Life in Parkland: What a Day Actually Looks Like in Broward's Quietest City

Parkland’s lifestyle is quiet, residential, and deliberately slow. The city has no commercial zoning in most of its area - there are no strip malls, no fast food chains on Parkland streets, no gas stations inside the city limits in many sections. You have to drive to the border towns of Coral Springs or Coconut Creek for that. This is either a feature or a bug depending on what you want.

Outdoor Life

Parkland’s proximity to the Everglades and the equestrian trail system in the western section is a real lifestyle asset for people who use it. There are equestrian communities within the city where residents keep horses. The Pine Trails Park complex is excellent with fields, playgrounds, and event space. Quiet streets make Parkland very walkable and bikeable by South Florida standards.

Dining and Errands

Parkland’s city limits have very limited commercial. The Village Shoppes of Parkland on Holmberg Road has a collection of restaurants and shops that serve as the community’s dining hub. For larger grocery runs, restaurants with more variety, or anything commercial, residents drive to Coral Springs, Coconut Creek, or Boca Raton. This is the single biggest lifestyle tradeoff in Parkland.

Schools as Social Infrastructure

In Parkland, the school system is the social infrastructure. Parent volunteers are extremely active, school sports are a community event, and the PTA and booster programs bring families together. If you have kids in school here, the school community is your community. This creates a very strong neighborhood bond.

Getting Around

Parkland is fully car-dependent. The Sawgrass Expressway is the primary artery and connects to I-95 and the rest of Broward. The beach is 30-40 minutes. Fort Lauderdale is 25-35 minutes. Miami is 50-60 minutes. There is no public transit serving Parkland.