Boat Rental Hollywood (Florida) — 2027 Guide: Intracoastal, Fort Lauderdale Canals, Sandbars and Prices

Hollywood, Florida, lies between Fort Lauderdale to the north and Miami to the south, about 15 km from the first and about 30 km from the second. The city is known for Hollywood Beach and its Broadwalk promenade on a narrow island between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal Waterway, a sheltered water route that follows Florida's east coast. The Intracoastal is the reason to go out by boat here: the water is calm, the shore is lined with homes with their own docks and yachts, and a few nautical miles to the north lie Port Everglades and the canals of Fort Lauderdale. This guide explains where boats go from Hollywood, which rules apply on the water and how much a private boat with captain costs.

The Intracoastal Waterway: the main route

• The shore from the water. The Intracoastal runs between the beach island and the mainland. From the boat you see homes and mansions with private docks, yachts, waterfront restaurants and the drawbridges that link Hollywood to the beach.
• Mangroves. On the western shore of the Intracoastal in Hollywood lies West Lake Park, a protected area of mangroves and lagoons.
• Sandbars. On the shallows along the Intracoastal, boats anchor and guests step into water that in places is only waist-deep. The depth changes with the tide, so the swimming spot is chosen according to that day's water level.
• Towards Miami. Further south, in Biscayne Bay, are the well-known Haulover and Nixon sandbars; read more about them in our boat rental guide for Miami.

Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale

• Port Everglades. North of Hollywood, between Dania Beach and Fort Lauderdale, lies one of the busiest cruise ports in the world. From the water you see the big ships up close, especially in the afternoon when they sail out towards the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Security zones apply around cruise ships and cargo vessels, and smaller boats do not enter them.
• Fort Lauderdale canals. Fort Lauderdale is called the "Venice of America": a dense network of canals, small islands with mansions and yachts moored right by the houses. From the Intracoastal you enter the canals around Las Olas Boulevard and the New River, which winds through downtown.
• Ocean and reefs. Hollywood has no inlet of its own; the nearest way out to the Atlantic is through the Port Everglades inlet. Coral reefs stretch along the coast of Broward County, to which Hollywood belongs. Pontoon boats are built for the calm water of the Intracoastal; the ocean and the reefs call for an offshore boat.

Sunset and night cruises

On the Intracoastal the sun sets over the mainland, to the west, so in the evening the water takes on colour behind the bridges and waterfront homes. After dark the buildings along the beach, the bridges and the port light up.

Our offer in Hollywood

The Prosperity is a private Harris Cruiser 23 pontoon boat (about 7 m, 2021, Mercury 150 hp engine) with a captain licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). The boat and captain are reserved for your group only, up to six guests.

• On board: curved seating, a large bimini for shade, Bluetooth audio, a cooler with ice and bottled water. You bring your own food and drinks.
• Trips: sandbar swim stops, waterfront sightseeing, sunset and night cruises on the Intracoastal between Hollywood, Dania Beach and Fort Lauderdale.
• Prices: $150 per hour Monday to Thursday and Friday before 5 p.m. (except holidays); $175 per hour Friday from 5 p.m., on weekends and holidays. A three-hour cruise on a Saturday therefore costs $525, and a two-hour weekday cruise $300. The captain's gratuity is not included.

View the listing.

Booking goes through us: you send an inquiry with the date, time and number of guests, we check availability with the owner, you pay us the reservation, and you pay the rest to the owner on the day of the cruise.

Rules on the water

• License. In Florida, anyone born on or after 1 January 1988 needs a boating education ID card to operate a motorboat of 10 hp or more. When a licensed captain runs the boat, guests do not need one.
• Reduced-speed zones. On much of the Intracoastal around Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale, zones apply in which boats travel at no-wake or idle speed, among them manatee protection zones. That is why a cruise here is measured in time rather than miles: an hour on the water means relaxed sightseeing, not fast cruising.

Season and weather

• November to April is the dry season: mild, sunny days, less humidity and the most visitors. Through the winter, occasional cold fronts bring a north wind, but the Intracoastal stays calmer than the ocean.
• June to November is hurricane season. Most days pass without storms, but sailing depends on the forecast for the day.
• Summer is hot and humid, and the afternoon often brings short, heavy thunderstorms. That is why summer cruises go out in the morning or in the evening, after the storm has passed.

Boat rental in Hollywood with Crystalium Booker

See the offer on the Hollywood location page or send us your date, time and number of guests through the contact page. Do you rent out a boat in Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale or elsewhere in Florida? List it with us.