Family friendly O/N pre-cruise in Miami?

[cbsmama]

We are going to be flying into Miami early the day before our cruise. I'm looking for a good area to stay in that we won't have to take ground transportation to get to stuff. Hopefully a beach front hotel, so we can spend the day on the beach, and then walk somewhere for dinner that is hopefully local and a good spot for kiddos.

 

Does this exist? I've never been to Miami before, so I really have no idea what the different areas are like. I know we could stay in FLL, but I'm hoping to be a little closer to POM the day we leave on our cruise.

 

TIA!

[Essiesmom]

You might ask this on the Florida Departures board...They have a lot of good advice there. EM

[cb at sea]

If you stay near Bayside Marketplace, you will be within walking distance of that outdoor mall, with shops, restaurants, bars.......

 

There is a Holiday Inn across the street and a more upscale Intercontinental next to Bayside.....it's a short cab ride to port....port is visible from those hotels. There are other hotels in that same area, but I can't remember the names! Check on Hotels.com.....it's a good site to see what's available and how far apart they are.....but don't book through them....call the hotel directly.