming little city where a classical Spanish and Mediterranean Revival influence is evident throughout ... in the architecture, the names of the streets ... even in the cuisine. Home to the University of Miami, Coral Gables also boasts the classic attractions including Biltmore Hotel and The Venetian Pool, along with shopping meccas like Merrick Park and the Miracle Mile. "The Gables" as it's known also has art galleries, cultural attractions and world-class restaurants.

Davie ... A Wild West Town With Palm Trees
It's hard to believe that just a few miles west of the beach is a town with rodeo grounds right in the middle of it. Davie has a main street with western looking buildings and the Bergeron Rodeo grounds, where rodeos are held one Saturday night a month. The town also has horse ranches, parks, nature trails and multi-million dollar homes, along with some excellent restaurants too. You have to see it to believe it.

Dania Beach ... The Former Tomato Capital of The World
Daina Beach is a quaint, old-fashioned Florida small town nestled right next to Hollywood-Fort Lauderdale International Airport. The town, once the largest tomato farming area in the world, is now just a quiet little oceanfront community with a quiet little beach, restaurants, antique shops and Boomer's - an amusement park with an old fashioned wooden roller coaster and other rides. It's a reminder of 1950's Florida when life was a whole lot simpler.

Lake Worth ... In The Shadow of West Palm Beach
With a beautiful beach, fine restaurants, art galleries and shops, and a golf course and several luxurious bed and breakfast, Lake Worth is an alternative to the its posh and pricey neighbor West Palm Beach. It's 5 minutes from Palm Beach and 40 minutes from Fort Lauderdale but it seems like thousands of miles a way.

Hallandale Beach - A Sleepy Commuity That's Waking Up
Once south Florida's largest retirement village, the city of Hallandale Beach is now alive. It's Gulfstream Park Race Track now has a casino and shopping village. All over town from the beach west to US 1 incredible restaurants are popping up. It's worth a visit.... just 5 minutes south of Hollywood/Fort Lauderdale International Airport.