Many questions - car rental / Key West / Everglades

[Piggeldy]

Hi there,

 

we are still in the planing stage for our first "real" cruise (a TA) , which brings us to FLL on 16 November, our flight leaves from MIA on 18 November so we have two nights in Florida (couldn't stay longer as we both have to get back to work).

 

We had first though we'd take a post-cruise tour through the cruise line, from FLL to the Everglades, taking us to Miami airport from where we thought we'd just catch a taxi to the hotel and spend the second day in Miami / Miami Beach. However, the cruise line is not (yet?) offering any post-cruise tours which brings us back to the drawing board. I didn't want to rent a car, as I haven't driven in the US for 12+ years and I wasn't too fond of driving in Miami... but it has been 12 years and an additional 12 years of driving experience... so I guess renting a car would be an option, maybe.

 

I understand that there are no rental car agencies directly at Port Everglades but everything is somewhere nearby? Is that correct? Which agencies would that be? Avis, Budget, Hertz? Do they all offer a shuttle from the port? I have never rented a car in the US.

 

How much would we have to expect to pay for a two day rental?

I did a quick price check with Avis and the prices are - in comparison to what we pay here - rather inexpensive, even after I added all possible insurances, road safety and the GPS. I wonder if that can be correct? I don't want to be hit with additional fees that I am not aware of. Do the prices include tax?

 

When booking a car online, what do we enter as pick-up time? The ship arrives at 6am, I assume it will take a couple of hours to clear customs and deboard? What happens if we arrive late/early?

 

Do you have any recommendations for hotels/motels in Key West? Maybe even with complimentary parking? We don't need fancy, we are very happy with nice and clean.

 

On the second day we would like to drive to the Everglades from Key West and take a tour there. Any recommendations, maybe somewhat close to Miami? As we had previously thought we'd stick to the tour offered by the cruise line... there appears to be a whole load of options for (airboat) tours?! Are any areas especially nice?

 

I thought that in this case we would drop the car off late on 11/17, take a taxi to one of the downtown hotels (maybe Miami Beach?), spend the morning of 11/18 in Miami and then get to the airport early (3 to 4 hours ahead of time which would mean around noon).

 

It sounds doable to me, but is it?How bad is traffic in general? How much traffic should we expect heading back towards Miami on a Sunday in November? I know November is still Huricane season - is it a bad idea to plan a stay there in mid November?

[JohninDC]

You might rethink your plan a bit -- it is a 4-5 hour drive from FLL to Key West. If you pick the car up at 9:00 AM, with a stop for lunch that gets you to KW in mid-afternoon; you have time to explore and enjoy KW that day and the next morning, or to get up EARLY and drive back 4-5 hours to take a tour, but it does not sound like a vacation to me if you squeeze both into your schedule.

Most of the car rental agencies offer shuttles from Port Everglades - if you reserve the car for 9:00 but actually get there at 8:00 or 8:30 your daily rate rental starts then, and you will be charged a late fee :eek: if you return it after the 48 hour period ends - an extra 60 minutes (i.e. picking th ecar up at 8:00 and dropping at 9:00) can cost you an extra day in fees. :mad:

 

Go to kayak dot com or carrentals dot com and plug your dates in to compare rates from many agencies and car sizes -- I would stick with the major agencies.

You might consider staying near the MIA airport (check out hotels in the Blue Lagoon area near MIA (Hampton Inn, Sofitel, Homewood Suites and others) - free airport shuttles and shopping and dining options within walking distance) and then take the hotel's free shuttle back to the MIA airport and then catch the airport flyer bus to South Beach for only $2.35 each!

http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/library/airport_flyer_brochure.pdf

 

If you stay downtown or in Miami Beach you are looking at round trip cab fare (to your hotel and then back to the MIA airport) of between $50-65+ :eek:

 

I can't help you with hotel suggestions in KW, but when you visit you MUST eat at El Siboney - a family run Cuban diner I have been enjoying for over 30 years. Good luck! :)

[bouhunter]

Well since you're asking for suggestions I'll give some:D We LOVE the Keys and Key West, and I've always said everyone should drive the Keys once. So I'm all for your plan to head to Key West on the 16th. As noted above you'll have about 4.5 hours FLL to KW. Taking your time and enjoying the drive you could be in Key West mid-afternoon to enjoy the town, take a trolly tour, see some sights (Truman Whitehouse, Hemingway House, etc). Have a good dinner, hit a few bars, etc. There are MANY "MUST" places to eat. I like El Siboney, but unless Cuban food is a high priority I'd recommend somewhere for good steaks or seafood. You can find all kinds of recommendations here or on tripadvisor. My pick would be Michaels if you want a nicer meal (not the cheapest). Or make a good meal of the appetizers at Alonzo's or Boathouse on the old waterfront, half price appetizers during happy hour! In general I don't recommend just driving down for one night in KW, but it sounds like you're up for it, and as I said it is a chance to see the beauty of driving the Keys. My other recommendation would be to again enjoy the drive back up. Stop at Robbies Marina to feed the tarpon, worldwide sportsmans store, dolphin research center, theater of the sea, the list is endless. I think the Dolphin Research Center or Theater of the Sea would be more rewarding than an airboat ride in the everglades. Another option would be the beach at Bahia Honda State Park. I personally would skip the everglades on this tight schedule. Taking an airboat ride there is nice, and you could probably squeeze it in if you leave KW early and don't do much else that day. Only you can decide. If you do drive the Keys and stop for a meal either coming or going, I highly recommend Lazy Days (original is in Islamorada and now they've opened one in Marathon).

 

Regardless what you do, I'd look into renting a car at FLL and returning it to MIA. What I would do is turn the car in the night of the 17th at MIA and take a motel shuttel to a motel (even drop the luggage and someone off at the motel first, then just the driver going to turn the car in and ride the motel shuttle back). We like the Doral Hampton Inn, nice place with a tiki bar. Plenty of restaurant choices within walking distance. Then I'd relax at the pool the next day and take the motel shuttle to the airport.

 

Have fun whatever you decide to do!!:)

 

In Key West it's great to stay downtown if you can find a place in your budget. We generally use Hilton points and stay at the DoubleTree out by the airport. They run hourly shuttles downtown which is nice as you don't have to find parking down there or worry about drinking and driving if you've hit a few bars on Duval Street.

[capriccio]

I personally would skip the everglades on this tight schedule. Taking an airboat ride there is nice, and you could probably squeeze it in if you leave KW early and don't do much else that day.

 

You can make a quick visit to the Everglades in less than 3 hours - the Ernest Coe Visitor Center is just 15 minutes off the highway (where Route 1 feeds into the Florida Turnpike). They have an informative 20 minute movie and various exhibits - and at that point you haven't even entered the park so the visitor's center is free. Five minutes away (after entering the park - $10 per car), is the turnoff for Royal Palm. The winter wildlife viewing from their 1 mile (or so) boardwalk/sidewalk is stupendous (alligators, birds of all types, fish, etc.). Lots more wildlife than you would ever see via airboat and just remember to give the alligators some space (they are real NOT animatronics like some tourists seem to think :eek: and there are no fences!).