Is Driftwood safe?
Hollywood, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Driftwood as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Driftwood
“Go. Driftwood is a quiet, established residential neighborhood in western Hollywood with low rates of violent crime and a calm suburban environment. While not a conventional tourist district, visitors seeking local parks or nearby dining can travel comfortably with standard awareness.”
About the area
Driftwood is a predominantly mid-century suburban community in Hollywood, Florida, characterized by single-family ranch homes, neighborhood parks, and strip retail centers. It provides a relaxed, family-oriented residential setting situated conveniently between Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
- Suburban / Quiet
- Family-Friendly
- Mid-Century Residential
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Driftwood
Walk score: 46/100 · Bike score: 52/100
There is no local public bike-share program; riding is pleasant on interior residential streets, though cyclists must exercise caution along high-speed multi-lane perimeter roads.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Significantly lower violent crime rates compared to Hollywood's eastern urban core
- Stable, established middle-class neighborhood with high rates of owner-occupied housing
- Abundant community recreational facilities including Driftwood Community Park and Pool
- Convenient access to essential retail, grocery stores, and major suburban thoroughfares
Cons
- Periodic property offenses such as opportunistic vehicle break-ins and theft
- Heavy reliance on automobiles due to sprawling suburban layout
- Dim street lighting along certain interior residential cul-de-sacs at night
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is minimal within the residential streets of Driftwood, with only sporadic panhandling observed near major commercial intersections along University Drive and Taft Street.
What Driftwood is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Pleasant and safe as residents walk dogs, jog, and take children to local schools.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Calm and uneventful with routine residential activity and light suburban vehicle traffic.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet and comfortable with families frequenting local dining plazas and community parks.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Very sleepy and generally safe, though minimal pedestrian activity and dark side streets warrant normal alertness.
Transit, parking and getting around
Broward County Transit (BCT) operates local bus routes like Route 16, 18, and 60 along perimeter arterials; the nearest Tri-Rail commuter train station is the Hollywood Tri-Rail Station roughly 5 miles to the east.
Parking is exceptionally easy with abundant free open-lot parking across all strip plazas and standard private residential driveways.
Things to do in Driftwood
- Swim, play tennis, or enjoy the athletic fields at Driftwood Community Park
- Explore authentic Latin American and Caribbean casual eateries along Taft Street and Pines Boulevard
- Attend community events and youth sports leagues hosted at the Driftwood Recreation Center
Local favorites
- Shenanigans Sports Pub · Sports Bar & Grill · 4.4★ (2350)A long-standing local neighborhood tavern known for chicken wings, burgers, and sports broadcasts.
- Doña Raquel · Honduran Restaurant · 4.3★ (1210)A vibrant, family-run eatery serving authentic Honduran and Central American comfort food.
- Flanigan's Seafood Bar and Grill · Seafood & Grill · 4.5★ (4120)A South Florida institution offering baby back ribs, fresh fish, and casual nautical decor.
Scores are safety-driven — recent reported crime and local news plus Census income, poverty, housing, education, household and access data — refreshed nightly. Walk and bike scores are shown separately and do not affect the safety score. A guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.