Emerald Hills vs. Hollywood Lakes: Which Hollywood, FL Neighborhood Fits Your Move?

If you're relocating to Hollywood and narrowing down between Emerald Hills and Hollywood Lakes, you're looking at two of the city's best-known mainland neighborhoods — but they're surprisingly different. We move into both almost every week, and the practical differences (home size, driveway access, HOA culture, commute) tend to matter more day-to-day than the online listing photos suggest. Here's a side-by-side.

Location and layout

Hollywood Lakes sits east of Federal Highway (US-1), roughly between Hollywood Boulevard and Sheridan Street, bordered by the Intracoastal. It's walkable to downtown Hollywood, Young Circle, and the ArtsPark, and about a 5–7 minute drive to Hollywood Beach and the Broadwalk.

Emerald Hills sits west of I-95, north of Stirling Road, wrapping the Emerald Hills Golf Club. It's a 10–15 minute drive from the beach, but a much quicker hop to I-95, the Turnpike, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

Home stock and lot sizes

Hollywood Lakes is famous for its older single-family homes — Mediterranean revivals, mid-century ranches, and 1930s bungalows on tree-lined streets. Lots are typically 6,000–10,000 sq ft. Many original homes have been renovated; others still have their original hardwood floors, plaster walls, and detached garages you have to navigate around.

Emerald Hills homes are generally larger and newer — 3-, 4-, and 5-bedroom two-story houses built from the 1960s through the 2000s, on lots of 8,000–15,000 sq ft. Many back onto the golf course or man-made lakes. Driveways are longer, garages are typically two-car, and rooms are bigger.

What this means for your move

• Hollywood Lakes: Narrow streets, mature banyan and oak canopies that limit truck height in a few blocks, and tighter driveways. We often stage from the curb using dollies rather than backing a 26-foot truck up a driveway. Some historic homes have narrow doorways — sectional sofas and king box springs occasionally need to come in through French doors or over a patio wall.
• Emerald Hills: Wider streets, long driveways that fit our full-size truck comfortably, and standard modern doorways. The complication is stairs — most homes are two-story with a heavy master suite upstairs, which means more stair-carry time for beds, dressers, and sectional sofas. We often send an extra crew member on Emerald Hills moves specifically for the stairs.

HOA and neighborhood rules

Hollywood Lakes has a civic association but no HOA in the traditional sense — no move-in permits, no gate lists, no elevator windows. You show up and move. The tradeoff: street parking is public, so early morning traffic and school drop-off can complicate a truck parked on a two-lane residential street.

Emerald Hills proper is not gated, but several enclaves inside it (Hollywood Oaks, Meadowbrook, and parts of Presidential Estates) do have gates or private roads. We call ahead to get on the guest list.

Schools and family fit

Hollywood Lakes families are typically zoned for Hollywood Central Elementary and Attucks Middle, with plenty of families choosing Chaminade-Madonna (private) or the McArthur High School magnet program. Emerald Hills is zoned for Sheridan Hills Elementary and Apollo Middle, with strong pull toward Hollywood Hills High and, again, Chaminade-Madonna.

Commute reality

Hollywood Lakes gives you the shortest drive to the beach and to downtown Hollywood, but the longest drive to the airport or to a corporate office in Cypress Creek. Emerald Hills is the reverse — beach is a real drive, but you're at FLL in 12 minutes and downtown Fort Lauderdale in 20.

Bottom line

Choose Hollywood Lakes if you want walkability, character homes, and the beach lifestyle without living in a condo. Choose Emerald Hills if you want more square footage, a golf-course backyard, and quick highway access for work. Either way, we'll move you in — just tell us which and we'll size the crew and truck accordingly.