Sober Living in Dania Beach: A Relocation Checklist for Men Moving Here for Recovery

Every year a lot of men move to South Florida to get sober. Some come straight from a treatment program here, some fly in from up north on a family member’s credit card, and some just know they can’t stay where they are. If you’ve landed on a search for sober living in Dania Beach, you’re probably in the planning stage: looking at a map, trying to figure out where to live, how to get around and what to do in the first few weeks.

This guide is built for that. It’s a relocation checklist first and a city guide second. I’ll cover the practical steps of moving here for recovery, what Dania Beach is actually like, its ZIP code, transit, work, and where men’s sober living fits in. One clear note before we start: The Foundry does not have a house in Dania Beach. Our nearest house, Foundry: Beachhouse, is in Hollywood, which borders Dania Beach to the south, roughly 10–15 minutes away depending on traffic. Our other house, Foundry: Lakehouse, is in North Miami Beach, roughly 25–35 minutes south.

The relocation checklist

Here is the list I’d hand any man planning a move to the Dania Beach and Hollywood area for recovery. Work through it before you buy the plane ticket if you can.

Before you move

1. Confirm your level of care. Sober living is a recovery residence, not detox or treatment. If you’re still drinking or using, or just out of withdrawal, you may need a clinical program first. You can search licensed providers on FindTreatment.gov, the federal treatment locator.
2. Pick the house before the neighborhood. A good house in the next town over beats a weak one on the perfect block. More on what to check below.
3. Get the rate and what it includes in writing. Ask about deposits, testing fees, and whether utilities, internet and laundry are included.
4. Gather your documents. Photo ID, Social Security card, birth certificate, insurance cards, any court or probation paperwork, and a list of your medications and prescribers.
5. Line up outpatient care if you need it. If you’re stepping down from treatment, ask your program for referrals near the house.
6. Tell one honest person back home where you’re going and how to reach the house.

Your first week

1. Go to a meeting the first day. Find one with AA’s meeting finder or NA’s meeting search.
2. Ask for a temporary sponsor. You can change later. Don’t wait for the perfect one.
3. Learn the house rules cold. Curfew, chores, testing, guests.
4. Set up a bank account and a local phone number if you don’t have them.
5. Save 988 in your phone. It’s the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, by call or text.

Your first month

1. Start working, studying, volunteering or attending IOP. At The Foundry, that’s expected within the first couple of weeks.
2. Look into a Florida ID or license transfer if you’re staying, and check whether any out-of-state legal matters need attention.
3. Learn the bus and train routes you’ll actually use.
4. Find a home group and commit to it.

Our post on the first 30 days in sober living goes deeper on these steps.

Sober living in Dania Beach: what the city is like

Dania Beach is one of the oldest cities in Broward County. It started as a farming community called Modello, was incorporated as the Town of Dania in 1904 (named, according to its history, for the Danish ancestry of many early residents), became the City of Dania in 1927, and took the name Dania Beach in 1998. The 2020 census counted 31,723 people. The city was once called the “Tomato Capital of the World” and later became known for the antique shops along Federal Highway.

A few things a newcomer should understand about the layout:

• The airport is right here. Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport sits next to the city. If you’re flying in, you’re landing minutes from Dania Beach.
• The boundaries are irregular. Some neighborhoods voted to stay part of Hollywood after a 1920s annexation was reversed, which left Dania Beach with noncontinuous borders. Don’t assume an address is in the city just because it’s nearby.
• There’s a real beach. The city’s oceanfront includes Dania Beach Ocean Park and the Dania Beach Fishing Pier.
• Downtown is changing. Dania Pointe, a large shopping and entertainment development, has added stores and restaurants, along with entry-level jobs.

The city’s official site is daniabeachfl.gov, where the outdoors page covers the beach, pier, marina and parks.

Dania Beach ZIP code

Dania Beach is simple on paper: it uses one main ZIP code, 33004, listed both in Wikipedia’s city article and on zip-codes.com. The Postal Service’s default city name for 33004 is still “Dania,” with “Dania Beach” accepted. Because of the city’s irregular borders, though, you’ll run into neighboring ZIPs constantly. The table includes the main ones as neighbors, clearly marked, so you can read an address and know roughly where it is.

The neighbor ZIPs are the ones unitedstateszipcodes.org lists as adjacent to 33004. For the whole county, see our Broward County ZIP code guide and our Hollywood ZIP code guide.

Getting around: the logistics that matter most

For a man without a car, Dania Beach is better connected than most of Broward. This is the part of the checklist people underestimate.

• Tri-Rail. The Fort Lauderdale Airport station is at 500 Gulf Stream Way in Dania Beach. From there, trains run north to Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach County and south to Miami-Dade. Schedules and fares are at tri-rail.com.
• Connections at the station. According to Tri-Rail, Broward County Transit Routes 4, 6, 15 and 16 stop there, along with a free airport shuttle, a free shuttle to the college campuses in Davie, and the Dania Beach Community Bus.
• Broward County Transit runs several routes through the city. Use BCT’s trip planner for exact stops.
• Bikes work well for short trips between Dania Beach and Hollywood, which sit side by side.

At The Foundry, residents get rides to meetings and appointments early on, and residents in good standing may have a car.

How to vet a men’s sober house before you move

When you’re relocating, you often have to choose a house from a distance. That makes good questions even more important.

• Is it certified? Florida’s voluntary certification program is in section 397.487 of the Florida Statutes, and the credentialing body is the Florida Association of Recovery Residences (FARR). Ask to see the certificate and confirm it on FARR’s site.
• Are the rules enforced? No alcohol or drugs, randomized drug testing, curfew, chores, meetings. Ask what happens when someone breaks a rule. See our guide to sober living rules.
• Is it men-only? Many men do better in a men’s sober living house. Both Foundry houses are men-only.
• Can you see it? Ask for a video walk-through if you can’t visit in person. Look at the bedrooms, the kitchen and the common areas.
• Will they be honest with you? A house that tells you that you need a different level of care first is a house that’s looking out for you.

If you want a deeper checklist, our post on what makes a good men’s sober house covers it.

Work: landing a job after you land

Being new in town is a good reason to get to work quickly; a job gives you routine, people and a reason to get up. Around Dania Beach, entry-level jobs tend to be in retail and restaurants (Dania Pointe and Federal Highway), hospitality, marine trades near the waterways, and work around the airport. CareerSource Broward offers free job-search help, and its South Center is in Hollywood. The Foundry helps residents with resumes and interview practice.

Sober things to do once you’re settled

• The Dania Beach Fishing Pier, lighted for night fishing, and the beach at Dania Beach Ocean Park.
• Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park (formerly John U. Lloyd Beach State Park) at 6503 N. Ocean Drive, with a beach, a nature trail, fishing and paddling. Check Florida State Parks for hours and fees.
• The Dania Beach Paul DeMaio Branch of Broward County Library at 1 Park Avenue East, for Wi-Fi, job searching and a quiet afternoon.
• The International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame and Museum, one of the city’s more unusual attractions.

For families helping a man relocate

Moving a son, brother or husband across the country for recovery is a big decision, and families often handle the logistics. Ask the house about its visiting policy (The Foundry has an initial blackout period before visits), how it communicates with families, and what happens after a relapse. Our family page covers the common questions. For your own support, Al-Anon holds meetings across the country, including Broward County.

Where The Foundry fits

The Foundry runs two FARR-certified men’s sober living houses, run by men in recovery who are active in the fellowship and built around the twelve steps.

Foundry: Beachhouse is at 701 Hollywood Blvd in Hollywood, on the Intracoastal Waterway minutes from Hollywood Beach. For a man moving to the Dania Beach area, it’s the natural fit: roughly 10–15 minutes from the city, with a rooftop terrace, a pool, ping pong, kayaks and a billiards room with a waterway view.

Foundry: Lakehouse is at 871 NE 182nd Terrace in North Miami Beach, near Aventura and I-95, roughly 25–35 minutes south. It’s a lakeside home with eight bedrooms, five bathrooms, canoes, kayaks, a hammock, a tree swing and a fire pit.

Rooms come furnished, and utilities, linens, laundry and high-speed internet are included, which takes several items off a relocation checklist. Sober living is private pay, with scholarships for qualified men. We share rates on a call; we don’t publish bed availability. Most men stay three to twelve months.

Nearby guides

If you’re comparing towns before you move, read our neighboring guides on sober living in Hallandale Beach and sober living in Davie, and our main guide to sober living in Hollywood.

Ready to plan the move?

If you’re looking at sober living in Dania Beach, FL, or anywhere in south Broward, start with a call. We can walk through the checklist with you, tell you what’s open, and be honest if another option fits better. Reach The Foundry at (954) 817-7143 or through our admissions page.

If you or someone you love is in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 in an emergency.

Maps: Dania Beach to the Foundry houses

These routes start in Dania Beach; tap a button for live directions from wherever you land.