Hollywood or Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida for Long Weekend in beg. of December?
 

So, the Girls Weekend that I had ALL planned out for my best girls friends has fallen through due to unfortunate deaths in the family of some of my friends forcing them to use their time off from work. Therefore, it does not look like I'm going to Savannah in November!

Now I'm moving on in order to get something lined up or planned so I can start finding deals!

My criteria is a short (<2 hrs), inexpensive (<$200) since I won't be using miles, and most important, direct flight from New Orleans. This is limiting.

I want the destination to be warm, so that is what caused me to consider Ft. Lauderdale or Hollywood Beach, FL (leaning towards the latter).

I've been to many places in Florida, including Panhandle, Orlando, Tampa/Clearwater/St. Pete, Daytona, Vero Beach, and Miami, but not Ft. Lauderdale or Hollywood. And I'm looking at some really inexpensive prices on Southwest for short (1.5 hr.) direct flights to Ft. Lauderdale airport from MSY.

So, what is there to do there? Looking at 3 nights, 4 full days since we'll get there early and try to leave late on departure date.

In my rather preliminary research, I've noted that a huge beach project just completed in the area. I'm looking at the Westin Diplomat as we'd like a place on the beach with nice pools.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

I would go for Fort Lauderdale before Hollywood. Las Olas is a street with cafes and shops that is a safe and pleasant area to spend the evenings. Hollywood doesn't have an area like that. I don't know the Westin Diplomat. One of the challenges at FLL is the hotels. Nearest the beach, the hotels are aging with mediocre pools. Around the corner from FLL beach is the Pier 66 Marriott which has a great pool, but is far from the beach.

Yes, I agree: Ft. Lauderdale not Hollywood. The Harbor Beach Marriott is a big hotel with nice pools, nice spa. I'm not sure about your price range. The St. Regis just opened on the beach as well. I have my own Girls Weekend a mile up the beach in Lauderdale by the Sea: nice basic beach motels on the sand (cheap), great music in town, funky beach bar. Everything walkable yet a quick cab ride to Ft. Lauderdale if needed. See WWW.LBTS.COM for more info. My "girls" are 40 so we like the more laid back little town feel of LBTS-it depends on what you are looking for. Good Luck!

There is nothing in Hollywood except French Canadians....

Go to Ft lauderdale

Hey!!! What's wrong with French Canadians?

They may not tip very well but they spend a lot of money here over the winter.

Actually, Ft Lauderdale and Hollywood a very close together. Both have a fairly wide sandy beach.

Ft Lauderdale has Los Olas (a 5-10 minute drive from the beach) that's a nice walking street with a fair number of restaurants. We go there every few months and more often in winter (much more crowded then) when friends are visiting.

With a car (and you probably must have one) the Seminole Hard Rock Casino isn't very far. It's actually in Hollywood. You may want to see if they have any live shows there when you're in town.

We drove over to the Diplomat not long after it opened. Looked nice but we haven't been back. Not much else there other than little restaurants on the beach. And French Canadians.