Boat Clubs in Hollywood, FL

November through April is generally the best time to boat Hollywood’s stretch of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, especially if you prefer fewer thunderstorms. Hollywood Marina operates Monday through Sunday, so access is not limited to a short seasonal schedule.

Nearby NOAA coastal stations show water temperatures around the low-to-mid 70s in winter, rising into the upper 80s during midsummer. From mid-May to mid-October, South Florida’s wet season brings frequent showers and thunderstorms shaped by sea-breeze patterns, so summer outings are best planned around the day’s marine forecast rather than the calendar alone.

Source: City of Hollywood (hollywoodfl.org)

From Hollywood, start with North Lake and the Hollywood stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway, then choose sheltered inland cruising or open Atlantic water. North Lake is a tucked-away anchoring and swimming stop, while the Intracoastal is the main through-route connecting Hollywood with Port Everglades Inlet.

Near the inlet, Whiskey Creek offers a sheltered, sandy-bottom place to beach the boat; the Atlantic is the open-water option. Hollywood Marina, beside North Lake and the Intracoastal, has a boat ramp and slips. Nearby Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park also has a ramp with quick inlet access.

Source: City of Hollywood (hollywoodfl.org)

From Hollywood, boaters head to Whiskey Creek, Boaters Park on the Dania Cut-Off Canal, and downtown Fort Lauderdale’s New River. At Whiskey Creek in Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park, boats can beach on a sheltered sandy bottom, with picnic, beach and food options nearby. Boaters Park has a dock and picnic area, including a section accessible only by private boat. On the New River, municipal downtown docking puts crews within walking distance of Las Olas Boulevard, shops and sidewalk cafés.

Source: Florida State Parks (floridastateparks.org)

Florida does not issue a boating license, but operators born on or after January 1, 1988, must carry photo ID and a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission boating education card when running a vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or more. This includes personal watercraft. There is no general minimum age for boats; personal watercraft operators must be at least 14, and no one under 18 may rent any vessel other than a human powered one. Exemptions include Coast Guard licensed masters, private lake or pond operators, operators accompanied aboard by someone 18 or older who holds the card or is exempt and is responsible for the vessel, and nonresidents with proof of a NASBLA-approved out of state course. Any non exempt operator may instead pass an FWC approved temporary certificate exam and carry that certificate with photo ID for 90 days.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rules require boaters to carry life jackets, stay sober, use properly registered vessels, follow personal watercraft limits, and obey posted no wake and manatee zones. Every vessel must carry an accessible U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable life jacket for each person; children under 6 must wear one while underway on vessels under 26 feet. Operating while impaired is illegal; a .08 blood or breath alcohol level creates a presumption of impairment. Most vessels must be registered and carry the certificate aboard. Personal watercraft operators must be at least 14, wear a noninflatable PFD, and not operate from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

Florida law requires you to be at least 18 to rent a livery vessel other than a human-powered vessel. Florida sets no general minimum age to operate a boat, but a personal watercraft operator must be at least 14.

Under section 327.395, anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, operating a vessel powered by 10 horsepower or more must carry the required boating safety credentials. An exemption applies when accompanied by a credentialed or exempt person age 18 or older who is attendant to the operation and responsible for safe operation and violations. The rental operator sets its own booking minimum subject to state law, so confirm it when booking.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

Alongside the boat clubs on this page, Hollywood has 18 boat rentals, 5 marinas and 4 boat dealers.