Building sand castles can be unforgiving work for perfectionists like me. I’ve wasted many hours painstakingly sculpting straight walls, deep moats, and high towers, but all it takes is one careless kid or curious seagull to make the whole thing come toppling down.
Sometimes building personal relationships can be just as frustrating and time-consuming as building sand castles. You can invest your time in someone special, and then things fall apart and you’re back to square one. Fortunately, South Florida’s beaches are full of sand and singles, so Hollywood daters can always start again. All they need is the right tools at their disposal to find success.
We’ve put together a list of the best ways to meet singles in Hollywood to help you build something strong enough to withstand the changing tides and seasons. Whether you’re looking for a short-term romance or a serious partner, you can use the following resources to meet your dream date in Florida’s Dream City.
Hollywood Dating Sites
Online dating is a fast, free, and easy way to meet lots of new people. Young adults are largely responsible for online dating’s meteoric rise in popularity. In 2013, online dating usage tripled among singles 18 to 24, and millions of singles have embraced this high-tech matchmaking tool. You can browse the following top-rated dating sites to find attractive singles around the world or around the corner from you.
Best Singles Site
In the online dating universe, Match is a shining star that gives life to many romances and relationships. This dating site has grown to epic proportions since its launch in 1995, and it now boasts having more success stories than any other dating site in existence. If you’re looking for a steady relationship in Florida, you should sign up for a free account on Match.
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: Match has facilitated the most dates and relationships of any dating site, and its large audience and high success rate make it our top review. Our Review »
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Over 50 & Senior Sites
Most people think of South Florida as a haven for retirees, and they’re not entirely wrong. About 40% of Hollywood residents are over 45, and 13% of households include someone over 65. OurTime is a dating resource for people in this age group. The site’s senior-friendly search and match tools can help widows, divorcees, and other seniors get their bearings online and find a second chance at love.
- Relationships: Dates and Relationships
- Match System: Search by profiles by zip and more
- Our Experts Say: OurTime is well-known in the over-50 dating crowd, particularly because it has a ton of helpful search features and an easy layout. Our Review »
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For Black Men & Women Only
Hollywood is a diverse city, but it can still be difficult for black singles to meet one another in such a sprawling and high-trafficked area. BlackPeopleMeet can offer a shortcut to romance for these singles. This niche dating site boasts having the world’s largest online community of African-American singles, and it has members all over the U.S. and Canada. Signing up for BlackPeopleMeet is free and takes less than two minutes.
- Relationships: Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates
- Match System: Search by location, age, more
- Our Experts Say: BlackPeopleMeet.com is the one of the largest and most popular dating sites for black and biracial singles, and the site is used by more than 5 million people a month. Our Review »
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Hookup & Sex Site
Adult Friend Finder is a global hookup site designed to be a wingman for sexually active singles and swingers. Since 1996, over 95 million people have created profiles on this platform and used its search tools and chat rooms to spice up their love lives. If you want to skip the small talk and get right to the dirty talk, you can mingle on this free-wheeling and X-rated hookup site.
- Relationships: Hookups Only
- Match System: Search by location, interest, more
- Our Experts Say: Make no mistake: this site isn't about making friends, it's about finding hookups and casual encounters. No adult site has a larger or more active user base of those seeking discreet fun. Our Review »
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Popular Dating Apps
While dating sites give singles access to international date prospects, dating apps tend to stay closer to home. The typical dating app uses location-based settings to recommend matches who live in the same neighborhood, town, province, or state. Dating apps are all about inspiring real-time connections in as short a time period as possible. You can quickly swipe through profiles, chat with mutual matches, and fill your date calendar by using a popular dating app like the ones we’ve listed here.
Match.com
- Relationships: Fun Dates, Serious Relationships
- Match System: Browse by location, age, interest, and more
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About the App:
Available via the App Store and Google Play, Match is a fantastic app for dates and relationships. With a user base of 30 million singles, Match is where you’ll have a high chance of success. It’s free to download, create a profile, search for date prospects, and receive compatible matches based on personalized preferences. Free members can also chat with select members and send unlimited likes.
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eharmony
- Relationships: Long-Term Relationships, Marriages
- Match System: Get daily match suggestions
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About the App:
Responsible for 4% of marriages in the U.S., eharmony is among our top picks for relationship-minded heterosexual singles. To become a member, add the app to your phone (iOS or Android) and then take its 29 Dimensions® of Compatibility Matching Quiz. It’s absolutely free to do both these things — as well as receive matches and communicate during other special events.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
OurTime.com
- Relationships: Dating and Relationships
- Match System: Search by age as well as zip, gender, more
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About the App:
Made just for single seniors, OurTime is one of the most well-known niche dating apps. It’s a fun and straightforward app with simple swiping features. Once two people swipe right on each other, they can communicate. For more match options, visit the ConnectMe and I’m Interested pages.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Hollywood Singles Bars
Hollywood is full of trendy bars where singles can flirt until last call. The relaxed and fun-loving environment can put people at ease and help them strike up a conversation with someone new. You can get to know someone over a few drinks and see where the night leads you. Whether you enjoy breweries, cocktail lounges, or dive bars, you can always find an open bar stool in this beachside paradise.
5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar and Grill
Jimmy Buffet has sung a lot about life on the beach, so it's no wonder his bars are particularly popular along the coastline in South Florida. The 5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill is a dockside bar with a picturesque view of the water. Customers walk, drink, and boat up to this outdoor bar to enjoy some laid-back vacation vibes with their feet in the sand. The bar opens promptly at 11 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. Many bar flies come here bright and early to get a good table and enjoy lunchtime tacos, burgers, or seafood with their beer. As the famous song says, "It's five o'clock somewhere."
Social Room Hollywood
Social Room Hollywood is a social hot spot with happy hours, bar games, and live entertainment that help people have a great time. You can challenge your crush to a game of cornhole or try your luck on an arcade game. The bar has giant versions of JENGA and Connect Four as well as stacks of old-school board games. Every Wednesday, the bar hosts a live band, and every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, a DJ comes in and pumps up the crowd. There's no cover charge at the Social Room, so it's a good place to hang out and enjoy yourself.
Mickey Byrne's Irish Pub & Restaurant
You may not expect to find an Irish pub in the heart of South Florida, but Mickey Byrne's Irish Pub & Restaurant defies expectation at every turn. This local bar has been a lucky charm in Hollywood since November 2008. Its menu includes fish and chips, shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, and a traditional Irish breakfast. The bar comes alive during big events, including World Cup Soccer matches and New Year's Eve, but it really shines during St. Patrick's Day when it brings out the green beer and bagpipes to show its Irish pride.
The Muse Rooftop Bar & Lounge
The Muse Rooftop Bar & Lounge is located inside the Circ Hotel, so it attracts a combination of tourists and locals. The upscale Italian cuisine and beautiful skyline views make everyone feel as if they're on vacation. The rooftop lounge is artfully designed with plenty of comfortable places to sit and have a cocktail. The Muse Rooftop Bar invites sunbathers and stargazers to relax in one of Hollywood's most famous lounges.
Octopus Garden Bar
The Octopus Garden Bar is a quirky and affordable place where bar flies can linger from 7 a.m. until 4 a.m. seven days a week. Many locals say they feel right at home at this popular dive. The bartenders tend to be chatty and outgoing individuals who treat every newcomer like a new friend. If you want to discover a new drink or make a new friend, let them know, and they'll do what they can to work some magic behind the bar. The Octopus Garden is a come-as-you-are type place where the music is loud, the drinks are strong, and the people are friendly.
Monkitail
Monkitail is an award-winning Japanese restaurant that serves shareable plates of sushi and izakaya. One glance at these authentic dishes swimming in soy sauce is enough to make your mouth water. Plus, its specialty cocktails and sake perfectly complement its savory dishes, and singles can linger and order round after round at its Nokku cocktail lounge. The bar serves wine, beer, and sake by the bottle or glass, but it also has creative cocktails infused with herbs and fruits. We recommend splitting a flight of sake and some appetizers with a date to break the ice.
Hollywood Speed Dating
Speed dating can offer singles an escape from the gridlock, traffic, and frustration of the dating scene. These fun events introduce dozens of singles at once, allowing people to skip the small talk and discover chemistry in real time. At the end of the night, you may just come away with a promising new love connection. Pre-Dating is the largest speed dating company in the U.S., and it has a strong following in South Florida. This company has been responsible for organizing over 5 million speed dates, and Florida singles can always find an event on its calendar.
Hollywood Singles Events
If you want to build deep friendships with local singles, then a singles event is the way to go. These events typically revolve around a fun activity, so you can bowl, bike, dance, or dine in good company. Hollywood has many singles groups that regularly meet at local hot spots, including pubs, beaches, and coffee shops. Some of these groups appeal to singles of particular ages or ethnicities, while others welcome anyone who wants to socialize and get to know people in the area.
Hollywood Singles Clubs
The dance club is a popular dating ground for singles with smooth moves and a lot of energy. You’ll have to bust out your best moves on the dance floor to pick up a date at the club, but the sultry music and dim lighting can help you keep your cool and charm the hotties around you. Hollywood has a vibrant downtown scene where singles can lose themselves in the heat of the moment. Who knows? You may end up in someone’s arms by the end of the first song.
Hollywood Chat Rooms
Chat rooms are open 24/7 and provide an adult-friendly forum where singles can express themselves without fear of judgment. Anyone over 18 can join the discussion and flirt their way into someone’s good graces. This low-pressure environment is ideal for singles who want to improve their conversational skills and learn how to pick up dates. You don’t have to leave home to practice wooing singles in a Florida chat room.
Hollywood Personals
Dating personals sites can provide easy access to some of the raunchiest singles in town. Singles don’t have to censor themselves on these sites because there are no moderators, checkpoints, or limitations. Many profiles on these sites read like X-rated help-wanted ads. Some people can get explicit about what kind of partner and sexual activity they’re interested in finding online. Dating personals offer a discreet and anonymous way to solicit sex without trolling the bars or clubs.
Visit a Public Park or Beach
The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk extends 2.5 miles along the Atlantic Ocean, and thousands of people head to this beach destination in their leisure time. After all, it’d be a shame to let all that sand and sunshine go to waste. Not everyone is lucky enough to live so close to such a beautiful beach!
Hollywood has an iconic Broadwalk along its white sandy beaches.
People of all ages can enjoy sunbathing on and strolling along the beaches of South Florida. Splashing around and having fun isn’t a bad way to meet people, either. You can make conversation with fellow beachgoers while soaking in the sun.
Many ice cream parlors are walking distance from Hollywood’s beaches, so you can escape the heat and savor a sweet treat with a new acquaintance. Plus over 30 boutique shops and art galleries line the broadwalk.
You can explore the Hollywood beach scene on your own or with friends and encounter fun-loving folks rollerblading, jogging, playing volleyball, or just enjoying the sunshine.
Find a Lasting Love in the Diamond of the Gold Coast
Hollywood is a uniquely romantic South Florida city where singles can always find an opportunity to connect with people and build something beautiful. All it takes is a little perseverance to turn your dreams into reality. It may not happen overnight, but that’s no reason to throw in the towel and stop trying.
As long as you keep learning and growing, you can build your way to a happy ending. Relationships, like sand castles, are always a work in progress and have to be carefully maintained so they can weather the storms coming their way.
We hope this list of dating resources has inspired you to get out there and make something wonderful in the heart of South Florida. With luck and patience, you can create a romance that stands the test of time.
