Billed as Broward County’s First City, don’t let Dania Beach be the last place you consider when it comes to white sand with space to spread a towel and soak up some sunshine. Located north of Hollywood’s beaches and south across the Stranahan River from the well-populated beaches of Fort Lauderdale, Dania Beach shares the same views of the surf, but in relative solitude. Combined with the area’s reputation for affordable hotels and fresh-catch restaurants, Dania Beach is Greater Fort Lauderdale’s greatest untapped oceanfront treasure.

Dania Beach Ocean Park is the center of the city’s surf action. This beach benefits from an abundance of easy parking and, in terms of amenities, Dania Beach can’t be beat—the tiki huts that front the water make for a fun place to relax with friends after swimming in the saltwater.

In addition to public beaches, it’s also the home of the Dania Beach Fishing Pier, open from 6 a.m. to midnight seven days a week and lighted for night fishing. There’s a bait and tackle shop adjacent to the pier for daily dippers, but the pier’s length also allows anglers a chance to cast for more serious sportfish like tarpon and snook.