Is this plausible? Miami advice needed. Thanks!

[RascalRoni]

My wife, two children, and myself arrive in Miami at 7pm (after a long flight from Alaska) the night before our cruise. We are staying at the Sheraton Miami Mart which I believe is near the airport.

 

We've never been to Florida.

 

Would I be crazy to rent a car at the airport, check in to the Sheraton, and then cruise to Miami Beach the evening we arrive? After our drive to Miami Beach we would head back to the Sheraton and sleep. In the morning I would drive the rental car to the Port of Miami rental car drop off, and then catch the rental car shuttle directly to the Norweigan Cruise Line area.

 

Is this doable? I know we will be tired, but I hate to skip Miami entirely. I've heard the scene at Miami Beach is not to be missed. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.:)

[sillylizzie]

South Beach is amazingly fun. You could get a late dinner there, and walk around a bit. You can always wait and decide how much you're going to do based on how tired you are....:)

[signman]

Not crazy at all........however, South Beach is not generally thought of as a desitination for kids.

 

You will save money over what taxis will cost, and you can always rest up on your cruise.

[long time lurker]

RascalRoni

The rental car is a great idea, the sightseeing might be a little much. We aare getting ready to do the same trip ourselves in a couple of weeks. The flights are exhausting. We take the red-eye so we have the afternoon to rest up and can enjoy the evening. If you are already booked, I am sure that is not an option. We like having the rental car because it is generally cheaper than cabs etc. for 4 people and we don't have to wait for anyone, but we don't do a whole lot of driving around. If the flight does not arrive until 7pm you probably will not even be out of the airport before 8 or 8:30. If you have the rental car you can always keep your options open if people are not too tired.

[RascalRoni]

We leave Alaska on the red eye and arrive Miami at 6pm. Whew! Our kids are 15 and 13 and I'm sure they would love to see South Beach (as would I), and I don't see them having trouble rallying after a long flight. Me on the otherhand.....:o.

 

I've found out that Hertz has a rental car drop in Downtown with a free shuttle to the port. My plan is to return the rental car to Hertz at 10 am, and take the shuttle to the port. Our NCL ship departs at 4pm. Is that enought time? Any further suggestions? Is it easy to navigate the port and find NCL ships? Thanks once again!

[signman]

Plenty of time for your car return and you will probably be at the pier before they are even ready to start check-in. Better suggestion might be to drive across the MacArthur Causeway and take first exit to Parrot Jungle. Then find your way to where you will have a great view of the cruise ships. Then go back to Miami and return the car 11:30 ish.

[Sequim88]

Couple thoughts....

1. 6pm Eastern will seem like 2pm AK time....the real hit is the departure time from Alaska. If you can all sleep well on the flight(s) that is a plus but going to bed (and sleeping) will be difficult after arrival due to time difference. Worse still will be getting up the next day. 3Mg of Melatonin 2hrs before bed can help this a lot...even for teenagers.

 

2. Sheraton Miami Mart has a free shuttle to/from airport and cab to port from airport (and maybe the hotel) is supposed to be a flat $26. Depending on how much the rental is and the hassle (and time spent) renting it and returning it the net time and cost may be worth considering versus the beach visit.

 

3. I may be wrong but parts of South Beach are topless tolerant (Lummus Beach?) so depending on the your attitudes about this and/or the maturity or sophistication levels of the kids this may be something to consider. Of course by 7-8pm this might not be as much of an issue

[BlueHerons]

Couple thoughts....

 

3. I may be wrong but parts of South Beach are topless tolerant (Lummus Beach?) so depending on the your attitudes about this and/or the maturity or sophistication levels of the kids this may be something to consider. Of course by 7-8pm this might not be as much of an issue

 

I think legally the only place you can go topless is the area in front of Lummus Park to 14th Street (from 5th Street) HOWEVER, you'll find all of South Beach topless and thongs are very common.

 

RascalRoni, is there any way you can extend your stay for one night post cruise? Miami is one of the most fascinating, vibrant, multicultural cities in the United States. It is the banking capitol for Latin America and South America. Its dining influences are Cuban, Caribbean (thus Floridian), Haitian, Ecuadorian, etc. Its clientele are international. Its architecture is all its own.

 

There is more to Miami than just South Beach but it would be a great way to get started and see a very large area of beautifully preserved art deco buildings.

 

Fair warning, driving in Miami is not for the faint of heart. Avoid the rush on I-95. Traffic is really heavy driving towards downtown in the mornings and leaving in the evenings.

[ehfl]

I would take taxis...you won't have to worry about finding parking on South Beach, and won't have to worry about pickup and drop off. See if the hotel has a shuttle, or can recommend a limo service if you prefer that.

[ehfl]

You will also save a lot of time with taxis...since you are arriving late. The rental cars in Miami are not at the airport, and there is lot of construction going on right now near the rental car lots. You will waste a lot of time on the rental car shuttle, then trying to get out of the rental car area.

[RascalRoni]

Great info!!

 

I think I'll forgo renting a car since it sounds like just getting out of MIA with a rental car is a long process.

 

Seems like the free shuttle from MIA to the Sheraton when we arrive is easy. After checking into the Sheraton we can catch a cab to check out South Beach, and later catch a return cab to the hotel which should cost about $60 total, right? That's not so bad since I won't have to worry about driving, parking in South Beach, or pay for overnight parking at the hotel.

 

A cab to the port in the a.m. should cost about $30.

 

Renting the car is initially cheaper ($50), but adding parking, driving, and hassle it seems like the best option for us will be the taxis. If we had more time the car rental would be best because we could see more of Miami, but we'll only be in Miami a very short time, so it's the taxis for us!

 

Thanks again, you all have been so helpful.:)

[BlueHerons]

Great info!!

 

I think I'll forgo renting a car since it sounds like just getting out of MIA with a rental car is a long process.

 

Seems like the free shuttle from MIA to the Sheraton when we arrive is easy. After checking into the Sheraton we can catch a cab to check out South Beach, and later catch a return cab to the hotel which should cost about $60 total, right? That's not so bad since I won't have to worry about driving, parking in South Beach, or pay for overnight parking at the hotel.

 

A cab to the port in the a.m. should cost about $30.

 

Renting the car is initially cheaper ($50), but adding parking, driving, and hassle it seems like the best option for us will be the taxis. If we had more time the car rental would be best because we could see more of Miami, but we'll only be in Miami a very short time, so it's the taxis for us!

 

Thanks again, you all have been so helpful.:)

 

Rascalroni, how is this for thought.

 

Why don't you just stay in South Beach? You are already at a minimum of $90 for cab fees and if you add that into the price of what you are paying for your hotel, you could easily find something in South Beach.

 

A cab to South Beach from the airport is a fixed $32 and it will be less than $20 to the port the next day.

 

I'm thinking a cab to and from South Beach from the Sheraton is going to be closer to $40 each way. It is a bit of a drive and you have to go through lots of traffic.

[RascalRoni]

Well, initially, the idea was to collapse in a cheap hotel near the airport after our long flight, and rise the next morning and head for the port.

 

Since then I've heard how we just HAVE to check out South Beach or SOMETHING in Miami......So once we arrive, if we have any energy and no one has gone crazy, we'll likely go check something out in Miami. But what really clinches my Sheraton deal is that the reservation was made on Priceline

 

BTW, I'm open for suggestions other than Miami Beach if there are better choices.

 

Thanks once again!!;)

[BlueHerons]

Well, initially, the idea was to collapse in a cheap hotel near the airport after our long flight, and rise the next morning and head for the port.

 

Since then I've heard how we just HAVE to check out South Beach or SOMETHING in Miami......So once we arrive, if we have any energy and no one has gone crazy, we'll likely go check something out in Miami. But what really clinches my Sheraton deal is that the reservation was made on Priceline

 

BTW, I'm open for suggestions other than Miami Beach if there are better choices.

 

Thanks once again!!;)

 

What would not be as long would be to visit Vizcaya http://www.miamidade.gov/vizcaya/ (it has been the backdrop for many movies), check out Biscayne Bay and Bill Baggs State Park, and have dinner at The Rusty Pelican overlooking the Biscayne Bay. Quite gorgeous view!