First time in Florida need help.

[coolio111]

I need help to figure out car rental and hotels. First Cruise and never been to Florida.

 

We fly in on Thursday to Fort Lauderdale and leave for our cruise on Sunday from Miami. Our plan is to rent a car at the airport and drive down to Miami. Our plan is to visit the Seaquarium and Everglades on Friday and Saturday. Please recommend areas to stay for the Friday and Saturday in Miami and than, should we move closer to the Miami port for Saturday night?

 

We are planning to drop off the rental car at the Miami port. Should DH drop myself and the kids off at the port and return the rental car?

 

On our return Sunday night we will again rent the car and stay Sunday, Monday in Fort Lauderdal and fly out on Tuesday.

 

Please give recommendations. Thanks

 

 

 

[JohninDC]

No car rental locations at POM, but Avis, Hertz and others have downtown locations close to the port. National, Alamo, Thrifty and Enterprise offer free shuttles to the port from their MIA airport location.  Miami traffic is bad and parking is worse - most of the downtown Hotels charge guests $25-30+ per day to park. Do you need the car for both days?

 

Hampton Inn Mary Brickell is often suggested, has its own parking, includes breakfast and is close to lots of dining and shopping. If you stay out near the MIA airport parking will be free - check hotels in the Blue Lagoon area (Homewood Suites, etc.).

[bouhunter]

The Doral area is nice, out of the downtown Miami congestion.  Good base for visiting the everglades.

[Lupush]

If you're staying in Miami do not rent a car.  Uber from FLL to your hotel and you can taxi/uber anywhere you need to go.  Driving and parking in Miami is probably the worst I have ever experienced (and I'm from NYC!).

[BlueHerons]

You could not pay me to stay in Doral unless everything I was doing in Miami was in Doral.  Horribly congested suburb.

 

Why don't you stay in South Beach?  It's really a pretty area with great architecture. 

 

After South Beach, I would look at Coconut Grove and Coral Gables since you are going to be in Miami for several days.

[thinfool]

I suggest that you rent a car at FLL and from there drive across Florida (alligator alley, I-75) and stay in the Naples area.  Less traffic and hassle.  Next day drive down US 41 to Everglades City...find an airboat ride, see some Gators....again, a nice area that isn't too crowded.

After that, drive on down 41 and into Miami the back way....from here on I have no recommendation for a hotel, however I recommend returning the car at MIA airport and then uber around Miami, finally ending at the port for your cruise.

[BNBR]

I'd look at the Blue Lagoon hotels near the Miami Airport. Pretty central. You have a rental car so getting around is easy and you don't need to stay in a specific area.  

 

I'm not sure what another poster is talking about when they claim Miami is difficult to drive/park. It's quite easy and by far one of the easiest cities. We live in the area and drive to Miami all the time. Parking available everywhere.

[Host CJSKIDS]

I completely agree with Blue Herons and Lupush on this topic. 

 

As someone who lives in Miami and uses the roads all the time, I can say that Miami has lots of traffic all the time and lots of road work going on.   With all the construction going on in the area driving isn't fun.  Driving in Brickell is awful now with lanes closed and construction going on and it's just getting worse.  Unfortunately our roads in Miami can not keep up with the area's explosive growth.  Parking has become difficult because they have torn down many parking garages and built high rises in their place.  

 

I would not suggest staying in the Blue Lagoon area as traffic on the 836 with all the road work has traffic at all times of day. I try to stay off of it as much as I can. They changed where the entrance is to the express lanes on I-95 to try and ease the backup for those going north but it doesn't always work. It shouldn't take me 45 minutes to get to Costco in Doral via the 836 from the Brickell area in the middle of the day, but it does. 

My husband had to pick me up at the airport Thursday  when I flew home from Chicago and left Brickell at 5 pm and it took 1 hour and 20 minutes to get there via 95 and 112.  It's a 7 mile drive. 

 

OP, I would suggest staying in Coconut Grove or Coral Gables area for what you are looking to do.  Brickell is another great place but just check the parking prices.  Parking at The Hampton Inn Brickell isn't bad but some of the other hotels start to get to be $45 per night to park.  

It will be easy to get to the Everglades from any of the areas above and the Seaquarium is right over the Rickenbacker Bridge and very close to Brickell and Coconut Grove.  

 

Hope whatever you decide that you have a wonderful time here in Miami and on your cruise!

Edited June 30, 2019 by Host CJSKIDS