From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Best Scenic Drive

October 18 2006

State Road 7
From Hallandale Beach Boulevard to Stirling Road

This largely ignored stretch of highway isn't beautiful and isn't even fun to drive. But that doesn't mean it isn't scenic in a perverse sort of way. Looking pretty much as it did in the 1970s, Broward County's southern portion of State Road 7 is in desperate need of a makeover with its jumble of pawn shops, body shops, muffler shops, cheap motels and flag-flying car and truck dealers. The east side of the road is framed by electrical wires hanging over parking lots that are too small and flood too easily when it rains. Cars are always backing into traffic, and few if any turning lanes ease the crawl. It's a testament to terrible urban planning, but like the old dog you can't bring yourself to euthanize, it has a character those nicely landscaped, six-lane suburban roads will never have -- a wrong-side-of-the-tracks kind of character, perhaps, but at least it's not dull. And with small roadside eateries such as the Miramar Bakery, the Villa Rose pizza parlor and Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine, it's a decent place to get a bite. Plus, if your car breaks down, a repair shop is always within walking distance.