Pompano Beach

Just 2.8 miles from Pompano Beach, Boulevard Park Isles residents live on the water. Canals run through the neighborhood, so every home has a private dock and waterfront properties. The neighborhood is also only a few miles from the coast, where residents can relax under the sun at Pompano Beach or Lauderdale-By-The-Sea. Seafood restaurants on the water are available on Pompano’s coastline so that coastal feel follows residents throughout their lives in Boulevard Park Isles. Pompano Beach has several sections watched over by lifeguards where visitors can participate in a number of activities, from sunbathing and swimming to kiteboarding and surfing. People can stroll down Fisher Family Pier to take in the skyline and water or purchase a fishing pass and reel in a fresh catch for dinner. At Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Beach, visitors can explore the coral reef located just 100 yards off the shore, making it popular with snorkelers. For something to do on land, Palm Aire Country Club has three courses designed by different people and two driving ranges. Houses in Boulevard Park Isles are often midcentury modern or stucco ranches dating back to the late 50s and early 60s. In addition to private docks, many homes have pools. Landside, circular driveways are the standard, and some homes also have a one-car garage. Palm trees are abundant here, adding to the coastal feel. “Homes on the water list between $700,000 and $900,000,” says Realtor Scott Kaplan, who leads The Kaplan Team with RE/MAX Select Group. “There are homes that are not on the water for $500,000 to $600,000.” Because this area is so popular with boat owners, Kaplan emphasizes that boats in Boulevard Park Isles have a size restriction. Boulevard Park Isles has two fixed bridges, which boats have to fit beneath. “Other neighborhoods just five blocks have no fixed bridges, and the average there is $950,000 to $2 million,” Kaplan says. “Five blocks and all that difference just because of two bridges.” Green Market Pompano Beach is the community’s local farmers’ market, which takes place every second and fourth Saturday from November to April. On the first Friday of each month from October to May, Old Town Untapped presents live music to Pompano Beach. For more music and concerts, locals can head to the Pompano Beach Amphitheatre, also called The Amp. Right within the neighborhood, Boulevard Park Isles residents can get homemade desserts like croissants and muffins or a refreshing smoothie. Sea Watch on the Ocean offers fresh seafood for a more premium price at a restaurant with ocean views. Brewfish Bar and Grill is another seafood restaurant located along a canal for a different type of waterfront dining experience. For fresh produce, Cypress Shopping Center is home to By Their Fruits. Boulevard Park Isles residents are always just a short drive from grocery stores. Pompano Plaza offers a Publix, just 1.7 miles from Boulevard Park Isles. Two miles away is Walmart Neighborhood Market in Pompano Marketplace. Boulevard Park Isles students attend Floranada Elementary School, which earns an A-minus from Niche. James S. Rickards Middle School receives a C from Niche. At Northeast High School, students can enroll in the Latin School program, which focuses on classical Latin and Greek education to introduce students to literature, history and art. The school receives a B-minus from Niche. Pine Crest School, a private kindergarten through twelfth, has a 49-acre campus in the southern portion of Boulevard Park Isles. Boulevard Park Isles is just 2.8 miles from downtown Pompano Beach, and buses stop along major motorways surrounding the neighborhood, linking them right to the beach. Dixie Highway and I-95 are both to the west, connecting residents to Fort Lauderdale, just 7.5 miles to the south. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is 15 miles away from Boulevard Park Isles. The nearest hospital is Broward Health Imperial Point, just 1.6 miles away.

The Highlands in Pompano Beach is a neighborhood that’s deep rooted in its history. While areas around this neighborhood have more modern housing, including luxury apartments, classic midcentury houses can still be found in Highlands. “This is still a working-class neighborhood,” says Bob Bellemare, a Realtor with RE/MAX Direct with nearly 20 years of experience selling in Pompano Beach. “People like it because there’s no homeowners association to deal with, and the prices are reasonable.” Construction in the area started in the 1950s and continued into the early 1960s. Some homes were advertised in magazines like Town & Country in the ‘50s to entice people to move to Florida to retire. Some of those homes are still standing, and some need a little bit of attention. The homes in this neighborhood list for between $300,000 and $500,000. “You may find a few under $300,000, but chances are it may need some work,” Bellemare says. Upgraded homes in the area have new landscaping, flooring, kitchens and baths. A more modern housing option is condos in the Lighthouse Village complex with two-bedroom units built in the late 1970s. The community also has a pool and outdoor tennis courts. The single-family homes are Minimal Traditional and ranch style. The price per square foot is a little over $300, and the size of the houses can be anywhere from 800 to 2,000 square feet. Toward Dixie Highway on the neighborhood's west side is an industrial area, including the distribution center for upscale furniture company RH, formerly Restoration Hardware. The facility is open 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday. Carrier Enterprises produces equipment for their air conditioner lines at the facility near Dixie Highway and 48th Street. The warehouses there employ thousands in the area. Sample Road runs east-west, and Dixie and Federal Highways run north-south. All three major roads have multiples for the Broward County Transit bus line. The Pompano Beach stop on the Tri-Rail train line is about 3 miles away. The smaller Pompano Beach Airpark is about 4 miles south, and the larger Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Airport is 20 miles away. Branca’s Restaurant serves Brazilian food buffet style at their location on Federal Highway. Their menu features lean meats that are hand cut and cooked on skewers. They also serve cocktails, salads and snacks. Rio’s Meat Market and Grocery specializes in Brazilian meats with an on-site butcher. There are a few aisles to pick up grocery items, while Publix is at the corner of Sample Road and Federal Highway for a more extensive selection. The 2000 Bakery is named after the year it opened and specializes in breads and cakes and custom catering. The variety of parks in the Highlands means that green space could be within walking distance. North Pompano Park is a 20-acre area in the heart of the neighborhood with a covered basketball court, sun-shielded jungle gyms, a disc golf course and sports fields. The Pompano Eagles, a youth football league, has its headquarters there. Another green oasis is Sandspur Park. There are two jungle gyms, a picnic shelter and a grassy lawn. The Highlands Natural Scrub Area is one of Broward County’s last substantial pine scrub communities. There are picnic and seating areas as well as miles of nature trails. Pine scrub is an endangered forest ecoregion found on inland sand ridges and can be identified by a plant community dominated by shrubs and dwarf oaks. Ice skating does exist in a tropical climate. The Rink on the Beach has plenty of space to contact blade with ice, and it can be rented for birthday parties. The public school option in the Highlands is Broward County Public Schools, including Norcrest Elementary, which is committed to helping children with special needs. The school has a special autism coach to assist students, teachers and families and is rated B-minus on Niche. Deerfield Beach Middle School is rated an overall C-plus on Niche, and Deerfield Beach High School is a magnet school for communications with an on-campus television studio and web design lab. It's rated B-minus by Niche.

Cresthaven, a primarily residential neighborhood in northeastern Pompano Beach, got its start in the 1950s. Its original residents were retirees who inhabited the area during the winter in petite vacation homes, which would remain shuttered during the summers. But within a few decades, residents began staying in Florida year-round. Neighborhoods like Cresthaven have been reinventing themselves ever since. “The neighborhood is in transition,” says Real Estate Broker Eli Williams of Royal International Realty, who’s sold in greater Miami for a decade. “With property values up and the neighborhood being so close to the beach, many homeowners are rehabbing and selling or buying first and then rehabbing. In fact, homes that need work are selling the fastest.” Today, nearly 9,000 people occupy this collection of tropical homes just 1 mile west of the Atlantic Ocean. The quickest way to the beach from Cresthaven is to drive across the 14th Street drawbridge to North Ocean Park. This 2-acre public space is open daily and features distant views of the historic Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse. With such proximity to the sand, Cresthaven itself doesn’t need many outdoor areas to help residents unwind and relax. However, Cresthaven Park covers over an acre at the neighborhood’s heart, within walking distance of many locals. Young visitors can run loose on the playground while athletes take to the basketball and sand volleyball courts. Immediately south of the neighborhood, the Pompano Beach Municipal Golf Course features 18 public holes, a driving range and an enclosed dog park. Many residents can quickly walk to the neighborhood’s AMC Theatres to catch the latest flick. Most Cresthaven homes are arranged on a dense, gridded network of palm-peppered, sidewalk-free streets. Two-bedroom bungalows were the most common houses in Cresthaven’s early days. However, many have been expanded into three- and four-bedroom ranch-style homes to accommodate whole families. “These houses have good bones,” Williams says. “I’ve seen entire homes gutted and redone with crown molding and wood floors — unheard of until recently.” Cresthaven is also home to Haven House Condominiums, occupying six apartment-style buildings along Sample Road to the north. Meanwhile, Havenwood offers senior living in a cluster of well-maintained mobile homes to the west. These start at around $50,000 for two-bedroom, 1,100-square-foot units. Condos tend to cost in the $100,000s and $200,000s. The average home value is about $380,000, for which homebuyers might find a two-bedroom, recently renovated rambler. Prices peak at around $600,000 for five-bedroom ranch-style homes nearing 2,000 square feet. Shopping centers operate in all four corners of Cresthaven, featuring everything from big-name retailers to independent eateries. Grocery stores include Whole Foods Market to the southwest and Ideal Food Basket to the northeast. The neighborhood is also across the street from Publix, Lowe’s, T.J.Maxx and other household names. When they don’t feel like eating in, locals can visit The Hen and the Hog, a trendy breakfast, brunch and lunch spot. Its reclaimed wood tables and vintage lightbulbs set the stage for comforting Southern eats, including smoked meat platters and brisket benedict. The tasty mimosas also keep customers coming back. Another local restaurant, The Breakfast Club, has served the neighborhood since 1981 with pancakes, grits, home fries and more. The neighborhood shares its name with Cresthaven Elementary School, which operates in the southwest corner. This public school has a C-plus from Niche and accommodates about 500 students. After fifth grade, these students join over 1,100 peers at Crystal Lake Middle School. It also has a C-plus and sits just west of the neighborhood. Finally, older teens head north to Deerfield Beach High School, rated a B-minus. Over 2,300 students have access to Deerfield Beach High’s magnet programs, including a four-year International Baccalaureate curriculum. Further, Somerset Pines Academy, also rated a B-minus, is a tuition-free K-8 charter school in the neighborhood. U.S. Route 1 runs alongside Cresthaven to the east, taking drivers down Florida’s entire east coast to the Keys. Interstate 95 is a significant East Coast highway less than a mile west of the neighborhood. Both roads offer trips to and from downtown Fort Lauderdale, typically 20 to 40 minutes during rush hour. Several bus stops appear along the four major roads flanking Cresthaven.

Kendall Green residents live on the edge of a growing city. “Pompano Beach is up-and-coming,” says John Scalia, Realtor with eXp Realty, who has lived in the area for over 15 years. “They redid the pier and have put a lot of new restaurants on Atlantic Boulevard and A1A. It’s really becoming a little tourist town over there with yoga classes on the beach and things like that.” The neighborhood is about 5 miles from the shore, although locals will often make the drive for a meal or an afternoon near the water. Students attend Broward County Public Schools, which earn a B-plus from Niche. With Interstate 95 bordering the area, locals can easily explore the greater Miami area. Sidewalks line the roads of Kendall Green, and wide driveways lead to carports. Grassy lawns are decorated with palm trees and small shrubbery. Most of the homes in the area are ranch styles with stucco exteriors, and many have asymmetrical sloping roofs that reference midcentury modern design. “Kendall Green is an old-school kind of neighborhood,” Scalia says. “It was built up in the ‘70s. As you go west, the developments are newer, and you get into HOAs. No HOAs in Kendall Green.” Prices tend to fall between $350,000 and $450,000. Locals often head to downtown Pompano Beach to eat, visiting restaurants such as The Rusty Hook Tavern on the waterfront and The Rabbit Hole, which serves vegan comfort food. People can grab a sandwich from Lou’s Giant Subs & Deli or order Jamaican from Silverspoon Takeout if they want something closer to home. Several businesses line State Route 811, which borders the neighborhood to the east, ranging from Laguna Bay Nursery and St. Vincent Thrift Store to OK Tire of Pompano and KD’s Auto Sales. “There’s all kinds of things in the area,” says Realtor Giovanni Crupi with TBT Homes Sales, LLC, who has worked in Pompano Beach for over 15 years. Residents can get groceries from Pompano Mega Mart and Dixie Food Market and find the rest of their essentials at Walmart, Home Depot and Target, all within 5 miles. Pompano Beach holds several events throughout the year, both annually and monthly, that people can attend. Old Town Untapped, the first Friday of the month from October to May, is a block party that celebrates gallery openings and local artists, while Music Under the Stars is a free concert series every second Friday from September to May. Each January, the city hosts the Nautical Flea Market, which features more than 200 vendors selling anything to do with the sea, from beach attire and nautical antiques to fishing and scuba gear. As part of Broward County Public Schools, students can start at Palmview Elementary School before attending Crystal Lake Community Middle School. Blanch Ely offers several magnet programs, including the Medical Sciences and Practical Nursing program. The nursing program prepares its participants to take the Florida State Board of Nursing licensing exam, meaning they can become Licensed Practical Nurses right out of high school. All three schools receive a C-plus from Niche. At Weaver Community Park, people can stroll through the walking trail or play a round of basketball while kids run around the open fields and the playground. Locals can also explore the Crystal Lake Sand Pine Scrub, a nature reserve dedicated to the sandy ecosystem that is becoming hard to find. Northwest Branch Library, towards the bottom of the neighborhood, offers activities for all ages, including “Teens Chasing Dreams,” an after-school program for high schoolers. “People like to go to the beach,” Crupi says. “It’s maybe an eight- or 10-minute drive.” Pompano Beach, about 5 miles away, lets anyone boogie board and has dedicated surf zones. Many people drive themselves and can quickly get onto Interstate 95. With the interstate and the Pompano Beach Airpark bordering the area, there are higher levels of noise pollution. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is about 15 miles away and offers commercial flights. Broward County Transit buses run through the area, taking residents from the rest of the city to Kendall Green. “It’s close to Broward Health North, a major employer,” Scalia says. The hospital also houses the nearest emergency room, less than 1 mile from the neighborhood. With more than 32% of the buildings in Pompano Beach being part of a Special Flood Hazard Area, according to the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps, flood insurance is encouraged for all homeowners. If someone has a federally backed mortgage, insurance is required.

You’re never too far from your neighbors in Carver Village. Spanish style apartments, condos and townhouses make up most of the homes in this neighborhood, however you’ll find some blocks with smaller ranch-style homes within close proximity of each other. There are also options for homes with lake views from the backyard. While there aren’t many outdoor activities, local beaches are just a short drive away. You also have easy access to I-95 and the Tri-Rail transit system. Tri-Rail’s Pompano Beach Station is conveniently located in Carver Village. You can take the train up towards West Palm Beach, all the way down to Miami Airport. The Tri-Rail System also offers free rides to the station through partnerships with Uber and other taxi services. Carver Village sits in the Broward County School District. Most public school students attend Charles Drew Elementary School, Crystal Lake Middle School and Blanche Ely High School. The high school is renowned for its science/engineering and practical nursing magnet programs. The science/engineering program gives students an opportunity to discover more about the field and explore options for their future career. The practical nursing program is the only one in a comprehensive high school in Florida. Students who finish the nursing program qualify to take the Florida State Board of Nursing licensing exam to become Licensed Practical Nurses. 96 percent of students who finish these magnet programs go on to post-secondary institutions. You can find flavors from all over the world in Carver Village. There is an abundance of ethnic restaurants serving food from different cultures. You’ll find most of them around West and East Sample Roads, including Cuban Café, Taqueria Latina, Unique Park Restaurant and much more. If you’re looking for a quick bite, there are plenty of fast food restaurants around, including McDonald’s, Checkers, Wendy’s and Subway. For everyday shopping needs such as groceries and household items, you can head to Costco. If you’re looking for a more unique shopping experience, you’ll find Festival Marketplace just a mile down the road. Originally called Pompano Outlet Mall when it was built in 1986, this European style market has become a staple in the community. The quarter-mile long market boasts 250 shops, restaurants and boutiques. If there’s an event going on in Carver Village, it’s most likely happening at Festival Marketplace. The market is more than just a shopping paradise. It hosts several events and festivals every month. Popular annual events include the Winter Show and Haunted House. The Winter Show is a live event featuring Disney characters and fun activities for kids. Those looking for a good scare come to Festival’s Haunted House during Halloween time. Festival also hosts monthly movie themed events, pet adoption events and more. You don’t have to go far for other events and festivals. There are several monthly and annual events just outside Carver Village in Pompano Beach. One popular spot for entertainment is La Vie Lebanese Restaurant, a cultural experience serving up middle eastern foods, along with live performances from belly dancers with fire.

Ocean views, no HOA fees and private boat docks draw future residents to Avalon Harbor. Just across the inlet lies Pompano Beach, which stays busy with residents and visitors. “This area is always slammed,” says Lily, an associate with The Pointe of Pompano condos. “They keep building more and more condos, too, so the area is growing.” Finger canals from the waterway wind into the neighborhood, setting up many properties with prime waterfront access and private boat docks. Truly a community convenient for boaters and beach lovers alike. Locals might skip visiting the busy beach and get fresh air at Harbor’s Edge Park. Those ready to settle into retirement but want a place with lots of life will find their home in Avalon Harbor. Once a sleepy seaside town, the city's Community Redevelopment Agency has undertaken various projects across the city to turn Pompano Beach into a mecca for the arts, business and entertainment. Take the new development on the beach, for example, the Pompano Beach Fisher Family Pier. This hub is the epicenter of the rising seaside destination, the Fishing Village. Folks hang out with friends and family, cast lines or enjoy the South Florida sun. “Residents mainly visit the beach, but it gets busy in the summer, too,” Lily says. Harbor’s Edge Park welcomes dog walkers and joggers to use the paved path that starts at the parking lot and winds out toward the sandy patch. Golfers cross the highway to play a round at Pompano Beach Municipal Golf Course, and some visit the Pompano Community Park to watch the planes leave the Pompano Beach Airpark. New restaurants and eateries like Beach House line Pompano Beach’s sandy shore. Visitors hang out in the open-air bar and grill with tiki décor to try modern spins on surf and turf classics. “I really like Sicilian Oven, and they’re always busy,” Lily says. The restaurant sits north of the neighborhood on U.S. Route 1. Zuccarelli East also offers an Italian menu on the west side of Avalon Harbor. Lily also says restaurants along the beach have higher prices than those inland. Residents can shop at the nearby Aldi or drive to the Publix on Harbor Drive to pick up groceries. Avalon Harbor features a range of home styles and condos. Future residents can find townhouses as well as low and mid-rise condos. That said, most residents settle into single-family ranch homes. Most houses in the area were built in the 1950s, but as older houses are remodeled or razed and new construction enters the frame, the neighborhood aesthetic shifts. An updated two-bedroom condo can sell for $250,000 to $450,000. Alternatively, a remodeled, waterfront ranch-style home can hit the market for $2 million to $5 million. Limited areas have paved sidewalks, so residents rely on their cars to drive across northeast 14th street to visit Pompano Beach or U.S. Route 1 to visit the Beachway Shopping Plaza. Those with young children send them to Pompano Beach Elementary and later Pompano Middle School, both of which get a C-plus from Niche. Teens later graduate from the highly rated Pompano Beach High School. Niche gives Pompano Beach High an A-plus, and the school ranked in the top 2.5% of schools by the U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools in 2023. The neighborhood sits 13 miles south of Boca Raton and 13 miles north of Fort Lauderdale, but Route 1 gives residents a direct path to visit these popular spots. Broward County buses run along Northeast 14th Street and Route 1 for those who need public transportation. The Pompano Beach Airpark deals with private charters and pilots in training, so locals travel to Fort Lauderdale to fly out of Florida. In addition to being a growing area with lots of traffic, the area gets noisy with the Pompano Beach Airpark seeing planes fly in and out. Those who can accept the noise overhead to be closer to the sound of crashing waves might consider Avalon Harbor.