Nestled in the heart of Greater Fort Lauderdale, the city of Oakland Park is a small city of just over 44,000 residents. While Oakland Park may be small, don’t let its size fool you because it is big in a lot of ways. As a 31 year resident, and with help from some of my neighbors, we put together a list of 7 reasons why we love living in Oakland Park.

1. Little city living with big city access – As a part of Greater Fort Lauderdale, the City of Oakland Park is close enough to the city of Fort Lauderdale that it makes it really easy to enjoy all the big city has to offer while actually living in a cozy little city.
2. Location – Situated between I95 and the Turnpike it is easy to access any of these highways if you live in Oakland Park. It is also very close to the beaches. Head east on Commercial Blvd. or Oakland Park, the city’s two main boulevards and in at most 15 minutes you are on the beach. Commercial Blvd. will take you right into another little great city, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. Personally it is my favorite beachside spot.  As far as shopping Oakland Park has everything you need nearby.
3. Parks – The city of Oakland Park has a number of parks for residents to enjoy. Just around my home is Royal Palm Park, John Easterlin Park and Oakland Bark, a park especially for dogs. But that is not all! There is Wimberly Fields Park, Stevens Field Park, Giusti Heart Park, and Jaco Pastorius park. Jaco Pastorius park is where the city holds local events such as the Oktoberfest hosted by the city and sponsored by the Funky Buddha Brewery.
   Sunrise at Royal Palm Park.
   Photo courtesy of Paul Wire.
4. Safety – Oakland Park is a safe city to live in. The City continuously makes an effort to keep our city a safe place in which to live.
5. Sports, Recreation and Exercise – Oakland Park has all the parks mentioned in #3 for exercise, a number of gyms but it also has unique sports places such as America loves Soccer indoor soccer field, America Loves Baseball batting cages, projectROCK and my personal favorite the very homey and welcoming PS Yoga Studios on Prospect Road.

   

6. Dining – Oakland Park is home to a lot of local favorite restaurants. The list below names just a few, if you would like to share one, add it in the comments section of this post or on the Living in Oakland Park Facebook page.

   Catfish Dewey’s – serves up All You Can Eat catfish every night at a very reasonable price. On any given day there is a line out the door.

   Funky Buddha Brewery – Located in downtown Oakland Park the Funky Buddha Brewery creates local craft beers that you can enjoy all over town. But if you live in Oakland Park, you can go straight to the brewery and enjoy their crafty creations right from the source.

   Jack’s Old Fashioned Hamburger House – the name says it all. If you just want a good old fashioned hamburger made with fresh hamburger meat, then head to Jack’s.

   Lips Restaurant – yes, Oakland Park has a restaurant that serves up delicious food along side an entertaining drag queen show.

   Corinto Restaurant – located in a triangle shaped building on the corner of Dixie Highway and Prospect Road, this conspicuous little restaurant serves up great food and very affordable prices.

   Stout Bar and Grill – local sports bar that serves American comfort food. Stout is a great place to watch any type of sports, get your drink on and fill your belly.

   The Mai Kai Polynesian Restaurant – enjoy Polynesian food and entertainment and this distinctive restaurant. Enjoy half-price appetizers at Happy Hour.

7. Revitalization efforts – Since I have lived in the City of Oakland Park I have seen it undergo a transformation for the better. The city’s downtown area has been revitalized and is now a place where many locals go to hang out and enjoy local eats in the fledgling culinary district and events at Jaco Pastorius Park. According to an article published in the Sun Sentinel  and Fort Lauderdale Magazine the transformation is far from complete. The city is planning on building a new city hall along with mixed retail project dubbed Oakland Park Square. This project will completely transform the city’s center into a thriving downtown area for all to enjoy.
   Rendering of the new Downtown Oakland ParkRendering of the new Downtown Oakland Park

So here you have it, 7 reasons to live in Oakland Park. If you live, work or play here you might have something more to add to the list. If you do, please do so in the comments or on the Living in Oakland Park Facebook page.

If there is anything in the world I can do for you in Oakland Park or in the surrounding areas, just give me a ring.

Désirée Ávila

Désirée is a licensed Florida Realtor and Real Estate Influencer committed to a high-level of professionalism and to helping others with their real estate endeavors through education. Désirée Ávila was an award winning teacher for 10 years and has a doctoral level education in Educational Technology.  Désirée is a lifetime local resident of South Florida and is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, French and Italian.